Kotilingeshwara Swamy Temple

Overview

This temple lies in the Kammasandra village in the district of Kolar. The name means one crore lingamms. The temple houses the biggest Shivalingam in the entire world. During Maha-shivaratri, about two lakh devotees visit this place every year. This temple is about 6 kilometres from the famous Kolar gold fields.

About The Temple

This Temple was constructed by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy. The temple has the largest Lingam in Asia which is 33 m tall. In front of this huge Lingam there is a huge Nandi which is 11 m tall. The Nandi is placed over a platform which is 18 m in length, 12 m in width and 1.2 m in height.
There are eleven small temples within the premises of the temple. The sequence of the temples is the Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Maheshwara temple, Lord Kotilingeshwara, Lord Venkataramani Swami, Goddess Annapoorneshwari, Lord Panduranga Swamy, Lord Panchamukha Ganapathy, Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, Lord Anjaneya, Goddess Kannika Parameshwari and finally Goddess Karumaari Amman.
Inside the Goddess Kannika Parameswari temple, a Shiva Lingam called "Shiva Panchayathi" is installed. The statues of Lord Ganesha, Lord Kumaraswami, Goddess Parvati and Nandi are arranged around the Lingam; giving an essence that all these Gods are offering their prayers to the Lingam. A water tank is set up close to the Lingam. The water is used by the people to offer their prayers by performing anointment (Abhishekam) to the Lingam with utmost devotion and faith.
There are millions of Lingams being installed surrounding the temple since 1980 spread over an area of 13 acres. There are more than 8.6 million Lingams installed as of 2008. The lingams installed vary between 1 foot and 3 feet tall. The temple was started with the intent of installing one crore lingams, hence the name "Kotilingeshwara". The Sahasra Lingam is in the shape of a single Lingam but consists of 1000 Lingams etched on a single column. One must reckon each such Lingam as 1000 Lingams to arrive at the aggregate number of Lingams installed.

About The Deity

The main deity of this temple is Lord Kotilingeshwara.

Offerings

People can offer their prayers by installing Lingams. The price for the Lingams depends on the size of the Lingam to be installed. These lingams will be installed on any day. The Lingams will be installed in the name of the devotee. We can find the names of the devotees carved on the Lingams installed and prayers will be offered every day for the well-being of the donors.

Significance

The temple has two Nagalingam Trees or Cannon Ball Flower Trees. Spinsters pray with devotion and faith to Lord Lingeswara for a happy married life and tie a yellow thread around the tree.

Accessibility

Airport

Bangalore International Airport is the nearest Airport.

Railways

Bangarapet Railway Station and Marikuppam Railway Station are the nearest railway stations.

Road

Kammasandra village is well connected by road network. A three hour journey from Bangalore brings one to Kammasandra.

Temple Address

Kotilingeshwara Swamy Temple,
Kammasandra, Bangarapete Taluk,
Kolar District, Karnataka, India.