Kotilingeshwara Temple

Lord Shiva (as Kotilingeshwara)

Kammasandra, Kolar district

Kotilingeshwara Temple — Photo: Mithila, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain, self-published)

Folktale & Sacred Story

The temple's founding is popularly recounted as arising from the founder's devotional resolve to make Shiva worship radically accessible and abundant, by dedicating a site where devotees from any background could sponsor the installation of their own personal Shivalinga rather than merely visiting an existing one. Over the decades this has grown into a widely repeated local tradition in which families mark important life events—weddings, recoveries from illness, the fulfilment of vows—by donating a new linga to the grounds, so that the temple's forest of lingas is understood locally as a living record of thousands of individual prayers answered.

Most Revered Practice

The continuing practice of devotees sponsoring and consecrating new personal Shivalingas on the temple grounds, alongside daily abhishekam to the temple's giant central linga, remains its most distinctive and actively observed tradition.

Prasadam & Offerings

The temple serves free Anna Prasadam (vegetarian meals, typically sambar-rice) to visitors around midday as part of its daily annadana programme.

Temple Speciality

The temple is known for its very large central Shivalinga, reported at over 30 metres tall with an accompanying colossal Nandi statue, and for the sheer number of Shivalingas—several lakh and growing toward the stated goal of one crore—installed across its grounds, making it one of the most visually distinctive modern Shiva shrines in India.

Why Pilgrims Visit

Visitors can see one of India's most striking modern displays of devotional scale, with vast rows of Shivalingas and towering statues, offering a very different pilgrimage experience from Karnataka's ancient stone temples.

History & Legend

The Kotilingeshwara Temple in Kammasandra village, near Kolar, was established in 1980 through the vision of a local spiritual leader who set out to install one crore (koti, ten million) Shivalingas at the site, giving the temple its name. The founding linga was installed the same year, and devotees and visitors have since been encouraged to donate and install additional lingas on the grounds, a practice that continues to this day and has resulted in several lakh (hundreds of thousands) of lingas across the temple complex. The temple's centrepiece, a very large Shivalinga installed with an accompanying colossal Nandi (Basava) statue, was added as the project grew in scale and popularity. Though a comparatively recent foundation next to Karnataka's many ancient temples, it has become one of the state's most visited modern pilgrimage sites.

Divine Significance

The temple is regarded as a unique modern tirtha built entirely around the ideal of multiplying Shiva worship through the installation of countless lingas, and devotees believe that contributing or worshipping even one linga here accrues the same merit as worship at a crore of shrines.

Darshan Timings

The temple is generally open around 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM daily, with darshan typically available through the morning and evening (please confirm exact timings with the temple before visiting, as they vary by season and festival).

How To Reach

Nearest airport: Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (about 100 km); nearest railway station: Bangarapet or Coromandel railway station on the Bengaluru-Bangarpet-Marikuppam line, a short drive from the temple.

Where To Stay

Kolar town, about 20-25 km away, and nearby Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) offer local lodging options, with a wider choice of hotels available in Bengaluru for those making a day trip.

Local Food Nearby

The temple premises and surrounding Kammasandra area have simple local eateries, while Kolar town nearby offers a wider range of South Indian vegetarian food options.

Contact & Official Info

Enquiries can be directed to the Kotilingeshwara Temple trust/management at Kammasandra, Kolar district.

Location Map

View on Google Maps → (12.9958, 78.2958)