Bengaluru is known for its fast life, new cafés, and tech towers, but hidden between all that rush are corners where time still slows down, where bells ring softly, the air smells of sandalwood, and people sit cross-legged in quiet faith. This is the side of the city most people miss, the side that listens before it speaks.
From centuries-old stone shrines to gleaming marble sanctuaries, Bengaluru’s temples tell the story of a city that never forgot how to pray, even while learning how to code. Here are five that still hold that rare kind of peace, the one that feels like coming home.
Top 5 temples you must visit in Bengaluru
ISKCON Temple, Rajajinagar
Even before you climb the steps, you can hear the chants drifting down the hill, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, steady, hypnotic, and strangely calming. The ISKCON temple isn’t just a place of worship; it’s a refuge for people trying to pause their week. The gold domes catch the sunset, the marble floors stay cool underfoot, and the air feels lighter somehow. Stay for the evening aarti, it’s one of those moments that quiets everything, even your thoughts.
Bull Temple, Basavanagudi
In old Bengaluru, people still call this area Basavanagudi, the home of the bull. Inside, a massive Nandi sits carved from a single block of granite, calm, powerful, and strangely protective. The story goes that the temple was built to calm a bull that once destroyed the local fields. Since then, no one’s gone hungry here. During the annual groundnut fair, the whole area smells of roasted peanuts, laughter, and faith, a reminder that spirituality here is still woven into daily life.
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, Gavipuram
You don’t walk into this temple; you walk back in time. Carved inside a cave of ancient rock, the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple is a quiet wonder, cool, dark, and echoing with whispers. On Makar Sankranti, a beam of sunlight passes perfectly through the stone arch to fall on the Shiva linga, a sight that leaves even the most rational visitor silent. It’s not about miracles; it’s about the precision of faith and architecture holding hands.
Chokkanathaswamy Temple, Domlur
Before there was Bengaluru, there was this, a temple built over a thousand years ago. The Chokkanathaswamy Temple stands quietly, surrounded by traffic and apartments, yet it hums with old energy. Its Tamil inscriptions, weathered by time, speak of kings long gone and prayers that never stopped. Step inside early morning, and you’ll hear the gentle rhythm of mantras mixing with birdsong, something about it feels older than time itself.
Banashankari Temple, Banashankari
Here, faith feels festive. The Banashankari Temple, dedicated to the goddess Banashankari Amma, is one of the most loved shrines in the city. On Tuesdays and Fridays, lamps are lit everywhere, small flickers of light forming rivers of gold. During the Banashankari Jatre, it turns into a celebration, flower stalls, music, devotion, and joy, all blending into one long, glowing night.
For a newbie, Bengaluru might just be the Silicon Valley of India, but dig a little deeper and you will find its spiritual side. These spiritual places speak volumes about what it means to live in a multicultural city. So the next time you’re rushing through the city, look up. Somewhere, a temple bell is ringing for you, too.
Also read: 5 scenic one-day trips from Bengaluru under 50 km