About the Trip
Some places you visit for the scenery. Kolar you visit for the sheer scale of what people have built here over a thousand years.
This one-day trip from Bangalore covers three temples that could not be more different from one another. Kolaramma is a thousand-year-old Chola shrine covered in stone inscriptions. Someshwara is a Vijayanagara-era temple with a soaring gopuram and pillars carved into horses and mythical beasts. And Kotilingeshwara is something else entirely — a 15-acre field filled with lakhs of stone Shiva lingas, standing under a 108 ft lingam that you can see from well outside the gate.
It is an easy day out. Kolar sits roughly 70 km east of Bangalore along the Old Madras Road (NH75), and Kammasandra village — where Kotilingeshwara actually is — is about 30 km further on towards Bangarpet, making it around 100 km from the city in total. Two to two-and-a-half hours of driving, and you are there.
Below is the plan we follow, including where to stop, how long each temple deserves, and the practical details worth knowing before you go.
Recommended Itinerary
🕢 07:30 AM – Pickup & Departure from Bangalore
Pickups begin around 07:30 AM across South and East Bangalore, and the bus rolls out by 8:00 AM. Breakfast is a stop on the way — the Old Madras Road stretch towards Kolar is lined with the kind of highway darshinis that do a very good idli-vada and filter coffee.
📍 Stop 1: Kolaramma Temple (Arrive by ~10:30 AM)
The town of Kolar takes its name from this goddess. Kolaramma Temple is roughly a thousand years old, originally built by the Gangas of Talakadu and later developed considerably by the Cholas — the stone reconstruction is credited to Rajendra Chola I in the early 11th century. It is built in the Dravida vimana style, and its granite walls carry more than thirty inscriptions in Kannada and Tamil, which is why historians rate this temple far above its modest size.
What to Look For
- The Chola inscriptions
Carved directly into the granite — a genuine 11th-century record you can stand and read. - Chelamma, the scorpion goddess
A shrine unique to Kolar. Devotees pray here for protection from scorpion stings. - The Saptamatrika shrine
Dedicated to the seven mother goddesses, alongside the main Kolaramma sanctum.
Timing note: Kolaramma typically closes over the middle of the day and reopens in the evening, which is exactly why this stop sits first on the itinerary. Morning is the right time to be here.
📍 Stop 2: Shri Someshwara Swamy Temple (~11:45 AM)
A ten-minute drive away, and a completely different mood. Someshwara Swamy Temple is dedicated to Shiva, founded under the Cholas and then expanded substantially by the Vijayanagara Empire — the result is one of the finest examples of 14th-century Vijayanagara temple art in this part of Karnataka. The gopuram over the entrance is the first thing you notice; the carving is the thing that keeps you there.
What to Experience
- The Kalyana Mandapa, with its sixteen-sided pillars carved into horsemen and scenes from mythology
- Yali pillars — rearing mythical beasts, a Vijayanagara signature
- Elephants worked into the basement friezes, walking, fighting and frolicking
- The Mukha Mandapa and the separate shrine for Parvati
🍽️ ~01:00 PM – Lunch Break
Lunch is at a local restaurant in Kolar town. This is Karnataka-Andhra border country, so expect the thalis to carry a bit more heat than Bangalore does. Budget roughly ₹200–₹350 per person — lunch is not included in the trip cost.
📍 Stop 3: Kotilingeshwara Temple (Arrive by ~04:00 PM)
Then the main event. Kotilingeshwara Temple at Kammasandra was founded in 1980 by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy and his wife V. Rukmini, and the enormous 108 ft (33 m) lingam at its centre went up in 1994. Facing it across the ground is a 35 ft (11 m) Nandi. Around them, spread over roughly 15 acres, stand lakhs of smaller lingas in neat rows — most of them between one and three feet high, each one sponsored by a devotee and carrying the donor's name.
That is the part photographs never quite convey. It is not one big statue with a garden around it. It is a field of stone, going on and on, and every single linga in it was placed there by somebody keeping a promise.
