Organised by INTACH Bengaluru Chapter, the Gavipuram Heritage Walk is an immersive experience into the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the Gavipuram locality in the heart of Bengaluru city.
This relaxed, guided walk starts at the Gavi Gangadhareshwara cave temple – an ancient temple for Lord Shiva built into a cave in the 15th century featuring monolithic sculptures at the temple entrance & an annual sun illumination on Makara Sankranti.
The cave temple is a intriguingly beautiful marriage of religion and astronomy!!
Next stop is the temple priests’ settlement or Agrahara located outside the cave temple to learn and see the communities residing here even to this day.
Followed by a short walk on the main road towards the Kempegowda Tower located on a small hillock behind Bande Mahakali Temple and overlooking the Kempambudhi Kere.
The watch tower is a peaceful getaway from the crowds and also the snack pitstop of the walk.
The Kempambudhi kere at the bottom of the watch tower is the end-point of the heritage walk. Recently rejuvenated, the Kempambudhi lake is a beautiful man-made lake built in the 15th century as part of the then irrigation system to collect and channel the rainwater.
The present avatar sports a beautiful 3kms walking track around the tank bund along with some remnants of the sluice gate relics of Bengaluru’s historic irrigation system.
Useful Information:
Venue details:
- Location: Gavipuram, South Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Nearest Metro Station: Basavangudi Metro Station | Green line
- Parking: Free parking for cars and motorcycles outside the Gavi Gangadhareshwara cave temple
Walk details:
- Places covered in the walk: Gavi Gangadhareshwara cave temple > Gavipuram Agrahara> Hariharagudda > Kempegowda Tower in Gavipuram and Kempambudhi kere
- Duration: 2 hours
- Difficulty Level: None
- Total Walk Distance: 1 to 1.5 kms
- Inclusions: Guided walk tour and snacks
- Toilet: Not present
- Who can join the walk:
- Adults and kids – sign up as an Individual or as a Group
- Being a cave temple – one has to bend and walk inside the temple
- People with back-ache/who cannot bend – can skip this leg of the heritage walk
- Number of walk participants: 20-30 persons
- Cost of the walk: INR 250 per person
- How to sign-up: email – parichay@intachblr.org
- Follow INTACH Bangalore on Instagram (@Intachbengaluru) to know their upcoming walks across different localities of Bengaluru.
Walk etiquette:
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
- Carry water, umbrella/head-cap
- One has to remove the shoes to enter the Gavi Gangadhareshwara cave temple
- Recommend to remove the socks since the cave temple floor is wet
- Respect the sanctity of the temple and its devotees
- Dustbins are rare – DO NOT throw the trash around, carry them back and dispose rightly
The heritage walk is a great way to explore and appreciate the nuances of the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of any city.❤️
Forever grateful to INTACH Bengaluru Chapter for documenting, protecting and presenting Bengaluru’s heritage to the locals and travellers!!
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