Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple In Bangalore, Karnataka

Apart from the tall shivalinga in the inner sanctum of the temple, another major attraction at Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple, Bangalore is a rare Idol of Agni, the God of Fire which has 3 legs, 7 hands and 2 heads. The temple also houses a wonderful sculpture of Nandi, Shiva’s Mount and beautiful images of Shakti Ganpati with 12 hands adorning the main entrance to the temple.

Also known as the Gavipuram Cave Temple, this temple is an architectural wonder. The Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple history dates back to the 9th century when it was cut out of a monolithic rock by the great sage Gowthama to perform penance. It was later revamped and extended by Kempegowda 1, the founder of Bangalore, in the 16th century as a way to show his gratitude for being released from imprisonment after five years.

Tourists flock to the Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple in Bangalore on two very popular occasions. Once every year on the day of Makar Sankranti, the dark interiors of the cave and the shivling is illuminated by the bright rays of the sun. The other festival is Maha Shivaratri when the shivling is bathed in milk all day long and tourists gather around the temple to witness this.

If visiting Bangalore, one should not forget to visit Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple which exhibits its ancient culture and tradition along with stunning architecture and devotion.