What to Experience
- The 108 ft lingam and the 35 ft Nandi facing it
- The linga fields — walk the rows and read the donor names
- Eleven smaller shrines around the campus, for Vishnu, Annapoorneshwari, Panchamukha Ganapathy, Anjaneya and others
- Sponsoring a linga of your own, if it is something you have come to do
- Late-afternoon light on the black stone, which is when this place photographs best
🏁 ~06:00 PM – Return to Bangalore
After 1.5–2 hours at the temple, the bus starts back. Expect to be dropped at your original pickup point somewhere between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, depending on how the Old Madras Road is behaving.
One-Day Trip Summary
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:30 AM | Pickups begin across Bangalore |
| 08:00 AM | Depart Bangalore via Old Madras Road (NH75) |
| En route | Breakfast stop |
| 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM | Kolaramma Temple |
| 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM | Someshwara Swamy Temple |
| 01:00 PM | Lunch in Kolar |
| 04:00 PM – 06:00 PM | Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra |
| 06:00 PM | Start return to Bangalore |
| 08:00 PM – 09:00 PM | Drop-off at pickup points |
💬 WhatsApp-Friendly Itinerary
One-Day Trip: Kolar Temples + Kotilingeshwara
- 🕢 Pickup: 7:30 AM, depart 8 AM
- ☕ Breakfast on the highway
- 📍 Kolaramma Temple – 1,000-year-old Chola shrine
- 📍 Someshwara Temple – Vijayanagara gopuram & carvings
- 🍽️ Lunch in Kolar town
- 📍 Kotilingeshwara – 108 ft lingam + lakhs of lingas
- 🏁 Back in Bangalore by 8–9 PM
Perfect for families, friends & anyone who likes their history with a side of scale.
Know Before You Go
| Detail | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Location | Kammasandra village, Bethamangala hobli, KGF taluk, Kolar district — not Kolar town itself |
| Distance from Bangalore | Around 100 km; roughly 2–2.5 hours by road |
| Temple timings | Commonly listed as 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM; the temple's own site lists 7:00 AM – 9:30 PM. Worth confirming before a special trip. |
| Entry fee | ₹20 per person for general darshan at last listing; camera and parking charges are separate |
| Free meals | Anna Prasadam is served free by the temple, typically 12:30–3:30 PM and 7:00–8:30 PM |
| Sponsoring a linga | Available in a range of sizes, inscribed with the donor's name. Rates are tiered and change — ask at the temple office. |
| Busiest day | Maha Shivaratri (February/March), when the temple draws enormous crowds |
FAQs
1. How far is Kotilingeshwara Temple from Bangalore?
Around 100 km, about 2–2.5 hours by road. Note that the temple is at Kammasandra, roughly 30 km beyond Kolar town towards Bangarpet — so directions that stop at "Kolar" will leave you short.
2. Is the Kotilingeshwara lingam really the world's tallest?
It is one of the largest Shiva lingams anywhere, at 108 ft — and it held the Indian record for years. But the 111.2 ft lingam at the Maheswaram Sri Sivaparvathi Temple in Chenkal, Kerala, opened in 2019–20 and is now credited as India's tallest. You will still see "world's tallest" on a lot of signage and travel copy; treat it as an old claim rather than a current one. It takes nothing away from standing underneath it.
3. Are there really one crore lingas?
Not yet — and that is the point. "Koti" means crore in Kannada, and one crore lingas is the temple's stated ambition, not a headcount. Official sources say only that "lakhs" have been installed across the 15-acre site, and published estimates vary enormously. The number grows every time a devotee sponsors one.
4. Can I install a linga in my own name?
Yes — this is the temple's defining ritual. Lingas can be sponsored in various sizes and are installed with the donor's name inscribed on them. Rates depend on size and change over time, so check with the temple office for current details.
5. Is there a dress code?
No strict dress code is published, but this is an active place of worship — modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is the respectful choice. You will be removing your footwear, and the stone gets hot by afternoon, so socks are a genuinely useful thing to carry.
6. Is this trip suitable for families and elderly travellers?
Yes. There is no trekking or climbing involved — just walking on level ground at each temple. The one thing to plan for is sun exposure at Kotilingeshwara, where the linga fields are wide open with very little shade.
Did You Know?
