Koti Lingeshwara Temple - One Crore Lingas of Lord Shiva

On the eve of Maha Shivaratri  on 13th February, 2018, we are introducing a must visit big shiva Temple in Kolar District. Eshwara is the main deity of the Kotilingeshwara Temple. This temple is in the Kammasandra village near KGF in the Kolar district. The Kotilingeshwara temple houses the biggest Shivalinga in the entire world. It is said that during Mahashivaratri, there are close to two lakh devotees who visit this place every year. Kotilingeshwara is about 6 kilometers from the famous Kolar Gold Fields (KGF).

The Kotilingeshwara temple is located in a peaceful environment. There is plush greenery surrounding the temple. This world famous temple has lakhs of shivalingas that are spread over fifteen acres of land. There are close to 86 lakh shivalingas in the temple. The shivalingas are of various sizes and this is how the temple has got its name ‘Kotilingeshwara’.

There are more than a million lingas that have been installed in and around the temple over thirteen acres of land. The temple architecture is simply superb and you cannot help but wonder how these lingas would have been installed. Just outside the temple there are two flower trees, one Nagalinga and Cannon Ball flower. It is said that unmarried women who pray and tie a yellow thread to the tree are blessed with a happy married life.

The credit for constructing the Kotilingeshwara temple rests with Swamy Sambha Shivamurthy. The temple can be visited from early morning till about 9 PM at night. The tallest linga stands at 180 feet which is about 33 meters in height. There is a very big Nandi in front of the Kinga. The other small temples in and around the vicinity of the Kotilingeshwara temple are of Vishnu, Brahma, Maheshwara, Ganapati, Rama, lakshmana, Sita temple and Anjaneya.

It is said that the epic Ramayana took place during the Treta Yuga. The war between Sri Rama and Ravana clearly depicts victory of good over evil. When Lord Rama attained victory, he travelled from Dhanuskodi to Rameshwaram and installed the Linga. This was a noble way to providing moksha to those who perished. Lord Rama offered his prayers to this Linga and prayed for people who laid their lives down in the battle. It is said that in the Kali Yuga, the Kotilingeshwara temple has been built for instilling the same culture of peace, divinity and prosperity.

How to Get to Kotilingeshwara Temple

It is possible to reach the Kotilingeshwara temple from Kolar. You have to reach Bangalore and then proceed for Kolar. If you intend on driving down from Bangalore, then be prepared for a two and half hour drive. Bangalore is the closest airport. There are trains plying between Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli, Hassan and Kolar. Other than the summer months, you can visit the temple any time between July and January.

Facts about Kotilingeshwara Temple

• Daily pooja is performed at six in the morning and six in the evening by priests.
• There are drums and music at the time of the pooja.
• Mantras are recited and holy water is poured on the lingas.
• Devotees can offer prayers to Kotilingeshwara by installing shivalingas.
• The Kotilingeshwara temple also has rest house facilities.
• Devotees who want to reside in the guest houses may have to do prior bookings.
• Annadhanam (free food) is provided to all the devotees every afternoon.