The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) is famous all over the world. Their representatives in saffron garbs, dancing through the streets to the beat of the drum, are images most people conjure up when thinking of Hinduism. Iskcon believes in ‘Bhakti Yoga’ which is, simply put, life led on a path that’s completely devoted to a higher being or personal God. Those at Iskcon put their faith in Krishna, the Hindu God with a flute and a mischievous character who is an avatar of Vishnu. While visiting Bangalore, you can enhance your trip by booking at one of their best hotels, or by using a farm stay as a quiet and contemplative retreat.
Visit this temple and understand the true roots of the Iskcon life and maybe leave with a peaceful mind-or at least some great stories. Check out this guide to Iskcon Temple, Bangalore.
We handpicked these listings carefully, considering (wherever possible) Superhost status, recent guest reviews, location, accommodation type, prices, availability of dates, decor, and amenities. The image galleries get refreshed with the latest updates regularly. They were last updated on April 08, 2024.
Where to stay
Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal (from USD 143)
Reasonable pricing for comfortable rooms and convenient location.
Attentive staff, excellent room condition, fast room service, valet parking available.
Conveniently located with scenic views, easily accessible to attractions and airport.
Excellent breakfast with South Indian dishes, great variety of food, superb rooftop restaurant, and courteous restaurant staff.
Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal isn’t just conveniently close to the Iskcon Temple, they also offer bright and lovely guestrooms with wonderful views of the city. Guests can expect posh suites with a large glass panel window, alongside amenities such as extra-large beds and air-conditioning. There are also wonderful facilities including a rooftop infinity pool with loungers, as well as an on-site spa with a variety of amazing treatments.
The hotel is only 20 minutes away by vehicle from the Bangalore Iskcon Temple. Many places to visit are also nearby, such as the Lumbini Gardens along the Nagavara Lake, and Hebbal Lake.
Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal
Address: No 2/55 Outer Ring Road Nagavara
69 meters (228.0 ft) from Lumbini Gardens
Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park (from USD 143)
Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park is located in a commercial district, so guests can look forward to plenty of nearby shops and restaurants. The guestrooms have a stylish yet uncluttered design, and come with both soundproofing as well hypo-allergenic bedding. Family rooms are available for those traveling as a group.
Consult with the concierge for timings to visit the Iskcon Temple, as it is only a 24-minute drive away. While you’re not visiting the temple, you can also take advantage of the amenities such as the rooftop’s heated pool, as well as the fitness center.
Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park
Address: Embassy Manyata Business Park
1.18 km (0.8 mi) from Lumbini Gardens
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
Things to do
One of the main attractions of the Iskcon temple is darshan or the visitation of the various deities in the complex. The aarti, or worshipping with incense, flowers, and mantras, by a dedicated team of priests, is also a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed. The presiding deities in the central sanctum are Sri Radha Krishnachandra, Sri Krishna Balarama and Sri Nitai Gauranga. Plan your itinerary if you’d like to try the many different things to do offered at Iskcon Temple Bangalore.
Attend the aartis
At 7.15 am., the conch shells are blown announcing the opening of the doors of the main temple hall. The Shringara Darshan Aarti is carried out here, witnessed by many devotees. Afterward, the aartis for Sri Prahlada Narasimha and Sri Srinivasa Govinda are carried out. If this is too early a time, there are many aartis carried out in the evening as well. At 4.15 pm Dhupa Arati or incense worship is performed. At 6.45 pm Tulsi Puja, worshipping the Tulsi plant is carried out. At 7 pm the Sandhya Aarti is conducted. In this rather spectacular event, the deities are offered flowers, incense and much more along with songs and mantras sung by the devotees and priests. The last aarti of the day takes place at 8:15 pm. Called the Shayana Arati, it is promised to be a striking performance for both newbies as well as devotees. The deities of Radha and Krishna are offered incense, lamp, flowers, etc and devotees sing songs dedicated to the lords accompanied by live music.
Pay attention to the lectures
If you like philosophy, it wouldn’t do to miss the daily morning lectures given at the Lecture Hall in the Isckon temple at 8.30 am. The lectures are discussions on the Bhagavatam, which is an epic poem of over 18,000 verses, with Lord Krishna as the ultimate, ancient, transcendental source of the Universe. The Bhagavatam is littered with various narratives and teachings of Krishna and his various devotees.
