Ghati Subramanya Temple

Ghati Subramanya is a temple to Murugan (Subramanya or Kartikeya) near Doddaballapura, north of Bengaluru, thought to be about 600 years old. The Ghorpade rulers of Sandur are credited with founding it, and it is counted among seven self-manifested shrines of the god. Devotees believe the images rose from the ground on which the temple stands, and couples hoping for children come here to pray.

The idol is a single stone: Subramanya, under a seven-headed cobra, faces east, while Narasimha is carved on the back facing west, and a large mirror lets worshippers see both at once. The site is a major centre of snake worship. Behind the temple, hundreds of serpent stones sit beneath a big peepal tree, where people tie small cloth cradles to the branches. Legend says Subramanya did penance here as a serpent to shield the Nagas from Garuda and sought help from Narasimha; another tale has him slaying the demon Ghatikasura here, which gave the place its name.