Sri Gangadhareshwara
Seva Trust
Preserving sacred traditions, serving devotees, and building a legacy of devotion since 1994
Our Sacred Purpose
Mission & Vision
The Sri Gangadhareshwara Seva Trust was established in 1994 at Kavalaganahalli, near the ancient Ambajidurga Hill Range in Chintamani Taluk, Karnataka. Born from the divine vision of its founder Sri Chowda Reddy, the trust carries forward a singular mission: to create, maintain, and nurture one of India's most extraordinary sacred spaces.
Our Mission: To preserve and promote the eternal traditions of Hindu temple worship through the construction and maintenance of the Kailasagiri Guhantara Devalaya, while serving the community through selfless acts of charity, spiritual education, and cultural preservation.
Our Vision: To establish Kailasagiri as a beacon of authentic Sanatana Dharma — a pilgrimage destination where the ancient arts of temple construction, sacred sculpture, and Vedic worship continue to thrive for generations to come, and where every visitor finds spiritual solace, divine grace, and a warm meal.
Established
Kavalaganahalli, Chintamani Taluk, Karnataka
The Visionary
Founder: Sri Chowda Reddy
Sri Chowda Reddy is the founder, guiding force, and living soul of the Kailasagiri Guhantara Devalaya. A man of profound spiritual conviction and extraordinary determination, his journey from a humble devotee to the creator of India's largest modern cave temple is one of the most inspiring stories of faith in our times.
In 1991, during a devastating drought that scorched the land of Karnataka, Sri Chowda Reddy received what he describes as a divine calling — an inner compulsion, clear and undeniable, to dedicate his life to Lord Shiva by creating a sacred cave temple. Where others saw only barren, rocky hillsides, he saw the silhouette of magnificent caves waiting to be born.
Beginning with a small shelter in 1993 and formally establishing the trust in 1994, Sri Chowda Reddy has devoted over three decades of his life to this sacred mission. Without vast wealth or political patronage, he relied solely on divine grace, the generosity of devotees, and his own unbreakable will.
Under his stewardship, the trust has achieved the extraordinary: a 20,000 sq ft cave temple complex with nine consecrated deities, a daily feeding program that has served hundreds of thousands of meals over 25 years, and the preservation of ancient sculptural traditions that might otherwise have been lost to modernization.
Today, Sri Chowda Reddy continues to oversee the temple's ongoing Kshetra Expansion, the Swayambhu Linga consecration in progress — with the same unwavering faith that sparked the first stone being laid over thirty years ago. His life stands as a testament to the truth that devotion, when genuine, can literally move mountains.
What We Do
Trust Objectives
The Sri Gangadhareshwara Seva Trust operates with four core objectives, each reflecting a vital dimension of its sacred mission.
Temple Construction & Maintenance
The primary objective of the trust is the ongoing construction, expansion, and maintenance of the Kailasagiri Guhantara Devalaya cave temple complex. This includes the development of new caves, installation of sacred idols, structural upkeep, and preservation of the existing 20,000 sq ft complex.
Funds received for temple development are directed toward construction materials, skilled artisan wages, and infrastructure improvements that ensure the temple remains a safe and beautiful place of worship.
Anna Danam — Free Meals
Since 2001, the trust has operated a daily Anna Danam (free meals) program, serving nutritious vegetarian meals to every visitor without any distinction. Over 400 devotees are fed each day between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM — a tradition that has continued unbroken for over 25 years.
Donations to the Anna Danam program directly fund ingredients, cooking staff, kitchen maintenance, and serving supplies — ensuring that no one who visits the Lord's abode ever leaves hungry.
Spiritual Education
The trust is committed to spreading knowledge of Hindu scriptures, Vedic traditions, and spiritual practices. Through regular religious discourses, festival celebrations, and the temple's very existence as an educational monument, the trust fosters spiritual growth among devotees of all ages.
The temple serves as a living classroom — every carved deity, every ritual performed, and every festival celebrated teaches the next generation about India's rich spiritual heritage.