Fascinating facts about Kotilingeshwara & the Kolar temples
🕉️ Kotilingeshwara Facts
A Temple Younger Than Most Visitors Assume
Despite its ancient atmosphere, Kotilingeshwara was founded in 1980 — by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy and his wife V. Rukmini. The giant 108 ft lingam came even later, in 1994.
The Name Is a Goal, Not a Count
"Koti" means one crore in Kannada. The temple is named for its ambition — to one day host a crore of Shiva lingas. Official sources say lakhs have been installed so far.
Every Linga Has an Owner
The smaller lingas, mostly 1 to 3 ft tall, are not decorative. Each was sponsored by a devotee and carries their name — a vow or a thanksgiving, made in stone.
A Record That Changed Hands
At 108 ft, this was long celebrated as India's tallest Shiva lingam — until Kerala's 111.2 ft Maheswaram lingam was unveiled in 2019–20. Karnataka Tourism and Wikipedia now describe it as one of the largest, rather than the largest.
Eleven Temples in One
Beyond the main lingam, eleven smaller shrines stand within the premises, dedicated to deities including Vishnu, Annapoorneshwari, Venkataramani Swamy, Panchamukha Ganapathy and Anjaneya.
It Inspired a Film
The temple's origin story — a non-believer who became a devotee of Shiva — was adapted into the 2001 film Sri Manjunatha.
🏛️ Kolar Town Facts
The Town Is Named After the Goddess
Kolar takes its name from Kolaramma, the presiding goddess of its oldest temple — a form of Shakti worshipped here for around a thousand years.
Thirty Inscriptions in Two Languages
Kolaramma Temple's granite carries more than thirty inscriptions in Kannada and Tamil, left behind by the Cholas after they annexed Kolar in the early 11th century.
A Goddess for Scorpion Stings
The Chelamma shrine within Kolaramma Temple is devoted to the scorpion goddess. Devotees believe regular prayer here protects against scorpion bites — a very local piece of faith.
Two Empires, One Temple
Someshwara Temple was begun under the Cholas and expanded by the Vijayanagara kings — you can read both eras in the stonework, from the gopuram down to the horse-riders on the Kalyana Mandapa pillars.
Gold Country
Kotilingeshwara sits in the KGF taluk — Kolar Gold Fields, once among the deepest gold mines on earth and the reason this quiet district was known worldwide for a century.
Travel Tips
- Carry socks. Footwear comes off, and the open stone at Kotilingeshwara gets genuinely hot in the afternoon.
- Sun protection matters more than you would think. The linga fields are wide, flat and almost entirely unshaded. Cap, sunglasses, water.
- Carry cash in small notes. Entry, parking, camera charges and offerings are all easier with change than with UPI.
- Dress modestly. All three are working temples, not monuments.
- Check photography rules at each shrine. The grounds are photogenic and generally open, but inner sanctums usually are not.
- Avoid Maha Shivaratri unless crowds are the point. The temple draws vast numbers that day. It is an experience — just not a relaxed one.
- Time Kolaramma for the morning. It closes through the middle of the day, which is why this itinerary front-loads it.
Ready to Travel?
Join BOZ Travel's one-day group trip to Kolar and the Kotilingeshwara Temple. Travel with like-minded people, skip the driving and parking, and see three very different temples in a single well-paced day.
Our trips include comfortable AC transport, breakfast, entry tickets and an experienced trip coordinator — so all you have to do is turn up at the pickup point.
References
- Kotilingeshwara - Wikipedia - Founding, dimensions of the lingam and Nandi, and the eleven shrines
- Kotilingeshwar Temple - Kolar District, Government of Karnataka - Official district information on the site, its 15 acres and how to reach it
- Shri Kotilingeshwara Swamy Temple - Official Site - Temple timings, Anna Prasadam and contact details for linga sponsorship
- Kolar - Karnataka Tourism - State tourism information on Kolar, its temples and visiting details
- Kolaramma - Wikipedia - History of the Kolaramma temple, the Gangas and the Cholas
- Maheswaram Sri Sivaparvathi Temple - Kerala Tourism - Official confirmation of the 111.2 ft Kerala lingam that now holds the Indian record