Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra
Shiva as Kotilingeshwara temple · Kammasandra, Kolar, Karnataka, India
Kotilingeshwara Temple is a Shiva temple in Kammasandra village in Kolar district, Karnataka, close to Kolar Gold Fields. It is a modern temple, known for a very large Shiva linga about 108 feet (33 m) tall, a Nandi image about 35 feet (11 m) tall facing it, and lakhs of smaller lingas placed across the temple grounds.
The name combines koti, the Kannada word for one crore (ten million), with linga and Ishwara (lord). It refers to the temple's aim of installing one crore lingas, as Wikipedia records. The Kolar district administration lists the temple among the district's tourist places.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra
The temple is built around the idea of devotees offering lingas. According to Wikipedia, devotees can donate lingas of different sizes, which are then installed on the grounds with the donor's name. The district administration describes the smaller lingas as ranging from about 1 to 3 feet in height and spread over about 15 acres. A water tank near the main linga is used by devotees for abhisheka, the ritual bathing of the linga, according to the district.
How many lingas have been installed is not clear. Wikipedia gives figures that range from about 6.5 lakh to more than 90 lakh, and notes that the area of the site could hold only around 6 lakh at the density it describes. The district administration says only that there are lakhs of lingas. The page therefore does not state a number.
Maha Shivaratri, in February or March, is the temple's main festival, and Wikipedia reports very large crowds of visitors on that day.
Heritage
History of Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra
According to Wikipedia, the temple was started and built in 1980 by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy. Wikipedia also records a legend that the first lingas were placed here by a former non-believer who became a devotee of Shiva. It notes that the 2001 Kannada film Sri Manjunatha drew on this story.
Unlike many temples on this site, Kotilingeshwara has no ancient inscriptions or medieval history. It is a 20th-century foundation that has grown through devotees' offerings of lingas.
Architecture and sacred features
The district administration describes a main linga about 108 feet (33 m) tall, which it calls one of the largest lingas in the world. In front of it is a Nandi image about 35 feet (11 m) tall, on a platform about 60 feet long, 40 feet wide and 4 feet high. The district notes eleven smaller shrines to various deities within the premises. Wikipedia names among them shrines of Vishnu, Brahma, Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, Annapoorneshwari, Venkataramana, Panduranga, Panchamukha Ganapathy, Anjaneya and Kannika Parameshwari. Wikipedia also mentions a guest house, a marriage hall, a meditation hall and an exhibition centre in the complex.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Kotilingeshwara is an active place of worship that draws very large crowds on Maha Shivaratri. Devotees wishing to donate and install a linga should ask the temple office about the procedure. Confirm current timings and arrangements locally with the temple before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra
Maha Shivaratri
The temple's main festival, when Wikipedia reports very large numbers of visitors.
Location
How to Reach Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra
The Kolar district administration gives Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, as about 100 km away and Koramandal railway station as about 8 km away. The Kammasandra Gram Panchayat bus stop is about 0.5 km from the temple, according to the district.
Location: Kammasandra, Kolar, Karnataka, India
Nearest airport: Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (about 100 km, per the district administration)
Nearest railway station: Koramandal (about 8 km, per the district administration)
More in Hindu temples in Karnataka · Shiva as Kotilingeshwara temples · Temples in Kolar Gold Field Taluk · Temples in Kolar District
Questions
Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra: Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Kotilingeshwara mean?
Koti means one crore (ten million) in Kannada. The name refers to the temple's aim of installing one crore Shiva lingas, with Kotilingeshwara meaning the lord of a crore lingas.
How tall is the linga at Kotilingeshwara?
The Kolar district administration gives the main linga as about 108 feet (33 m) tall, with a Nandi about 35 feet (11 m) tall in front of it.
Who founded Kotilingeshwara Temple?
According to Wikipedia, the temple was started in 1980 by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy.
How many lingas are there at Kotilingeshwara?
There are lakhs of smaller lingas over about 15 acres, per the district administration. Published estimates vary widely, so no single figure is confirmed.
Can devotees install a linga at Kotilingeshwara?
Wikipedia records that devotees can donate lingas of various sizes, which are installed on the grounds with the donor's name. Ask the temple office for the current procedure.
How do I reach Kotilingeshwara Temple?
The temple is in Kammasandra, Kolar district, near Kolar Gold Fields. The district gives Bengaluru airport as about 100 km away and Koramandal railway station as about 8 km away; a bus stop is about 0.5 km from the temple.
Sources and attribution
- District Administration, Kolar (Government of Karnataka) — Kotilingeshwar Temple, KGF, Kolar
- Wikipedia — Kotilingeshwara
Further reading: Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kammasandra on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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