The cave temple of Hulimavu

The Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Gavipuram, Bangalore, is perhaps one of the best known cave temples in this part of  Karnataka.

One of the most important caves are the Badami caves which is now in Bagalkot district. Bangalore is fortunate in having two cave systems. While the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple is well-known, another cave temple is of Ramalingeshwara on Bannerghatta Road. This is not as well –known as the former cave structure.

The Ramalingeshwara Cave temple is not as old as the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple. Nor is it as impressive and grand as the former. While thousands of visitors turn up at the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, hardly a few come to the Ramalingeshwara Cave.

The Ramalingeshwara Cave temple is almost opposite the Meenakshi Temple on Banerghatta Road. It is in Hulimavu and adjacent to the BGS educational institutions.

In case you plan a trip to the cave, I suggest you go to the Meenakshi Temple first and then cross over to the other side of the busy Bannerghatta Road where the cave temple is located.

A small path leads you to a compound where you can see a huge boulder above the ground. This is the upper part of the cave and you can walk inside.

The cave is not as narrow as the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple. Here, a man with normal height can stand upright and walk about most places in the cave.

The cave is cool and there are it forms part of a geological monolithic granite rock. As soon as you come into the cave, you can see a Samadhi in the front and deities to the left. There is a meditation hall on the right.

There are deities of  Shiva in the form of a Linga, Rama,  Sita, Lakshmana and Haunman. There is also an idol of Ganesha, Garuda and Raja Rajeshwari. There is also a small statue of Nandi.

The meditation hall is the place where a swamiji, Ramananda, meditated for several years.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) says the cave is over 2,000 years old. Old-timers and locals of Hulimavu say many saints and swamijis have meditated here,

This is not the only temple in Hulimavu. There are more than 50 temples in the vicinity, including the Meenakshi Temple and the Raghavendra Swamy Temple.

If you have time on you hands, motor down further to visit the Bannerghatta National Park. Enjoy the safari and the Zoo there as well as the Butterfly Park.

In case you have shopping to do, there are several mall on the road. If you are hungry, MTR is just in front of the BDA Mini Forest in JP Nagar. The easiest location to MTR is the road behind Bannerghatta Road from the junction of Staples and Shoppers Stop.

Hulimavu means sour mangoes. A few years ago, I saw a lot of greenery in and around the area. Today, much of the green has disappeared and there has been developmental activities in and around the area.

The cave temple is easily accessible by bus or by auto. The nearest bus stop is the Meenakshi Temple stop on Bannerghatta Road.