Someshwara Temple - Ulsoor

The Someshwara Swamy Temple at Ulsoor is one of the oldest temples in Bengaluru. According to legend, the chieftain Kempegowda was once resting under a tree here when the god Someshwara appeared in a dream and instructed him to build a temple in his honour using some buried treasure. Kempegowda accordingly built the temple.

Based on architectural styles and context, SK Aruni of the Indian Council of Historical Research dates the temple’s garbagriha (sanctum), vestibule and navranga mandapa (pillared hall) to the Cholas, who ruled this region about a thousand years ago. In subsequent centuries, the temple expanded with the addition of a maha mandapa, gopura and various other elements.

During recent civil works in the Temple Complex, a broken sculpture of a goddess was discovered. Experts believe it belongs to the Ganga period (5th to 10th CE) — further evidence of the antiquity of the temple.

Read on to explore this incredibly rich slice of history in the heart of Bengaluru.

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Complex layers of built forms with an intriguing mix of architectural features and details.

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An enchanting universe of divine, semi-divine, human and fantastical beings and stories from mythology carved in stone.

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Stories

A deep dive into the richly carved forms, legends, tales and scenes that animate the walls and pillars of this temple

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