Top 10 Must Visit Temples in Bangalore

Often referred to as the 'Silicon Valley of India,' Bangalore, Bengaluru at present, is also a tradition-loving city that has its own share of places of worship and religious institutions.

Here, we will learn briefly about 10 Temples in Bangalore, which also remain the Temples to visit in Bangalore, the 'Garden City.'

The ISKCON Temple, Bangalore

Sri Radha Krishna Chandra Temple of Bangalore is popularly known as the ISKCON Temple. Built by ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in commemoration of the birth centenary of its founder in the neo-classical style, this remains one of the world's largest Krishna Temples and was inaugurated in 1997. It houses the main deities Radha – Krishna, Balarama, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda, Srinivasa Govinda, Prahlada Narasimha, and ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada. With a gold-plated flag mast and Shikara, the tower, Rajagopura, ornate arches, and fountains, this majestic structure is perched on the Hare Krishna Hill, providing a feast to our eyes and aesthetic sense. ISKCON definitely remains a Temple to visit in Bangalore.

Bull Temple, Basavanagudi

This is perhaps the biggest Temple dedicated to Nandi, the Sacred Bull mount of Lord Shiva. Constructed in 1537 by a local Vijayanagara ruler, this small Temple houses the huge image of a seated Nandi 20 feet long and 15 feet tall. This is believed to be carved out of a single piece of rock. This place is also famous for its groundnut fair, Kadalekkayi Parishe, held on the last Mondays and Tuesdays of Karthika month, when they offer groundnuts as oblations to the deity.

Dodda Ganesha Temple, Basavanagudi

This Temple in Bangalore for Ganesha, Ganapati, or Vinayaka houses the imposing monolithic image of the Lord, standing to a height of 18 feet and width of 16 feet. This much-worshiped elephant-faced God is generally referred to as Shakti Ganapati or Satya Ganapati. While they do different decorations for the deity on different weekdays, they adorn this massive idol with more than 100 kg of butter on one of the occasions. The Dodda Ganesha Temple falls in the Bull Temple complex.

Banashankari Temple

Goddess Banashankari Amma blesses the devotees from this Temple that lies on the busy Kanakapura road. A large number of devotees visit this one-century-old Temple in Bangalore, particularly on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and offer worship, especially during the Rahukala time, for relief from hardships. While devotees celebrate Navaratri or Dussehra here with much enthusiasm, this Divine Mother's birthday in September and Temple anniversary during December-January are also observed with fervor.

Chokkanathaswamy Temple

This Temple takes the credit for being one of the oldest religious structures in a city linked with modernity. Built by the Cholas in their typical architectural style in the 10th century CE, this Vishnu Temple contains many Tamil inscriptions. It has large pillars with exquisitely carved sculptures, one of which depicts Dasavathara, the 10 famous incarnations of Vishnu. Those visiting this place, located near the airport, and offering prayers are said to feel the flow of Pranic energy, the vital life force, in their bodies, which makes it a Temple to visit in Bangalore.

Gavi Gangadareshwara Temple

This is a 9th-century cave Temple excavated from a single rock, a rarity right in the middle of a vibrant, metropolitan city. This Temple in Bangalore is dedicated to Lord Shiva, present in the form of a Shiva Linga in the cave, with a Nandi in front. Agni, the Fire God with 2 heads, 7 hands, and 3 legs, also finds a place here as a unique feature. While Shivaratri draws a big crowd of devotees, Makara Shankaranti also remains a special occasion when the Sun rays fall on the Linga at a particular time in the evening.

Venkataramana Swamy Temple, Basavanagudi

This is a 300-Year-old Temple where Lord Vishnu is worshiped as Venkataramana in the main shrine. Though only a small Temple, this place is celebrated for its exquisite and intricate carvings depicting human beings and animals and lion brackets, and thus remains a shining example of Dravidian architectural style. Images of Brahma and Shiva can also be seen on the walls here, along with those of Vishnu.

The Shiva Temple on Airport Road

This modern Temple, built in 1995, has a 65-foot colossal statue of Lord Shiva sitting in Padmasana, the lotus posture, with Mount Kailash, his heavenly abode forming the backdrop, and the holy Ganges flowing out of his matted hair. This towering Shiva image has an imposing presence and permeates the atmosphere with its sheer grandeur. While devotees flock to this Temple to visit in Bangalore on all days, their number crosses even 4 lakhs on festive occasions.

Sugreeva Venkateshwara Temple

There are many Hanuman Temples, but a Temple for Sugreeva is indeed uncommon. But this Temple, dedicated principally to Lord Venkateshwara, also has a Sugreeva image. While Venkateshwara is in the standing posture on a pedestal in the sanctum sanctorum, the 6-foot tall idol of Sugreeva, the ruler of the monkey kingdom, is also enshrined in the Temple. The canine teeth that protrude on either side differentiate him from the familiar figure of Hanuman.

The Kanyakaparameshwari Temple

This Temple in Bangalore dedicated to Goddess Kanyakaparameshwari is in the Kumara Park area. The marblework and the murals give this place of worship a unique appeal. These wall paintings depict some aspects of Bhagavad Gita discourse, Vasavi history, some holy places, sages, and saints. Besides, it also consists of a Mirror Temple, the Darpana Mandira, as a special feature, adding considerably to its attraction as the Temple to visit in Bangalore.