Cultural Preservation
By employing authentic Chola-Pallava sculptural traditions and ancient construction methods, the trust actively preserves art forms that are in danger of disappearing. The temple stands as a living monument to traditional Indian craftsmanship.
The legacy of Late Sri S.M. Ganapathi Stapathi's work at Kailasagiri ensures that future generations can study and appreciate the traditional methods of temple sculpture in their authentic form.
Our Proudest Service
Anna Danam
Free Meals Program
In Hindu tradition, Anna Danam — the offering of food — is considered one of the highest forms of charity. The ancient texts declare: "Annadanam Maha Danam" — the gift of food is the greatest gift.
Since 2001, the Sri Gangadhareshwara Seva Trust has honored this sacred principle every single day without exception. The Anna Danam program serves free vegetarian meals to every visitor — pilgrim or tourist, rich or poor, young or old — without any distinction whatsoever.
Over 25 years and counting, through droughts, floods, festivals, and even the pandemic, this tradition has never been broken. Every day, the kitchen fires are lit, the food is prepared with love, and over 400 devotees sit down to eat in the Lord's own dining hall.
Devotees Fed Daily
Years Unbroken
Daily Serving Time
For All Visitors
"No devotee who visits the Lord's abode should ever leave hungry" — the founding principle of Anna Danam at Kailasagiri
Building the Sacred
Temple Development Progress
Square Feet Completed
The current cave temple complex spans over 20,000 sq ft of interconnected man-made caves, halls, and shrines — the largest such complex built in the last millennium.
Deities Consecrated
Nine magnificent deities have been sculpted, installed, and consecrated — each hand-carved in the authentic Chola-Pallava tradition by master sculptors.
Acres — Kshetra Expansion
Ongoing development of temple complex in an extent of 16 acres, expanding the complex further with new shrine spaces and worship areas.
Looking Ahead
Future Plans
The sacred journey of Kailasagiri is far from complete. The trust has outlined an ambitious roadmap for the temple's continued growth and development:
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Swayambhu Linga Consecration
The Consecration of Swayambhu Linga and 64 aakaaras (Leela Murhty) of Lord Shiva is under progress in the new cave — a major addition to the complex's spiritual significance.
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Gurukul Veda Pathashala
Gurukul Veda Pathashala and Priest Training Center Development Project.
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Devotees' Rest House & Annadana Mandir
Plan to develop the Devotees' Rest House, Annadana Mandir Kitchen etc.
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Hindu Research Center & Museum
Plans to develop a Hindu research center, museum, art center and emergency medical center.
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Monastery
Since this place has a large Shiva temple, the construction of a monastery is planned as a resting place for the abbots who visit this place.
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Dharamshala
Construction of a Dharamshala for the stay of devotees visiting this place is part of the development project.
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Staff Accommodation
Building development project to build accommodation for staff working in this field.
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Yoga & Wellness Center
Yoga practice areas, a plan to develop a rest house for senior citizens and the disabled.
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Temple for Offerings & Cultural Center
A project to develop a temple for offering offerings to the gods, a priest's residence, a yoga school, and a theater in the east of the cave temple.
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Pilgrim Rest Area
A plan to develop a rest area and a rest house for devotees in front of the cave temple.
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Heritage Preservation
Documentation and preservation of the sculptural techniques used at Kailasagiri, ensuring the Chola-Pallava tradition continues for future artisans.
Every contribution — whether financial support, volunteer service, or simply visiting the temple and spreading the word — helps bring these plans closer to reality.
Official Information
Trust Details
Trust Information
Trust Name
Sri Gangadhareshwara Seva Trust
Year of Establishment
1994
Registration Number
Details to be updated
80G Certificate
Details to be updated — Donations eligible for tax benefits under Section 80G
Founder
Sri Chowda Reddy
Trust Members
Trust member details to be updated
Contact Information
Address
Kavalaganahalli, Ambajidurga Hill Range, Chintamani Taluk, Chikkaballapura District, Karnataka 563125
Your Generosity Matters
Nourish a Soul.
Build a Legacy.
Your contribution feeds over 400 devotees daily through our Anna Danam program and supports the ongoing development of this sacred cave temple complex.
Tax benefits available under Section 80G