The
Srikanteshwara temple of Nanjanagudu is the biggest temple in Karnataka and
measures 385 feet by 160 feet, with a total area of 50,000 square feet. The
main entrance is seven storey high gopuram and is decorated with seven gold
plated kalashas, that add a further three meters to its loftiness and is
flanked by two horns. The outer walls of the temple are about 12 feet high. A
spacious courtyard, prakara, leads pilgrims to the divine abode of Shiva. The
temple has three main deities, Lord Nanjundeshwara, Goddess Parvathi and Lord
Vishnu with Sreedevi and Bhoodevi. The Shivalinga also called as Srikanteshwara
is about a meter in height. The deities in the temple are Sri Ganesha, Sri
Subramanya (Muruga or Karthikeyan), Goddess Sri Sharada (Saraswathi), Sri Chandikeshwara,
Sri Navagraha and Sri Nandi. There are sixty six idols of saints called as
Nayamnars. There are about 100 lingas in the temple of different kind and size
and one of which is Sahasralinga, thousand lingas carved on one linga.
Nanjanagudu,
situated on the banks of river Kapila or Kabini has been a major shaiva center
since time immemorial. The temple is a large complex structure in the dravidian
style and appears to have been built originally by Gangas or Cholas and
additions were made to it through the centuries by the Hoysalas, Vijayanagar
kings, Palegars and others. Wodeyars of Mysore have provided various grants for
the renovation of temple from time to time. The tall gopura was built in 1845
by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in 1845.
The temple
offers a veritable galaxy of stucco figures as it boasts of more than 122
images including Dikpalas, the largest number of sculptures relating to Shiva
and his various manifestations, several forms of Subramanya, Saptamatrikas and
others. There are many exquisite bronze icons and prominent among them are
Tandaveshvara, Narayana with Bhudevi, Chandrashekaramurthi, Parvati,
Chandikeshvara and others. The outer niches of the temple wall also depict 32
forms of Ganapathi eulogized in the Mudgala Purana and each is more enchanting
than the other.
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