The Hulimave cave temple, also known as the Hulimavu Shiva Cave Temple or simply the Cave Temple, is located in

Hulimavu Hulimavu is a locality in the south of Bangalore under the Bommanahalli Zone of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). History Hulimavu was previously known as Amarapura, which came under the administration of Saarakeya (present day: ...

, Bannerghatta Road,

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, very close to the BGS National Public School. The Cave Temple is administered by the Sri Sri Bala Gangadaraswami Mutt. It is stated that a saint Sri Ramanand Swamiji did

tapas A tapa () is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as ''chopitos'', which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas). In so ...

in the cave for many years and his

samadhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...

is also found inside. There are three main deities consecrated inside. A

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Lingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary '' murti'' or devotional ...

occupies the center, on one side there is a Devi idol and on the other side, an idol of

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

has been consecrated. On the other side of the cave, a very old

dhyana Dhyana may refer to: Meditative practices in Indian religions * Dhyana in Buddhism (Pāli: ''jhāna'') * Dhyana in Hinduism * Jain Dhyāna, see Jain meditation Other *''Dhyana'', a work by British composer John Tavener (1944-2013) * ''Dhyana'' ...

mantap is also found. The

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

has been declared as a 2000 year old single rock cave. The temple is placed within the natural cave inside the rocks. The detailed history of the temple is however not available, but it was stated that the temple is as old as 4–5 hundred years, founded by Sri Sri Balagangadaraswami. Visitors are encouraged to learn about and go around to each of the deities inside the cave. The samadhi with the photo of the saint is also there. For unknown reasons such temples have not gained publicity even though those who know the temple visit it very often.

References

Hindu cave temples in Karnataka Hindu temples in Bangalore Shiva temples in Karnataka 16th-century Hindu temples 16th-century establishments in India Geography of Bangalore {{BangaloreUrban-geo-stub