Bangalore Shiva Temple

Bangalore has temples of different periods and architectural styles. The Shiva Temple on Old Airport Road, located behind the Kemp Fort Shopping Complex, belongs to an entirely different category. It is a modern religious complex, and its biggest attraction is impossible to miss: a 65-foot-tall icon of Lord Shiva seated against an artificial Himalayan backdrop.

Unlike most traditional South Indian temples, there is no towering gopuram here. The complex is designed more as a combination of a temple and a religious visitor attraction, with several recreated pilgrimage experiences spread around the premises.

The temple is open throughout the week and remains accessible 24 hours a day.

A Different Kind of Temple Experience

Even the approach gives an indication of what to expect. Visitors enter through a passage lined with shops. Inside, several special poojas, rituals and other religious activities are offered for specific charges.

The commercial element is quite visible throughout the complex. Additional fees are also charged to enter some of the attractions. According to the temple authorities, the money collected is used towards charitable activities.

This makes the experience considerably different from visiting an old South Indian temple, where architecture, inscriptions, sculptures and centuries of continuous worship usually form the core of the visit.

Ganesha and the Twelve Jyotirlingas

A large sculpture of Lord Ganesha can be seen near the entrance.

Beyond this is a section dedicated to the twelve Jyotirlingas, the celebrated Shiva shrines located in different parts of India. Representations of all twelve Jyotirlingas have been arranged within a long enclosure, allowing visitors to see them together in one place. A separate fee is charged to enter this section.

These are, of course, symbolic representations of the original Jyotirlinga shrines rather than replicas of their temples.

Char Dham and Amarnath

Another paid section is called Char Dham.

Artificial caves and constructed settings have been created here to represent sacred destinations such as Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The idea appears to be to give visitors a glimpse of these distant Himalayan pilgrimage centres within the temple complex itself.

There is also an artificial cave representing Amarnath, complete with an ice-like Shiva Linga.

The entire arrangement is theatrical rather than architectural, but that itself makes this temple different from most others in Bangalore.

The 65-Foot Shiva

The undisputed highlight of the complex is the massive 65-foot Shiva.

Lord Shiva is depicted seated in a yogic posture, with artificial mountains rising behind him. The setting is intended to evoke the Himalayas and Mount Kailash traditionally associated with Shiva.

An artificial water body lies in front of the enormous icon. Across the water sits Nandi, facing Shiva as in traditional Shiva temples.

Another interesting feature is the representation of the Ganga flowing from Shiva's matted locks. Water continuously flows from the head of the giant Shiva icon, visually recreating one of the most familiar representations associated with him.

The scale changes the whole character of the place. This is not a Shiva icon placed quietly inside a dark garbhagriha. It is deliberately monumental, open and meant to be seen from a distance.

Near the water body are also icons of Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha.

Navagrahas with Their Consorts

The complex has a separate shrine for the Navagrahas, the nine planetary deities.

What makes this arrangement interesting is that the Navagrahas are shown along with their respective consorts. This is different from the more familiar arrangement seen in many South Indian temples, where the nine deities are generally represented individually.

A Temple or a Tourist Attraction?

Anyone visiting this place expecting the atmosphere of an ancient Shiva temple may come away with a very different impression.

There is no historic gopuram to study, no old stone mandapa to walk through and no ancient sculptures or inscriptions waiting to be discovered. Instead, there are artificial caves, recreated pilgrimage sites, paid religious experiences and, towering above everything else, an enormous Shiva.

The commercialisation may not appeal to someone looking primarily for a quiet and traditional place of worship. For a traveller, however, it offers something unusual. It shows how a modern religious complex can combine worship, popular religious imagery and tourism within the same space.

And irrespective of how one views the rest of the complex, the sight of the 65-foot Shiva seated against the artificial mountains remains its defining image.

Happy travelling.

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