Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar Gold Fields

An impromptu decision took us to Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar Gold Fields on a weekend. This must be the first trip we had in a whim. The decision was taken at 12 noon and we were on our way at around 1 0'clock. It was one of cousins birthday. Two of them joined us along with mother who is staying with us for a few days. Cloudy weather made us to anticipate rain. The traffic was moving in a snail's pace. As our destination was only visiting this temple, we weren't in a rush either. Over good conversation and gloomy climate we reached the place within 2 hours. However the little glitch was GPS's erratic behaviour, so we had to ask a few people for direction.

Info: Swami Samba Shiva Murthy had a vision in dreams to build a temple with one crore linga. In 1981 he built the first linga in a sprawling 15 acres property in a quaint village Kammasandra near Kolar Gold Fields.

Commercialization screamed out from every inch of the temple. Names of the devotees who instated the Linga were inscribed in the signboards. Splashed colours of blue, red, green, and yellow in the background of installed Lingas brightens up the whole place. We should really appreciate the idea though.

There are many small shrines like Lord Venkateshwara, Panduranga Swamy Temple, Panchamuki Ganapathi Temple, Aanjaneya Temple, Kannikaparameshwari Temple, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva Temple, etc. We were forced to enter and exit each and every temple because ropes were tied around and this was the only way to walk. It is kind of normal in these kind of profit-oriented temples.

Outside Trimurthi temple we saw a woman tying a thread around a cannon ball flower tree (Naga Linga Flower). An elderly person near the temple told it is a belief that if unmarried woman ties a thread around the tree she will have a happy married life in the future.

Highlight is the 108 feet tall Linga and 35 feet tall Nandi infront of it, both raised on a huge platforms. This is known as the biggest Linga in the world. We had seen this place in various Kannada movies, but only could think of two names, Sri Manjunatha and Shivalinga for now.  A small Shani Shingnapur shrine and 17 Shakthi Peethas were established on the adjutant side.

We knew it is impossible to count the 90 lakh Lingas installed here. We were discussing vehemently about the impossibility. That is when a lady in uniform approached us. Seeing us with cameras and other gadgets she was curious to know if we were from some department. Then we told her about our commonness. She was gracious enough to give all the details about the place. It was she who cleared the doubt about the numbers. She showed us a Sahasralinga, a little bigger than normal ones that is equivalent to 1000 Lingas. Lingas of that category were aplenty. Going by that logic the place indeed houses 90 lakh lingas. The installation price starts from 8000 Rs and Sahasralinga costs around 35,000. We were told more than 2 lakh devotees visit every year. And Mahashivratri is celebrated with great fanfare.

The lady we were were taking about is Mahalakshmi, a home guard, now posted as "Tourist Mitra" (friend). It is a new initiation from Karnataka Tourism Department. Their job is to educate people about the tourist places in and around their posted district. We were happy about this initiation as we always felt our state is enriched with different places, be it heritages, beaches, mountains, falls, forests. It is apt to say "One State Many Worlds". Karnataka tourism needs a little nudging in advertisement department like its neighboring states.

Tips:
Route: Bangalore-Hoskote-Kolar-Kolar Gold Fields-Kammasandra (Kotilingeshwara Temple)

Entry Fee: 20
Parking Fee: 30
Camera Fee: 100