Kurudumale Ganesha Temple

Kurudumale Ganesha Temple is a historic Hindu temple located in Kurudumale village, Mulbagal Taluk, Kolar District, Karnataka, about 10 km from Mulbagal and 30 km from Kolar. It is renowned for its massive 13.5-foot monolithic Ganesha idol carved from a single saligrama stone. Built in Vijayanagara architectural style, the temple is attributed to the Vijayanagara Empire period and is a prominent pilgrimage and tourist site.

Visitors can expect a granite temple complex set in a rural village landscape with a large open courtyard. The main sanctum houses the massive monolithic Ganesha idol, with detailed carvings and Vijayanagara-style pillars and gopuram. The temple is relatively simple and uncrowded on regular days, with space for circumambulation, prayer halls, and views of surrounding boulders and fields. The adjacent Someshwara Temple can also be explored within the same compound.

The temple is attributed to the Vijayanagara Empire, believed to have been built or developed during the 14th-16th century, with tradition linking it to Krishnadevaraya. It exhibits Vijayanagara architectural features in granite and is noted for its monolithic Ganesha image. The adjacent Someshwara Temple is also of historical importance and together they represent the region's temple heritage.

The temple is an important centre for Ganesha worship in Karnataka and attracts devotees especially during Ganesha Chaturthi and Sankashti Chaturthi. The large Ganesha idol is considered highly auspicious, and the temple is part of the religious circuit of Kolar district alongside Avani and Kotilingeshwara.