Ragigudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Temple

The Legend of Sudharma's Generosity

Long before any structure stood on this hill, the story goes that a devoted woman named Sudharma was carrying freshly harvested ragi when three elderly travellers approached and asked for food. Without a moment's hesitation, she offered everything in her possession. The travellers then revealed themselves as the Trimurti — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — and, moved by her generosity, blessed the spot: the heap of ragi she had been carrying transformed into the rocky hill that stands there today, while the three gods chose to remain forever as sacred stone pillars, watching over future generations of devotees. Lord Hanuman was installed on the hill sometime later, and over the decades the site grew into one of Bengaluru's most significant centres of Hanuman worship.

From a Small Shrine to a Five-Acre Complex

What began in 1969 as a modest shrine, built by a handful of committed young residents, has expanded steadily into a temple complex covering roughly five acres. The entrance now features an elegant Dravidian-style gopuram decorated with colourful sculptures of deities, sages and celestial beings, while wide granite steps lead up through landscaped gardens and spacious courtyards to the main shrine. Inside the complex, separate shrines honour Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lord Lakshmana, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Rajarajeshwari, Goddess Bhagavathi and the Navagrahas, giving visitors several points of worship across a single hilltop visit.

Three Pillars, One Enduring Legend

Ragigudda's most distinctive architectural feature remains the three large stone pillars believed by devotees to embody the Trimurti themselves. Unlike the temple's more recently built halls and gopuram, these pillars are treated as the literal, physical remnants of the founding legend, and many visitors make a point of pausing beside them during their visit — a small but meaningful ritual that connects the modern temple complex directly back to the myth that gave the hill its name.

How Much Time to Set Aside

A comfortable visit usually takes 1 to 2 hours, including the climb, darshan and a bit of time to enjoy the hilltop views; those attending a special pooja may wish to stay longer.

Getting Here

Jayanagar Metro Station and Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Road (RV Road) Metro Station are both a short auto-rickshaw or taxi ride away, and the temple is well connected by BMTC buses and app-based cabs from JP Nagar, Banashankari, BTM Layout and Bannerghatta Road. Parking is available near the temple, though it becomes busier on weekends and during festivals. Kempegowda International Airport is roughly 42 km away, and KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station about 10 km.

Hanuman Jayanti at Ragigudda

The temple's biggest celebration, Hanuman Jayanti, unfolds over twelve days of special poojas, homas, cultural programmes and Annadanam, transforming the hilltop into a sea of flowers, lights and devotees. Visitors planning around this period should expect significantly larger crowds but also a far more vibrant, festival-charged atmosphere than an ordinary day offers.

Why Ragigudda Feels Different From Other City Temples

Part of what sets Ragigudda apart is its relatively recent origin story — a temple built by ordinary residents within living memory, rather than by ancient royal decree — combined with a legend that reaches back to a far older mythological register. That combination gives the site a slightly different character from Bengaluru's more historic temples: less about centuries of dynastic patronage, more about a community's steady, decades-long commitment to a place they believed was sacred from the start. Standing at the summit today, looking out over a neighbourhood that has grown enormously since 1969, it's easy to see why so many Jayanagar residents consider this hill a permanent fixture of their spiritual life.