Sri Srikanteshwaraswamy Temple Nanjangud, Mysore

SRI SRIKANTESHWARASWAMY TEMPLE

Nanjangud, Mysore, Karnataka, India

God

The main diety of this temple is Nanjundeshwara, who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Here deity is facing in East direction and is in form of Shiva Lingam.

Interesting Facts

The Bridge over the River Kabini is one of the oldest bridges in India.
The bridge is 281 years old and is located at the entrance of the town.

Best Season To Visit

The best season to visit this temple is Winter season. The best months to visit are September to February.

Weather

Highest - April to June (38°C during day and 26°C during night)Average - May (37°C during the day and 21°C during night)Lowest - October to February (27°C during day and 18°C during night)Monsoon season - August to September

Dress Code

For men the dress code is Shirt & Trouser, Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth.
For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or chudidhar with pyjama and upper cloth.
These rules are applicable for foreigners also. Shorts, mini-skirts, middies, sleeveless tops, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts are not allowed.
Pilgrims/visitors will not be allowed inside the temple if dress code is not followed.

Do's & Dont's

Do bathe and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
Do respect ancient customs and co-piligrims while at temple.

Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the temple premises.

transport connections

Name	Distance	Contact Number
Nanjangud Bus Stand	1.8 KM	08221-226240
Nanjangud Town	2.2 KM	139
Mysore Airport	14.2 KM	0821-2596802

Railway Station Name	Distance	Contact Number
Nanjangud Town	2.2 KM	139

Airport Name	Distance	Contact Number
Mysore Airport	14.2 KM	0821-2596802

Architecture

Temple dedicated to Shiva described as Nanjundeshwara. Nanjunda means one who has consumed poison and this legend relates to the churing of the ocean when Shiva had to consume haala-hala. Nanjunda became Visha kanta and also Srikanta for having digested it. Hence the deity is also known as Srikanteshwara, one cures diseases. Sri Kanteshwara Swamy Temple is facing in East and built in Dravidian style of architecture. The Mahadvara (main entrance) is seven storey 120 feet high and is decorated with seven gold plated Kalasas that add a further three meters to its loftiness flanked by two horns. The brick and mortar gopura was built in 1845. The small square Garbhagriha, main shrine has a stucco sikhara of the Vijayanagara period. There is a kalyani North - East side of temple.

Mandapams & Pillars : Cylindrical pillars in the antarala were built in the Ganga period. The mandapa in front of the original sanctum has lathe turned Hoysala pillars of 13th century. The Parvati shrine with a pillared Sabhamandapa. In its front is the Tulabhara mantapa. The ritual of weighing the devotees against any commodity is done here. Commonly people balance themselves against rice, jaggery, sugar etc.

Temple Walls : The outer walls of the temple are about 12 feet high. A spacious courtyard (Prakara) welcomes hundreds of pilgrims to the divine abode of Shiva and 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 that Vie for attention and prominent among them are Tandaveshvara, Narayana with Bhudevi, Chandrashekaramurthi, Parvati, Chandikeshvara and others. The inner niches of the temple wall also depict 32 forms of Ganapathi eulogized in the Mudgala Purana and each is more enchanting than the other.

Religious Significance

Reffered to as Garalapuri in the Puranas, After the annihilation of the monster, it is not precisely come to lights that whether Lord Shiva (Sri Kanteshwara) has himself intruded into the crust of the earth or the shiva linga had reached in due to the natural calamities. After some years Parasurama, when visited this place revealed using his sixth sense power has unearthed the Shiva Linga and performed penance to the Shiva Linga to expiate from a sin occurred for killing his mother. And hence this Shiva Linga is known to be as Parasurameshwara Lingam or Parasurameshwara Kshethra (temple). Sage Gowthama is also said to be performed a penance at this place offered prayers for Lord Sri Kanteshwara to expiate from a sin.

Legend : According to Legend, the Gods and demons churned the ocean in search of the nectar of immortality. During this churning, there were lots of artifacts emanated out of the ocean including poison. To prevent the poison from spreading across the universe and to destroy it, Shiva came to the rescue and drank the poison. His wife Parvati then held his throat tightly to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body. According to popular belief, Tipu’s elephant got afflicted by an eye-ailment and no doctor (hakim) was able to heal it. Somebody suggested that he should pray to Sri Nanjundeshvara which he did. A wonder happened and the elephant’s eye was cured and impressed by this, Tipu called the god Hakim (doctor) Nanjunda. He gifted an emerald green Linga to the deity.

History

Nanjagudu was formerly called as Garalapuri which is known as a part of Dandakaranya. It was the dwelling place of a monster named Kesi. The monster usually torments the sages and creates obstacles, disturbs during their yajnas and spiritual rites. The monster body is completely venomous and hence any powerful kings, yogis were collapsed before him when tried to kill him. Unable to sustain the pains of the monster, all the yogis assembled at one place to decide who can destroy the monster. After a discussion, the sages came to a conclusion that Lord Shiva who sustained venom in his throat previously is the one who can kill monster Kesi. So all went to Kailash to meet Lord Shiva and made their humble request where the Lord Sri Kanteshwara also accepted, came in that form to Garalapuri on his Nandi vahana and killed the monster Kesi. The toxic fumes that emerged from the corpse of the monster started havocking the normal human lives, damaged various species, flora and fauna in the forest. So once again Lord Shiva accepted the venom into his throat to save the existence of the human and other species. This temple was built in 11th – 12th century by Chola Kings and renovated in 19th century. Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara kings are the contributors of this temple. The temple was developed on a full scale during the era of the Mysore rulers and reached its mammoth proportions due to devition of Krishna Raja Odeyar towards the deity. Even Hydar Ali and Tipu Sultan are said to have made some grants to this temple.

Temple Timings

Day	Timings
All Days	06:00 AM - 01:00 PM	04:00 PM - 08:30 PM

Sevas

Name of the seva

Day

Timings

Persons

Duration

Price

Nithya Kalyanothsava

All Days

15:30 - 20:30

5 Hrs

300.00/ Person

Utsavagalu

All Days

10:00 - 11:00

1 Hr

1000.00/ Person

Tours

Airports

Airport Name	Distance
Shamshabad	40 KM
Lorem Ipsum	12 KM

Railway Stations

Railway Station Name	Distance
Secunderabad	10 KM
Nampally	12 KM
Begumpet	6 KM
Lingampally	20 KM

Bus Stations

Bus Station Name	Distance
MGBS	35 KM
CBS	28 KM
kukatpally	20 KM
Lingampally	30 KM
Uppal	35 KM

Private Transports

Transport Name	Distance	Contact Number
Private Transport	8 KM	9546858757
Private Transport1	8 KM	9546858757
Private Transport1	8 KM	9546858757
Private Transport1	8 KM	9546858757
Private Transport1	8 KM	9546858757