Sri Makali Malleshwara Swami Temple, Karnataka

Address

Sri Makali Malleshwara Swami Temple, Makalidurga Sonnenahalli, Makali Betta, Near to Gowribidanur SH Road, Doddaballapur Taluk Karnataka-561205.

Diety

Makali Malleshwara Swami

Introduction

Makalidurga is a hill fort situated at the village by the same name Makalidurga. It is 60 kms from Bangalore and 10 km after Doddaballapura. The fort at the summit has an old temple of Shiva (called as Malleshwara or Mallikarjuna) with Nandi and it is believed that Markandeya Rishi performed penance here. There are some directions written on the boulders itself which will lead to the top of the hill. This shiva temple is completely ruins. The top of the hill gets the ruins of a fort, which is spread across quite an area.

Puranic Significance

Makalidurga is a fort built by Kempegowda, a feudatory ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire. The city of Bendakaluru or Bengaluru (Bangalore) itself was established by Kempe Gowda in 1537, as the capital of his erstwhile kingdom. He is considered to be the founder of Bengaluru, currently the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. This Shiva temple is the Family Deity or Kuladaiva for many families around the hill. Some families have moved away & settled at many places around the world. Normally devotees visited this temple only during Shivaratri & Kartika masa.