Mar 30th, 2025

The boulder studded hill looms ahead as we drive through the arch and into the village. We are going back in time, all the way to over a thousand years ago, to the ancient 10th century Ramalingeshwara temple and the Sita Devi temple that lie in the quiet little village of Avani.

My friend and I are on the way back from a very gratifying bird watching session at Ramasagara Lake, Kolar, when we quickly decide that we have enough time to make another stop for the day before heading back home to Bangalore.

While Kolar has quite a few temples that are well known, this 10th century Ramalingeshwara cluster of temples was our pick for the day, being sufficiently tempting for people like us who are enthusiasts of heritage and ancient monuments.

Also at 30 km from the lake, this was the nearest of all and we easily overcame the distance in less than an hour. There was also the added incentive of the Sita Devi temple atop the Avani hill just behind this temple.

Our visit was brief and hence I do not have a detailed description of the history and architecture but nevertheless, it was interesting enough.

So take off your footwear and join me as we get a quick glimpse of this beautiful heritage site which graces the village of Avani in the Mulbagal/Mulabaagilu taluk of Kolar district, Karnataka, India.

Kolar –

Kolar/Kolara city is the district headquarters of Kolar district. In the past, Kolar was famed for its gold mines but these have not been operational since 2001.

Kolar is also home to several temples like Someshwara, Kolaramma Devi, Kotilingeshwara, Sri Ramalingeshwara, Anthargange Sri Kashi Vishweshara Temple and others.

The legend behind these temples –

It is said that Sage Valmiki, the author of Ramayana resided in his ashram on Avani hill. When Sita was abducted by Ravana, there arose doubts about her fidelity during her captivity and though she was eventually proven to be chaste, King Rama her husband banished her to maintain his reputation of a fair and just ruler.

Sita arrived at Sage Valmiki’s ashram where he gave her refuge and where she subsequently delivered her twin sons Luv and Kush.

Around 12 years later, Rama performed the Ashwamedha yagna.

The Ashwamedha yagna (horse sacrifice) was a ritual where a horse was sent forth into surrounding territories, which would then come under the king’s dominion in case there was no opposition from the local rulers. Those who captured the horse however, would have to fight the king’s army to establish their supremacy.

When Rama’s horse happened to stray into the region where Luv and Kush resided, the young twins captured it and refused to release it. When the inevitable war ensued between Rama’s army and the boys, Sita came forward and revealed that these were actually Rama’s sons.

In order to make amends for warring against his own children, Rama and his brothers performed an atonement puja to Lord Shiva and thus they established the lingas (phallic symbol referring to Shiva) at the base of the Avani hill.

The temple complex – 

The Ramalingeshwara temple complex is a cluster of several shrines built in the name of Lord Rama and his brothers Lakshmana, Shatrughana and Bharat.

There are also additional shrines dedicated to Vali, Sugriva, Parvathi Devi and Ganesha.

Ramalingeshwara Temple –  

The actual temple was built in the 10th century by the rulers of the Nolamba dynasty. The original structure was constructed in Dravidian style and subsequent renovations and enhancements were undertaken by the Cholas and the Vijayanagara rulers.

Dravidian architecture is characterized by elements that include a Vimana (a stepped pyramid structure), Gopurams (gateway towers), pillared halls, compound walls enclosing the temple, subsidiary shrines within the same complex and temple tanks attached to the premises.

This temple enjoys the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and an official from the ASI is stationed in the premises.

Ramalingeshwara temple lies at the base of Avani hill. The hill lies less than a kilometer away behind this temple and one can drive there on a motorable road until the base of the trek/steps.

Avani hills, Valmiki ashram and Sita Devi Temple – 

Avani hill is called Avani Betta in the local language of Kannada. It is a boulder strewn hill with steps hewn into the rock to enable people to trek to the top. The 650 steps begin at an arch and a rock bearing a painting of Valmiki teaching Luv and Kush and then they eventually lead to the Sita Devi Temple atop the hill.

Enroute amongst a few shrines, there is also the cave/ashram of Valmiki where Sita is said to have given birth to her sons and also a tiny pond in the rocks called the Lakshman thirth.

The climb is said to be of moderate difficulty level and it would take nearly 2 hours for a reasonably fit person at an easy pace. 

The temple is also visited by childless women who seek blessings to get pregnant.

