Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple — also called the Cave Temple — is one of Bangalore's most unusual religious sites, a Shiva temple built inside a natural cave on a rocky hillock. The temple was consecrated by Kempe Gowda in the 16th century, though the cave itself is far older. Four monolithic stone pillars stand at the entrance, and inside, the darkness of the cave gives the space a particular sanctity. A rare idol of Agni, the Hindu god of fire, is among the sculptures within.
The temple is best known for a solar phenomenon that occurs on the evening of Makara Sankranti (January 14th or 15th): the rays of the setting sun pass through a window, align between the horns of the stone Nandi in the courtyard, and fall directly onto the Shivalingam inside the cave. It draws large crowds. Outside that event, the temple is a quiet and atmospheric stop — less visited than the Bull Temple, and the cave setting is genuinely striking.