Historical sites around Bengaluru

I am passionate about traveling and experiencing history. I am often away to see historical places around Bengaluru, the word "around" being used in as broad a sense as possible. Fortunately, the civilizational legacy of our Bharat is so deep and so vast that no matter where you live in this great country, you are never too far away from some priceless piece of history. On this page, I shall put up some photographs of the places I get to see.

1) Shravanabelagola in Hassan District of Karnataka.

2) Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple located at the foot of Nandi Hills near Bengaluru.

3) Moodabidri Temple of 1000 pillars near Mangluru.

4) Lepakshi Temple in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh.

1) Shravanabelagola (2015) : Shravanabelagola is located in Hassan district, about 150 km from Bengaluru. The place is dominated by the imposing statue of Lord Gomatesvara (Bahubali) that is over 1000 years old. Here are some pictures, starting with Lord Bahubali himself.

But this is not all. Shravanabelagola has been a spot for Jain pilgrimage since 298 BCE (that's right...2300 years old!) when the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya came to Shravanabelagola having given up his entire kingdom and become a Jain monk. Having defeated Alexander's general Selukus Nikator, Chandragupta Maurya was probably one of the most powerful men in the whole world of his time. Yet, the great emperor overcame the attachment to worldly possessions and practiced penance till he starved himself to death. This uniquely Indian story of renunciation lives on in Shravanabelagola.

2) Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple (2016): This is a true gem located at the foot of the Nandi Hills, barely 60km from Bengaluru. The Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is believed to have been built by the Rashtrakuta kings around 800 CE, but additions were made by all the great empires such as the Cholas, the Hoysalas and of course the Vijaynagara dynasty. You can get an idea of the intricacy of the stone carvings as well as the scale of the temple complex here:

Here is the large water tank, the Kalyani:

3) Moodabidri Jain Temple (2016): We chanced upon this place a few kilometers outside Mangluru. Built by the Vijayanagara kings in the 15th century in honor of the Jain Tirthankara Chandraprabha, this temple is famous for its hall of 1000 pillars. You can see the ornate temple walls and ceilings here:

Finally, here I am, getting my photo clicked with another world famous Makhan chor (butter thief)

4) Lepakshi Temple (2016): This gem of Vijaynagara style architecture is located in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The temple, built in the year 1530 CE is dedicated to Veerabhadraswamy (Shiva). The wide, open air mandapa with carefully decorated pillars is a sight to behold:

However, the most awe-inspiring and powerful sight, by far is the Shiv Linga protected by the giant many headed snake hood: