Kaiwara, Kailashgiri, Chikkaballapur, Nandi Hills

June 23

Visited a few places near Bangalore.

First to Kaiwara, A recently built structure around a Yogi Narasimha Swaroop in a small cave. Large structure at the base of a mountain. Besides the cave, in the main hall of the temple are the idols of the Dashavatars and the Saptarshi along the periphery and a mandapa in the centre. Outside image below.

Next stop was Kailashgiri. A huge rock in which a cave has three temples and a large mandapa with high ceiling. The mandapa could accommodate about five hundred people. Image of the rock and the entrance to the cave below.

360 view from the base of Kailashgiri in the video below.

Next stop was the Ranganathaswamy temple in Rangasthala. Old temple with a newly built entrance. Sleeping Vishnu swaroop in the main temple as in all Ranganathaswamy temples. A small window to the east lights up the feet of the lord with direct sunrays on a particular day in the year.

Next stop was the Bhogi Nandeeshwara temple in Chikkaballapur. A 1200-year-old temple built originally be Bana queen and later added on by the Cholas, Hoysalas and later rulers of the area. The oldest shrine is of the Bhogi Nandeeshwara, and another added later called Arunachaleshwara. Temple has a huge compound maintained by ASI. Saw a multi-axle rath, a large platform shaded by three huge and old trees on the four corners. A small water body with steps to approach the water. The temple was getting ready to host the G20 delegates. A few days later a famous Indian author put up the images of the temple on his Instagram. May be visited the temple with the G20 delegates. Images below.

Spent the evening and night at Nandi Hills. Captured amazing images of sunset at the hills. Also captured an image of cloud-capped Nandi hills the next day morning from the base of the hills. Images below.