Halasuru Someshwara Temple, Bangalore Information & History

Situated in the heart of Bangalore, Halasuru Someshwara Temple is one of the prime city attractions. This famous temple in Bangalore is not only visited by devotees from around the city, but also people coming to the city for business or other social purposes. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this religious place also has historical significance and marvellous architecture and sculptures. Being in the city centre, it enjoys proximity to several of the best hotels in Bangalore, which host hordes of business and leisure travellers round the year.

Read ahead for an overview of this famous place to visit in Bangalore, including information on it structure, history and visiting timings.

Halasuru Someshwara Temple: Information

Halasuru Someshwara Temple: History 

The temple, featuring Vijayanagara architecture, is said to have been built either by the Chola rulers, some 2,000 years ago, or by the Vijayanagara monarchs between the 15^th and 16 centuries BC. There are two mythical accounts related to the construction of the shrine. One says that one day, while hunting, Kempegowda I came far from his capital in Yelahanka. Becoming tired, he took shelter under a tree and fell asleep. In his dream, he was visited by Someshwar, the local deity, who asked the king to find buried treasure and construct a temple in the former’s honour, in return for heavenly favour. The king, as instructed, found the treasure and built this temple.

The other account says that King Jayappa Gowda, who ruled the region between 1420 and 1450, as part of a minor dynasty tracing its origins to the Nada Prabhus of Yelahanka, was, too, out on a hunt. He fell asleep under a tree in the forests that covered the present-day Ulsoor or Halasuru locality. In his dream, a man told him that the spot he was sleeping on contained a buried Shiva linga and that the emperor should retrieve and enshrine it. The king, as instructed, found the idol and installed it inside a temple, initially made of wood.

A recent excavation on the temple premises unearthed a tank, which is speculated to be at least 1,200 years old, thus pushing the known history of the temple further back.

Halasuru Someshwara Temple: Today

As is the case with most such historical structures, the Someshwara Temple in Halasuru is an active place of worship. People from around the city come here to pay their obeisance to the deity. Similarly, many on a tour of Bangalore make it a point to come here for its historical value and intricate sculpting. There are a total of 10 shrines within the premises, dedicated to different deity. Along with Lord Shiva, who is the presiding deity, prayers are also offered to Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.

The liveliness and buzz at the temple are at their greatest on Mahashivratri, when the number of devotes here swells manifold. Furthermore, there is another festival organised here, wherein the idol of Lord Parvathi, who is worshipped as Kamakashamma, is taken out as part of a procession and paraded through the locality streets.

Halasuru Someshwara Temple: Architecture 

The shrine features the typical aesthetic motifs of Vijayanagara architecture, which itself is a sub-type of Dravidian architecture. Facing east, the temple entrance, which is topped by a beautifully sculpted pyramidal tower, known as gopura, first leads to a porch. Just in front of the main temple is a smaller temple, covered in gold or gold paint, which features a tall cylindrical pillar. From here, the east-facing temple entrance leads to a pillared hall, known as mandap, where all the individual pillars are decorated with different sculptures, depicting mythical characters and events. This mandap further leads to a closed hall, beyond which lies the inner sanctum.

Halasuru Someshwara Temple: Sculptures 

There are a total of 48 pillars in the temple, which support the roof. All of these are richly carved with scenes and characters from the Hindu mythology. Among the wall and pillar sculptures here are of a cobra (always depicted coiled around Lord Shiva’s neck). There is even a shrine dedicated to the nine planets in the temple complex, which has 12 pillars, each carrying a sculpture of a saint. The door to the inner sanctum of the main shrine is flanked by sculptures of dwarpals, who are mythical gatekeepers.

Other sculptures here depict scenes with Ravana trying to lift the Mount Kailash, as part of his penance to Lord Shiva; slaying of Mahishasur by Goddess Durga; lion; people riding on horses; Tamil Shaivite saints; and Saptarishi (seven wise sages). There is even a sculpture depicting the marriage of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, which is being attended by Lord Brahma. One of the peculiar sculptures here is of a snake charmer!

Things to See at Halasuru Someshwara Temple 

• Richly sculpted pillars
• Main temple
• Navagraha temple
• Entrance gopura
• Flagpole in the courtyard

Attractions near Halasuru Someshwara Temple

• Halasuru Lake (1.8 km)
• St John’s Church (3.0 km)
• St Patrick’s Church (2.3 km)
• St Mary’s Basilica (2.9 km)
• Cubbon Park (3.1 km)
• St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral (3.3 km)
• M Chinnaswamy Stadium (3.4 km)
• Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum (3.4 km)
• Vidhana Soudha (4 km)
• Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park (4 km)
• Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (4.2 km)
• National Gallery of Modern Art (4.7 km)
• Bangalore Palace (5.5 km)

After sightseeing at the temple, if you feel like engaging in retail therapy, some of the most popular places to shop in Bangalore, including Lido Mall, Commercial Street, MG Road and Brigade Road, are nearby. And, since it is Bangalore, there is never a dearth of restaurants serving delicious delights in the area.