Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar



The only picture I took... from the outside.

After an energy sapping trek to Anthargange, we were back on the road, towards Kotilingeshwara Temple. Tired and thirsty we entered the first hotel we saw at Bethamangala. Though shabby-looking, we ate whatever was on the menu. The intake of food finally lifted our spirits for the road ahead. The Kotilingeshwara Temple (here on referred to as KT… yes I’m that lazy) resides in a little village called Kammasandra. It is about 6 kms from famous erstwhile Kolar Gold Fields (KGF).

Now, KT is famous for two things – One crore Shivalingas and the world’s tallest Shivalinga, standing at 108 feet. KT is spread across 15 across and dotted with Shivalingas of every imaginable size and shape, so much so that you doubt if it will be qualified to be called as a “shivalinga”. Inside KT you can also find eleven temples devoted to different deities.

But despite having so many “attractions”, this is one temple I would never come back to or even recommend to others to visit. Reasons? Here are a few:

- The KT is highly commercialized. Entry fee to the temple is Rs 10. Cameras are charged Rs.100!!! And yet there are instructions written all over the temple campus saying “Photography Prohibited”. I didn’t even bother carrying my camera!

- The priests of the eleven temples can easily give the fish-market sellers a run for their money. They literally stand outside the temple asking to devotees to walk-into their temple and of course get an “Aarthi” done. This will of course benefit the Priests in a wicked way. We didn’t bother to enter any of the remaining 10 temples!

- Inside the temple complex there are umpteen number of stores, selling everything from cool-drinks to toys to slippers to music CDs. All have their own blaring loudspeakers and hawkers who want your attention, time and money.

- If you feel, the temple authorities, priests and shopkeepers are all after your money, wait till you come across the beggars! That’s right, beggars right inside the temple!

- Oh, and did I miss to mention the dogs and their kin?

- None of the temples are aesthetically done. Well, almost all structures lack any kind of symmetry. Even the 108 Ft Shivalinga has been clumsily built. In fact it can easily be mistaken for badly-done commercial complex.

- Almost all of the 1-crore lingas are badly maintained. And a majority of them lie on the ground and take abuse from visitors and nature in equal measure.

- The Basava (Nandi) in front of the 108 Ft Linga looks utterly malnourished. Ok, I guess I’m going overboard, but then that’s what it is. You don’t get to feel the devotion of being in a temple, right from the time you step foot here.

The perceptions of KT might vary from person to person. And this is just the way I saw KT. I didn’t feel blessed coming to this temple, nor did I get to watch any work of marvel. The only take-away from this trip was that I could strike-out one more item from my must-see list.

Getting-there: 6 kms from KGF and couple of kms from Bethamangala.

Must-Do: Avoid visiting, if you can.
Must-Don’t: Carrying a camera inside. It’s not really worth spending Rs 100.

My Rating: 2/10.