18.09.2018
Visited shiv temple Koti Lingeswar on 17.09.2015.
Kotilingeshwara is the presiding deity of the temple of the
same name in the village of
Kammasandra in India. Kammasandra is
a small village situated in Kolar district of Karnataka state. It is about five kilometers from Kolar Gold Fields and about 6 Kilometers
from Aaladamara (Bharath Nagar) Bus stop, near
BEML nagar. This place has the distinction of having one of the largest Shivalinga in the world. Over 2 Lakh (200,000)
devotees visit the temple on Maha Shivratri every year.
The main
attraction of this peaceful retreat, which is surrounded by plush greenery, is
a huge Shivalinga. Measuring 108 ft (33 m), this shivalinga is
tallest of its kind in the world and accompanying it is a 35 ft (11 m) tall Basava, surrounded by lakhs of small
shivalingas spread over an area of 15 acres (61,000 m2). So
far, around 100 lakh shivalingas have been installed. The entire project
involves the installation of one crore shivalingas of various sizes, hence the
name ‘Kotilingeshwara’.
Nandishwara
Linga and Nandeswara
Few among the one crore lingas
Side view of the linga
Front view of the linga
The Lord
Kotilingeshwara Temple is situated in Kammasandra Village in Kolar district,
Karnataka State, India. The temple is about 6 km from Kolar Gold Fields
also known as KGF. The main deity of this temple is Lord Kotilingeshwara. This
Temple was constructed by Swamy Sambha Shiva Murthy which is open to public
from early morning till 9.30 am.
The temple
boasts of having the largest Linga in Asia which stands 108 feet (33 m)
tall.[citation needed] In
front of this huge Linga there is a huge Nandi (Animal mount of Lord Shiva)
which is 35 feet (11 m) tall. The Nandi 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 of various deities constructed within the premises of the Lord
Kotilingeshwara temple. The first to be constructed is the Lord Brahma, Lord
Vishnu and Lord Maheshwara temple, followed by the main deity temple Lord
Kotilingeshwara. The sequence of the other temples are Lord Venkataramani Swamy
Temple, Goddess Annapoorneshwari Temple, Lord Panduranga Swamy Temple, Lord
Panchamukha Ganapathy temple, Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Sita Temple, Lord
Anjaneya Temple, Goddess Kannika Parameshwari Temple and finally Goddess
Karumaari Amma Temple.
Inside the
Goddess Kannika Parameswari temple, a Shiva Linga called "Shiva
Panchayathi" is installed. The idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Kumaraswamy,
Goddess Parvati and Nandi are arranged around the Linga, Giving an essence that
all these Gods are offering their prayers to the Linga. A water tank is set up
close to the Linga. The water is used by the devotees to offer their prayers by
performing Abhisheka to the Linga with utmost devotion and faith.
There are
millions of Lingas being installed surrounding the temple by the pilgrims since
1980 spread over an area of 13 acres (53,000 m2). There are
more than 8.6 million Lingas installed as of 2008. The lingas installed vary
between 1 foot (0.30 m) and 3 feet (0.91 m) tall. The temple was
started with the intent of installing 1 crore lingas, hence the name
"Kotilingeshwara". Koti means crore (10 million). The Sahasra Linga
is in the shape of a single Linga but consists of 1000 Lingas etched on a
single column. One must reckon each such Linga as 1000 Lingas to arrive at the
aggregate number of Lingas installed.
The temple has
two NagaLinga Flower Trees or Cannon Ball Flower Trees. The unmarried women
pray with devotion and faith to Lord Lingeswara wishing for a happy married
life and tie a yellow thread around the Tree. One can see yellow threads
covering the entire Tree.
The Karnataka
government has declared this temple as a tourist spot so that devotees and
pilgrims from all over the world can witness the 108-foot (33 m)-tall
Linga and 35 Feet tall Nandi statue.
Lord
Kotilingeshwara temple was constructed over 13 acres (53,000 m2)
of land in Kammasandra. The first Linga was installed in the year 1980 on
October 10. Later the Sanctum for the main deity was constructed. From then on
many more Lingas are being installed surrounding the temple, till date 90 lakhs
lingas are there in the temple.
Poojas are
performed to all the installed lingas every day at 6:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. by
10 Priests along with Drums and Music. The Priests recite mantras and pour
water on each and every installed linga.
Linga
Installation : The Devotees can offer their prayers to Lord
Kotilingeshwara by installing Lingas. The price for the Lingas depends on the
size of the Linga to be installed (For small lingum it will cost around 7k-8k
and medium lingum 8-9k and 28-30k for large lingum (Note: this info is as of
Mar-2015 this may change in coming years)) These lingum will be installed on
any days the Devotees choose (before was done on selected days of year). The
Lingas will be installed in the name of the devotee . One can find the names of
the devotees carved on the Lingas installed and prayers will be offered every
day for the well being of the donors.
The temple
authorities have constructed Mantap or Rest houses for the Pilgrims beside the
temple premises. People who want to stay and visit the temple can rest at this
Mantap free of cost.
The temple
founder Swamy Sambha Shiva Murthy has performed free mass marriages for the
past 4 years, in which 360 couple have benefited. Today the temple performs
utmost 15 to 20 marriages for 4 days in a week. The temple collects a nominal
fee of around Rs 200 for each marriage. They make all the arrangements
including the Priest, Drums and Music for the marriages.
There is a meditation
hall near the Exhibition hall which is specifically built for the pilgrims to
wish to meditate.
Kotilingeshwara
temple is approximately 6 KM from KGF and 13 KM Bangarapet on
Bangarapet-Bethamangala road. Kotilingeshwara can be reached by road from
Bangalore via Kolar, Bangarapet route.