There is a very distinct boulder stack atop the hill and enroute to the top there is a clearing where it is said that childless women stack up small stones similar to this formation, as a plea to help them bear children (However, I cannot attest to the veracity of this information).

The view from the top is panoramic and is worth the effort.

I was unable to attempt this climb due to ongoing health issues but I obtained some of these details from a friend who had visited a few years ago and who also shared some photographs with me. Do check out his blog too at Sakre Cubes

Apart from the temple and shrines on the hill, there was another temple at the base of the hill and to the left of the steps, which seemed to be under construction. I do not know the name of this one.

The car managed to go all the way there and from this vantage point I could get a bird’s eye view of the entire Ramalingeshwara complex and the temple tanks flanking it.

Local guide – 

It is very convenient especially for first time visitors to have a local source of knowledge and information. This helps to save time and get optimal results too.

There is an ASI official stationed at the Ramalingeshwara temple who might probably help with the necessary contacts. We spent a very short time there and hence did not seek any information.

Those who want to climb the Avani hill can also avail the services of local guides who are present there but I did not find out how exactly one might do that.

A short video – 

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What is available and what you should carry –

The temple lies within a rural locality and there is not much available in terms of food in the vicinity. However, there are many restaurant options on the highway not too far away. Fortunately there is a washroom available here but I do not know how clean it is since I did not go and check it out.

If you are going to climb the hill, some of the items you would need are comfortable shoes, caps, sunglasses, sunscreen, binoculars, camera, water, snacks, first aid kit and any other trekking gear etc.

Remember that this is a pilgrimage site, so dress appropriately.

And of course, carry your own bags for disposing waste if any because it is important to travel responsibly without littering or damaging the environment in any way.

Additional information – 

There is parking available near the Ramalingeshwara temple and also at the base of the Avani hill.

The temple is open from 6 am to 6 pm.

Best season to Visit – 

The temple is open throughout the year. Summers can get really hot and some people may find it difficult to walk barefoot on the hot stone ground in the temple premises. Socks can be used to mitigate the burning of the feet.

Also in the monsoon, those who want to trek up the Avani hill should be aware that it might get slippery.

Mahashivaratri and Rath yathra (chariot/car festival) are annually celebrated at the temple.

Phone and internet connectivity –

Phone signals were good throughout. Airtel, Jio etc seemed to work fine in our rural surroundings.

Things to do in the Surroundings –

As mentioned earlier, Kolar district is home to several famous temples. Also, if you are interested in bird photography like me, then the Bethamangala and Ramasagara lakes are good places to visit.

Our visit to the temple was actually a by product of our Ramasagara lake expedition.

Of course I always manage to score some fresh, local vegetables and fruits wherever I go, so on the way out I bought some lovely round green brinjals from this lady who has a stall right opposite the arch that leads into the village!

Where to eat – 

On our return, we saw a small eatery called Sri Skanda hotel, less than a kilometer away from the temple but since it was closed, we decided to try our luck further down. This was a good thing because not long after that we discovered a much better place enroute.

The highway has umpteen restaurants serving all kinds of cuisines right from local to Pan-Indian to fast foods.

Due to our temple detour from the Ramasagara lake, our return journey was via Old Madras Road and we happened to reach Mulbagal town at the right time for a mid morning meal where we realised that we were lucky to be in the place that is famous for the Mulbagal dosa. This version of the dosa is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, akin to an appam.

We had this dosa at Shettar Thindi which we spotted right along the highway and I definitely recommend this dosa and place. I later came to know of other places serving this dosa, including the Prasad Hotel whose owners are said to have originally created this dosa long long ago in 1930. Well, now I have reason to go back soon!

Getting there – 

Avani is around 90 km from Bangalore.

There are excellent roads from Bangalore to Kolar. One can choose Old Madras road or the spanking new Bangalore Chennai expressway which is quite a dream to drive on.

We experienced both routes on this trip, taking the expressway while going to Ramasagara lake and the Old Madras road on our return since our visit to the Sri Ramalingeshwara temple, brought us closer to this route.

It is most convenient to travel by car, though there definitely will be public transport options by bus too.

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Please Note –

This was a personal trip and my narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my own experiences.

For more pictures see My Facebook – Ramalingeshwara Temple – Kolar (coming soon)

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Mar 30th, 2025