Halasuru (Ulsoor) Someshwara Temple (Bangalore - Karnataka) | My Travelogue - Indian Travel Blogger, Heritage enthusiast & UNESCO hunter!

Halasuru (Ulsoor) Someshwara Temple (Bangalore - Karnataka)

I can't believe, I haven't done a single post yet on Bangaluru (Bangalore)!!! Yes, I have done a few places easily reachable from Bangalore, but then, this is gonna be my first post on the heart of Bangalore.

HALASURU aka ULSOOR

During my last trip to Bangalore, I had some work near the MG Road and pretty near to it was this place called Ulsoor or Halasuru. One mistake I did was to try to walk upto Ulsoor from MG Road. It was just 3 kms and I would have easily walked it up. But why mistake? I walked it up wearing my stiletto heel, right from work!!!!! 3 km in stilettos, I know, stupid, right? Yeah!!!

Someshwara Temple Halasuru Bengalore Temples Ulsoor

Pic Credit: Dineshkannambadi - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Varsh aiish - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Pic Credit: Dineshkannambadi - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

SHRINES OF SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE HALASURU

At Ulsoor was my destination, Someshwara Temple. This temple was where Mandavya Maharishi prayed to Lord Shiva. The Shrines here were of Nanjundeeswaran, Arunachaleshwarar, Kala Bhairavar, Dakdhinamurthy esp. apart from Chandikesa, Lord Muruga and Lord Vinayaka.

ARCHITECURE & SCULPTURES OF SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE HALASURU

This was a huge temple, but then still, hidden in the chaos of the market all around it. Unique was the first word that hit my mind when I saw the sculptural marvel of this temple. It was pretty unusual. The pillars, the reliefs on them, the reliefs on the temple walls, everything was different from many other temples.

The uniqueness of the temple was esp. the pillars. No two pillars looked alike. Many pillars had very high-reliefs that were almost like attached free-standing sculptures, thus creating, an intricate, open work on the pillars!!! Another unique factor was all over the walls. Just above the lowest crevice in the wall, across all 4 sides, there were series of relieves throughout the walls, at places depicting a story scene by scene!!!

HISTORY OF SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE HALASURU

This temple is believed to have been built by the Hoysalas/Cholas with the Dravidian Architecture. Later on during the 1570 AD this was rebuilt by Kempe Gowda, the founder of modern Bangalore.

STORY OF SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE HALASURU

The legend so goes that Kempe Gowda, tired after hunting, slept beneath a tree here and in his dream Lord Siva as Someshwara asked him to erect a temple at the very spot. Just as I would say always, in a country where we have the Ajanta from 2nd C BC, I wouldn't consider this temple, built in 16th C as a very old temple!!!

Pic Credit: Gkpandey - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

TEMPLE CAR OF SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE

The temple car is located just outside the temple and it was built in 1902. It is made of wood and is a marvel filled with sculptures of Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Saraswathi, Lakshmi, Parvathi etc. A tiny panel also depicts Queen Victoria (because when this was built, India was a colony of British Empire under her)!

HOW TO REACH SOMESHWARA TEMPLE HALASURU BENGALURU (BANGALORE)

On Google Maps: Sri Someshwara Swamy Temple

Nearest Busstop: Ulsoor

Nearest Metro Station: Halasuru

From M.G Road: 2.6km

Further detail on public transport in Bangalore given in Pt.4 of Transport Section in Travel Tips Page.

BENGALURU HOTELS

Hotels, Dorms, Paying Guest facilities available at all price points all over Bangalore.

SRI SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE TIMINGS

6:00AM to 12:30PM and 5:30PM to 9:00PM all days

SRI SOMESHWARA SWAMY TEMPLE CONTACT NUMBER

+91 94496 63126

OTHER PLACES TO SEE NEAR BANGALORE

Bhushavali

An ardent traveler by passion. Being an ex - Art History Teacher, my area of interest especially lies in Nature and Heritage. Visited 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites as of June 2022. I've been listed among the Top 7 Women Travel Bloggers of India, Top 50 in UK. I have been interviewed in a couple of TV Shows, Radio Channels and Events as well. Read more about me and read the testimonials of different brands