Trip to Kolar Gold Fields

Bangaru Tirupati Venkateshwara Temple & Koti Lingeshwara Temple.

Hello Friends,

I am back with one more memorable trip experience. …

February 2nd 2008.

On Saturday early morning around 7:30 am we started our journey in my Getz car towards kolar. We reached kolar at 9:30 am, we took the kolar bypass road for reaching our first pit stop @ Woody's ,Nagarjuna Hotel its exactly around 75 km from Bangalore Basavanagudi. Woody’s is the only recognized vegetarian hotel there. If u visit the hotel then don't forget to try the rave dosa & pongal they are very tasty.

For reaching kolar we need to take KR Puram Hanging bridge route and continue on old madras road ,then on the way we crossed Basavanapura - Veerenahalli then we reached Hosakote (NH 4) , from there it’s a straight narrow road to reach kolar. It’s a National Highway 4 but the roads are not so good …its doesn’t look like NH road.

After reaching kolar we need to take the route via Malur taluk, Bangarpet route just follow the direction boards, later we will cross the Bethamangala, we will also cross the Koti Lingeshwara temple to reach Guttahalli. Guttahalli is 39 km from Kolar. Bangaaru Tirupati is situated in Guttahalli it was our 2nd pit stop.

Bangaru Tirupati Venkateshwara Temple is a historically famous well-known pilgrimage center in Karnataka. Bangaru Tirupati is also known as Chikka Tirupati. It is said that, long back, Bhrugu Maharshi had created a hillock of about 40 mtrs huge and was utilized for meditation purpose. Just below the hillock is Garuda holding the big snake. The temple itself has a very impressive gopuram and very big kalyani.

Venkataramana, also called Srinivasa idol in the temple is very small and very attractive has to be viewed from a six-holed window & on the other hillock there is Goddess Alamelu Mangamma (Padmavathi) temple.

Mythology {Source Deccan Herald}

According to mythology, Lord Mahavishnu, while washing the feet of Brughu Maharshi in Vaikunta, had squeezed an eye present in one of his feet.With this, Brughu Maharshi was purged of his pride and he sought Moksha, from the hands of the Lord, it is said in the Mythology.

Lord Mahavishnu blessed him by stating that, he would take the avatar of Ekantha Shrinivas in Bangaru Tirupati. Lord Mahavishnu later asked him seek his blessings with the help of his yoga nethra and he would attain moksha. Similarly, Brughu Maharshi meditated for several years and later visited Bangaru Tirupati Temple and with the help of his yoga nethra and sought the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara through the kindi (small window) of the temple and attained moksha.

Akaktaha darshana

From that day, devotees seek darshan of Lord Venkateshwara from the kindi which is also popularly called as the ‘Akaktaha’ darshana.

Six behaviours

There are six holes in the kindi, symbolising the six human behaviours called - kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsara. When the devotees come here, they forget these six behaviours and seek the blessings of the Lord.Among the 108 Tirupati temples, Bangaru Tirupati is one of the most sacred places.

The Shriswami Pushkarini is also famous here. Shravana maas, Maaghamaas and Shivarathri are very popularly celebrated here. Every Saturdays special poojas are done. Temple timings : - 8am to 8pm.

I captured some of the memorable moments in the temple in my Canon Power Shot S3 IS.

{ view from the top of the hillock }


{view from the kalyani}

Koti Lingeshwara Temple, Kolar.

Our 3^rd pit stop was at Koti Lingeshwara Temple it’s the biggest shiva temple in Karnataka spread oven an area of 15 acres. Temple main attraction is the worlds biggest linga of 108 ft tall , matched by a huge figure of Nandi of 35ft tall. As the name suggest this place soon will have One crore lingas. Till now (February 2008) they have 85 lakh shivalingas have been installed.The temple houses shrines for Manjunatha, Panduranga, Srinivasa, Panchmukha Ganesha, Panchamukha Hanuman, Rama-Sita-Lakshmana, Ayyappa, Annapoorneswari, Santhoshimatha, Kannika Parameswari, Raghavendra swami, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara temples. Koti Lingeshwara temple is around 29 km from kolar.

{Video of the Koti Lingeshwara Temple, Kolar.}

Anthargange

Anthargange was our final pit stop, its around 6 km from kolar. Anthargange has huge volcanic rocks and boulders scattered all over. There are around 200 steps which will lead u to the top of the hill, on the top of the hill there is an ancient shiva temple & big kalyani.

{Video of the Anthargange Temple, Kolar.}


{Some more trip photos }


Thank you very much for visiting my Blog. I hope you will enjoy the Photos and videos of the temple. Don’t forget to leave your comments about the blog. – Happy Reading , Parichay BP.