On the busy Sampige Road, Malleswaram besides the Prasanna Sai Mandir is the historically famous Kadu Mallikarjunaswamy temple. The temple was also known as 'kadu malleswara' referring to the jungle like territory in which it was built. The land for the temple and the surrounding area came to be known as Malleswaram.

Kadu Mallikarjunaswamy temple located in Malleswaram, is one of the oldest temples in the city. There is no document of exact date or period of this temple. History shows that this temple had a relation with the period of the Great Maratha leader Shivaji.

Bangalore was a village (Grama) that belonged to the Bijapur rulers. It was given to Shivaji's father, Shahji who ruled Bangalore as a jagir. It was then inherited by his youngest son Venkoji (Ekoji), Shivaji's stepbrother.

In the year 1669 A.D., Venkoji on a visit to this region with his minister Baji Rao Peshwa for implementing taxes (Chouthaya), visited Mallapura's Mallikarjuna Swamy and came across a shivalingam, which was believed to be a 'swayamboo'.

Venkoji consecrated the temple and its surroundings. This place influenced Venkoji to grant Medharaninganahalli, a village for this temple and enforced that there should not be any kind of unfairness against dharma. All this description can be seen even today beside the Narasimha temple that was laid by Venkoji himself.

In 1898, Kadu Malleshwara and the Basavatheertha Kalyani which is related to the temple and the mantapa and walls were built and renovated by the then notable person of Bangalore, Shri Yale Malappa Shetty. After that for 28 years the government was paying Rs.15/- per month for its maintenance and ordered it as a protected ancient monument.

Mallikarjuna temple built on a huge rock is having its main door to the east. The peepal (Aswatha) trees surrounding it keeps this place cool. A flight of 40 steps leads to the temple. As we enter, first we find rooms of Utsavs and the Dharmika Datti Dept. flanked by a Parijata tree. On the left side there is a Mantappa and a kitchen. In the south to the backside of Garbagudi there are deities of Dakshinamurthi, Subramanya and to the north is the Chandikeshwari diety. The Vimana Gopura on the garbagudi was recently built in 1993.

There is also an Anjaneya temple with a Bilwapatra tree behind it. A recently added Mukha-mantapa showing the figures of Ardhanariswara, Shiva-Parvathi, Ganapathi and Subramanyaswamy, sculpted by Tamilian artisans is really eye-catching. There is also a Navagruha temple with 20 ankarnas.

One part of the temple, Nandikeshwara Theertha Kalyani (Basava Theertha) is in front of the temple. It is said to be the main source or birthplace of the Vrishabhavathi River. The Kalyani's entrance faces to the south. The speciality here is that Basava & Shivalinga do not face to the south and there is no Basava in front of the Shivalinga but instead it is on the upper part of it. Around the Kalyani there are many old stone mantaps where devotees used to stay. There is old temple of Narashima Swamy below the Kadu Malleshwara that was renovated by the government in 1981.

Brahmarathosava

On Shivarathri, the temple celebrates Kalyanothsavas followed by Brahmarathosava on Chathurdashi. Kadu Malleshwara temple's speciality is the Mutthinna Pallakki Utsav. On this day thousands of devotees come from different places to this temple to obtain blessings.

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