Besides being a commercial hub, Bangalore also houses magnificent temples that speak of the city’s cultural heritage. Mainly constructed in a Dravidian-architectural style, the temples in Bangalore provide a sense of spiritual satisfaction and bring positivity into the heart of the people. Therefore, if you are a spiritual seeker or a die-hard devotee, you must visit the temples in the ‘garden city’ to satisfy your spiritual self and also to gain an insight into the culture and religion of India.
Since I am a die-hard devotee myself, I always wanted to tour around Bangalore and explore the magnificent temples that it has in store in its nooks and corners. So, I made a plan with my college friends and decided to tour the city temples in a day. We booked one of the best Pune to Bangalore flights from a reputed travel website and then made our preparations for the sojourn. We stayed at a budget-friendly hotel in Bangalore, the day we landed and set out for the journey the next morning.
Visited the ISKCON Temple
Diagonal view of the ISKCON temple
As soon as we woke up, we got ready, had our breakfast in the hotel and then headed towards the ISKCON Temple. A visit to the Bangalore temple is incomplete without the famous ISKCON temple. Situated in Chord Road, this temple is regarded as the largest in the world and has an immense beauty that will captivate your interest. When we reached the gate of the temple, we were awestruck at its exterior beauty. The intricate detailing on the outside with stone carving was quite pleasant to our eyes. Besides, the water fountain near the entrance added to the serene aura of the temple. We saw five prayer halls on the interiors, all designed in a neo-classical manner. There was also a complex where the lessons from the life of Lord Krishna were imparted to the devotees. All in all, we made a good start to the trip and had an incredible experience at the ISKCON temple.
Witnessed the charm of the Shivoham Shiva Temple
The low angle view of the Shivoham Shiva Temple
With huge expectations, we went towards the next destination, Shivoham Shiva Temple. As the name indicates, the deity of Lord Shiva is worshipped here and is popularly acclaimed for its great height of 65 feet tall. I was quite intrigued when I heard that the temple was constructed in the form of the deity, Lord Shiva and the blissful sight of Holy Ganga can be seen flowing from his matted locks. Therefore, I added this temple to our itinerary and decided to visit it on our trip. My friend was quite excited and captured many snapshots of the temple on his camera. Although the place is open 24 hours, we visited this place around 11 pm and stayed for two hours before we left for lunch.
Had lunch at Momo Corner
The entire view of the Momo Corner stall
Located nearby the Shivoham Shiva Temple, Momo Corner is a quaint food stall that serves some of the best quality momos in town. We had our lunch at the Momo Corner since I heard from a relative of mine that it sells the best momos at affordable prices. So, we ordered ourselves 5 steaming plates of veg momos and trust me, it was too good. The outer layer, the filling, the size, the soup and the chutney, everything was delicious and we couldn’t resist but order another plate for ourselves. After completing a fulfilling lunch here, we followed our plan and went to the Nandhi Temple according to the list.
Learned about the bull statue from the Nandhi Temple
Bull statue of the Nandi Temple decorated with flowers
Famous for the bull statue constructed in a single granite stone, Nandhi Temple witnesses crowd solely for this reason. This place, situated in the Bull Temple Road features Dravidian style architecture and worships Nandi, also known as the sacred bull in Hinduism, in its interiors. This temple has immense historical significance and therefore, we wanted to learn more about the sacred bull from its site. Therefore, we added this place to our list and I am glad we did that. The vibe, the beauty and the splendid Ganesh statue on the premises that we witnessed here made our day. With the entire setting of the temple, we were completely satisfied and left the place with a smile on our faces.
Rejuvenated at the Chokkanathswamy Temple
The main deity of the Chokkanathswamy Temple
It was almost evening by the time we reached this heavenly temple, The Chokkhanthswamy Temple. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple is known for its brilliant architecture. The amazing sculpted statues, the magnificent pillars, the true Chola architecture on the exterior, everything collectively contributed to the beauty of the place. But something strange happened as soon as I worshipped the ‘dashavatharas’ of Lord Vishu. I could feel my soul getting detoxified from negative thoughts and positivity inculcating into my body. It was such a beautiful feeling, I cannot explain in words. If you too want to experience the same, you can make your sojourn here and I can assure, you will cherish this day for a lifetime. After seeking blessings from Lord Vishu, we called off for the day and went back to our hotel by 8 pm.
So, this is how we planned our entire day trip at the temples in Bangalore. Although we could not cover all the eminent places, we could manage to cover the essential ones and hence, we were happy by the end of the trip. You can refer to the list above or make your own plan and set out for a temple tour to Bangalore. From my experience I can say, your soul will feel happy by the end of the trip.