What to eat
The Iskon temple at Bengaluru serves what is known as Sattvic food. The quality of Sattva in Yogic tradition is natural, pure and life-giving, not just to the body but also to the mind and spirit. Naturally, for food to be considered Sattvik, it must not only be pure and natural, but it also needs to be life-giving and not contribute to diseases of the mind or body. The Iskcon temple thus serves natural, vegan food that are meant to uplift the health of the body and soothe the mind. Not only are there restaurants near Iskcon Temple Bangalore, they also also have their very own.
Higher Taste
The in-house fine dining restaurant at Iskcon serves Sattvik foods on banana leaves. They also have a big buffet spread every day with 16 main courses and 12 kinds of desserts, as well as many live counters that serve all kinds of sweets and chaats. As for their a la carte menu, they cater to both continental tastes as well as Indian palates. The opening hours are: 12pm to 3pm, 7pm to 10:30pm
Annakuta Prasadam Restaurant
This one is usually packed with hungry devotees. Much cheaper than Higher Taste, this restaurant serves various kinds of dosas, dahipuris, chaats and more. However, the restaurant is not open all the time as it is used for free prasadam distribution in the afternoon. They open around 7:30am and closes by 9pm.
Temple free prasadam
Every day, the Iskon temple serves free prasadam lunch to all devotees who grace their temple. Also following their rule of Sattvic food, visitors get served rice, sambar, sabji, sweet and buttermilk as part of their prasadam lunch. Although the prasadam is free, you can always donate online on their website as well as in-person to help them in their endeavors. Prasamdam hours are between 11:30am and 2pm.
Things to buy
Posted by Dandabhanga Dham on Sunday, 1 December 2019
There is a shop inside the premises of Iskcon called Matchless Gifts. Here, visitors can find a huge array of things to buy that are related to the temple and its activities. Incense sticks of various fragrances are a popular item to be sold at the shop. Various books on the temple’s history and philosophy, as well as the Gita, can be found here. Books detailing the basics of Indian philosophy, and other books of similar nature are also found.
Travelers tips
Transportation
Parking is rather chaotic as a huge number of devotees visit the temple every day. It is always advisable to take public transport to reach the temple.
Passes
Get special passes to cut through the crowd.
Lockers
Though lockers are available to keep your things, remember that only small purses are allowed inside, so unless you must, carry as less as you can.
Personal belongings
You will have to keep your shoes outside the compound in a special area and will be charged 2 INR (0.03 USD). It’s best to wear cheap shoes or slippers as due to the large crowds, sometimes shoes do get misplaced.
Clothing
There aren’t specific rules about clothing, however, it is advised that one wears conservative clothing when visiting the temple. It is preferred if men wear dhotis or other Indian attires and women wear suits or saris when visiting the temple. There are no restrictions on wearing jeans, but it would be prudent to wear loose clothing and attires that do not show off skin such as shorts that don’t cover the knees or deep neck tops. This goes for people of all genders.
Photography
No photography is allowed in the Iskcon Temple.
How to get there
Bengaluru is a very well connected city and has many public transport options to get from one place to another. However, one thing to keep in mind is that the city is infamous for its traffic jams, so always leave a while before you normally would.
Public transport
Buses run on all routes and though timing wise they aren’t the most reliable, it is definitely the cheapest mode of transport. From the airport, however, one can find luxury buses which always ply on time. Some of the bus lines that ply straight to ‘Hare Krishna Hill’ are provided below:
- From Kempegowda Bus Station(Majestic): 80, 80A, 80B, 80E, 80F, 80G, 252F
- From City Market: 77, 77E
- From Shivajinagar: 79E
City cabs/taxis/ride-hailing apps
Bangalore is a high tech city and thus apps are available. There are Uber, Ola, and Beecabs available in the city. Ola and uber offer rides in cabs as well as autos which are comparatively cheaper, but potentially uncomfortable.
Parking information
Paid parking available within the temple for cars, buses as well as two-wheelers but it is totally based on the first-come-first-serve basis.
Iskcon Bangalore information
Iskcon Bangalore
Address: Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Rd, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560010
Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 7:15am - 8:30pm; Mon - Fri: 7.15am - 1pm, 4:15pm - 8:20pm
Official Website: Iskcon Bangalore
Department of Tourism: Visit Karnataka
Bangalore Private Full-Day Tour (from USD 84.0)
Short on time to visit places? Opt for this full-day tour and get a bird’s eye view of Bangalore. You’ll not miss out on your visit to the Iskon Temple as it’s included in the tour. Other stops include Botanical Garden, Bangalore Palace and more local attractions.
Bangalore Private Full-Day Tour
Duration: 8 hours
Frequently asked questions about Iskcon Temple Bangalore
History
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