Kotilingeshwara: One Day Trip in Weekends
Kotilingala is well known for Sri Koteswara Siddeshwara Swamy Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built by Sathavahana Kings between 2nd and 3rd centuries. It is one of the oldest and historical temples in Telangana. The temple is extremely famous because of the largest and tallest linga present in Asia. People believe there are about hundred lakh lingas but the numbers are ~10lakhs and not one crore.
Nearest Railway station is Coromandel (Station code COL) on Bangalore city- via Bangarpet – Marikuppam route. From Coromandel the temple is only 5km away and is easily accessible by Auto(max Rs 100-120) from outside the railway station. This takes 2 hours drive from Bengaluru. 20 Rs entry ticket. 20 min waiting in queue. Depending on crowd it will take 1-2 hours for temple Darshan and premise tour.The car parking is big enough with 50 Rs fee.
The facilities in temple are bad. 5 rs for using toilet outside the temple that is filthy and probably the worst i have ever seen. even small villages have better toilets. For every Darshan, jal Abhishek, Pujari and his helper will ask for money. if you say you don’t have change then they will ask to give whatever you have. ignore these people and just continue. May be increase entry ticket to 50 rs but stop asking for money at every point.
Eateries outside Temple are also poor quality and unhygienic. either pack your food or have it on the way in some restaurant.The temple premise is magnificent and clean with Shivlings all around but facilities need significant improvement.
It is place expected to have 1 crore shivalingas. It is very near to Kolar city.Place is a must visit as view of shivlingas is breath taking.We visited on Shivratri day so place was over crowded but in normal times it will have minimal crowd.When you reach then there are two ticket counters of Rs 50(Special Entry) and Rs 20(Normal Entry). Go with normal one as there was not much difference on the overcrowded shivratri day also.After entering the premise you will find several temples, you can avoid them(personal choice) due to two reasons. First on shivratri big queue was there at every temple and it will eat your time. Second on normal days pujaris will try to make you to do sanklpa and other things to make fat donations.Its totally an individual’s choice.Directly head to main shivlinga. There are two big shivlingas one old and one new.The view is spectacular.
My Experience
We have planned on Sunday morning from bangalore. From Krishnarajpuram station to Coromondal Staion, one memo(Local Passenger train) is there. It started from 7.31AM and probably we reached around 9.50AM at Coromondal Station. Before that I parked my bike in the Station stand under that bridge which takes Rs.40 for 24 hrs.
Most of the time people got confused to arrive Bangarpet or not. But no worry this coromondal station to Temple is just 5KM so far(15-20 min) by Auto which takes max Rs.120-150. And if you say to that Auto driver to pick you back, he will be there by 1.30PM as return time is 2.14PM to Bangalore.
After reached the local flower shoppers will start clling to keep shoes, vehicles here free and purchase the flowers, Diyas from them.Normaly we are office routine life and very difficult to walk by nude foot. So we walked towards temple and with Rs5 kept shoes in Shoes stand.
There was a queue not big one luckily and in 10 minutes we entered into temple with Rs20 ticket price for each. The temple compound surrounded by Lakhs of Shiva Lingam which got a spiritual feel to each one. Inside one main Shiva lingam is there where we did our puja and paryers with the priest. Other goddess small temples are there too for darshan.
The main attraction of the temple is a huge linga measuring 108 ft (33 m) tall and 35 ft (11 m) tall Nandi idol, surrounded by lakhs of small lingas spread over an area of 15 acres (61,000 m2). The Nandi idol is installed over a platform which is 60 feet (18 m) in length, 40 feet (12 m) in width and 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. There are eleven small temples constructed within the premises for various deities.
A water tank is set up close to the Linga, used by the devotees to perform Abhisheka. The idols vary between 1 foot (0.30 m) and 3 feet (0.91 m) in height. There is a guest house, a marriage hall, a meditation hall and an exhibition center attached to the temple. This place is ideal for one day trip from Bengaluru.
The temple with the tallest Shivalinga in the world makes your trip a memorable and can suggest all to go once and enjoy your trip.
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