Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple .

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, or Sri Gangadhareshwara, also Gavipura Cave Temple, an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka state, India. The temple is known for its mysterious stone discs in the courtyard and the precise planning that allows the sun to shine on the shrine at certain times of the year. It was built in the 16th century by Kemp Gowda I, the founder of the city.[1].

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple History of the temple.

This cave temple dedicated to Shiva. It is believed to have been built by Gautama Maharshi and Bharadwaja Muni in the Vedic period. It was later renovated in the 16th century AD by Kemp Gowda, the founder of Bengaluru.

One of the oldest temples in Bengaluru, the Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple was built by Kempe Gowda in recognition after Rama Raya released him from five years in prison. The Gavi Temple is an architectural marvel that attracts worshipers in hordes.

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple Temple architecture.

Built in a natural cave at Gavipuram, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and carved into a monolithic stone. The courtyard of the temple contains several monolithic statues. The main attraction of the Gavi Gangadhareshvara Temple are the two granite pillars that support a giant disk of the sun and the moon and two pillars with several carvings of a seated Nandi on top.[2]: 1632  The temple is also known for its four monolithic pillars representing Damara, Trishul and two large circular disks on the terrace.

Two paintings dated May 1, 1792 AD by the brothers Thomas and William Daniell show the temple undergoing renovations with new walls and enclosures.[2]: 1635. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavi_Gangadhareshwara_Temple

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple Deities inside the temple.

The temple complex has numerous shrines for various trinkets apart from the main deity Gavi Gangadhareshwara.

Parvati Devi
Vinayaka
Subramanya
Gautama Maharishi
Bharadwaja Muni
Chandikeswara
Uma Maheswara
Vallabha Ganapathi
Durga Devi
Agni Deva
Sapthamatrics
Dakshinamurthy
Kala Bhairava
Veerabhadra
Lakshmi Narayana
Surya and Chandra
Ayyappa
Anjaneya
Mahaganapati
Subramanya with Valli and Devasena
Navagrahas.

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple Special aspects of the temple.

Healing effects
The Agnimurthi idol inside the temple has two heads, seven arms and three legs. Worshiping the deity is believed to cure eye defects.

Illumination of the sanctuary by the Sun
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, the temple witnesses a unique phenomenon in the evening when sunlight passes through an arch between the horns of the Nandi and falls directly on the linga inside the cave, illuminating the idol inside for an hour.[3] Millions of devotees flock to this cave temple every year in mid-January on the day of Makar sankranti.

A comparison of the current buildings and earlier drawings by Thomas Daniell and William Daniell shows that earlier the temple had fewer buildings and the Sun illuminated the sanctuary at the summer and winter solstices.[4][5][2] Recently, the Sun illuminates the Shivalinga twice a year - from January 13 to 16 in the late afternoon and from November 26 to December 2.[2]: 1636. https://yesnearme.com/business/gavi-gangadhareshwara-temple/

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple A protected temple.

The temple shrine is a protected monument under the Karnataka Ancient and Historical Monuments Act and the Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1961.[6]

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple Vintage Paintings.

The temple has seen many colonial artists painting various scenes over the years.

If you want to witness the Indian rock-cut architecture in Bengaluru then you should head to
this temple called Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple or Gavipuram cave temple. It is famous for stone
discs and the mystery of allowing the sun to shine on the shrine at a certain time of the year.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it was built in 16th century AD by Kempe Gowda.