Arunachaleswara Temple, Nandi
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Bhoganandiswara Temple and Arunachaleswara Temple are a twin Hindu temples complex located in Nandi village in
Chikkaballapur Chikkaballapur or Chikkaballāpura is the district headquarters of the newly created Chikkaballapur district in the state of Karnataka, India, which was carved out from Kolar district. It is located within 3 km of Muddenahalli (the birthpla ...
district of
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
, India. Ornate, beautifully carved and dedicated to
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
, they have been variously dated between the 9th- to 10th-century CE. The Bhoganandiswara is the northern temple of the twin. It is the oldest surviving temple in Nolambavadi-style of Dravidian architecture in Karnataka. The Arunachaleswara temple was added to its south shortly thereafter. The complex underwent restorations and additions through the Chola Empire period. The temples are notable for its large and intricately carved sabha-mandapa, the inscriptions, and artwork, much of it to Shaivism, but also significantly for Vaishnavism (Narasimha, Vishnu), Shaktism (Durga, Lakshmi) and Vedic deities (Surya, Agni). The temple is protected and managed as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.


Location

Nandi village is located at the base of Nandi Hills (or Nandidurga). It is southwest from Chikkaballapur town, and about northeast from Bengaluru city, the capital of Karnataka.


History

The history of the eastern regions of south Karnataka traces to ancient times. They developed under the reign of the Rashtrakuta and Ganga dynasties. By the 8th-century, the Hindu Nolambas – also known as Nolamba-Pallavas – were governing this region for the Rashtrakuta and Ganga dynasties. The reign of Mahendra I (860–895 CE) brought renewed powers and economic prosperity after he defeated the Banas. After the death of Mahendra I, his mother Devalabbarasi came to power assisted by her second son Iriva-Nolamba. She was great patron of arts, used the epithet Nolamba for her sons, and she built the Nolamba-Narayanesvara temple. The style that emerged from these period (850–1000 CE) reflects a synthesis of regional Hindu arts, and is now called the Nolambavadi style. Early 9th-century inscriptions found near Nandi village refer to a temple for Shiva. However, these inscriptions do not mention this temple complex. According to the
Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...
, these inscriptions can be attributed to the
Nolamba dynasty The Nolamba dynasty the area they held sway over is referred to as ''Nolambasa-37'' of Henjeru (Hemavathi), ''Nolambalige'' (''Nolambavadi''-32000), etc. R. Narasimhacharya states that the Nolambas were a native Kannada dynasty. An inscription says ...
ruler Nolambadiraja and the
Rashtrakuta The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapu ...
emperor Govinda III, and they date from and 810 CE. Copper plate inscriptions found about 10 kilometers away near Chikkaballapur refer to the wife of Bana Vidhyadhara making a gift to the temple. These are indirect references, as they do not specifically mention either of the two large twin temples. Based on architecture and iconography, the Bhoganandiswara and the Arunachaleswara temples are dated to no later than the 10th-century and no earlier than the 9th-century. The temple was later under the patronage of successive notable South Indian dynasties, and they have all contributed to the form that has survived into the modern era: the Ganga Dynasty, the
Hoysala Empire The Hoysala Kingdom was a kingdom originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India, Karnataka, parts of Tamilnadu and South-Western Telangana between the 11th and the 14th centuries Common Era, CE. The c ...
and the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
.


Structure

The temple complex has two large shrines: the Bhoganandiswara and the Arunachaleswara temples. They have very similar architecture, but not exactly the same. The "Arunachaleswara" shrine to the south of the two is newer and has a slightly more complex artwork. Both share a large courtyard and open sabha-mandapa. Each has a navaranga, an antarala, a sukanasi, a garbhagriha and a Dravida-style vimana. The vestibule and hall are provided with perforated stone screens called ''
Jali A ''jali'' or ''jaali'' (''jālī'', meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectu ...
''. Each shrine has a ''nandi mantapa'' in front (hall with the sculptured image of Nandi the bull) facing the sanctum. In between the twin temples is a small intervening shrine called the "Uma-Maheshwara" shrine with a ''kalyana mantapa'' ("marriage alter") supported by ornate pillars in black stone with reliefs depicting of the Hindu gods
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
and his consort
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
,
Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...
and Saraswathi,
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
and
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
, the Vedic god of fire
Agni Agni ( ) is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of fire. As the Guardians of the directions#Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ("Guardians of Eight Directions"), guardian deity of the southeast direction, he is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. ...
and Swaha Devi. In front is a meticulously carved black stone kalyana-mandapa with decorative creepers and birds, one that "excels beyond those found in later era Hoysala temples", according to ASI. According to the art historian George Michell, the temple is a typical 9th-10th century Nolamba construction with
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s on the outer walls of the shrines, perforated decorative stone windows which contain figures, of a dancing Shiva (south wall of the Arunachaleshwara shrine) and
Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...
standing on a buffalo head (north wall of Bhoga Nandeshwara shrine). Pyramidal and tiered towers (''
shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...
'') rise from the two major shrines. Each major shrine has a large ''
linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...
'' in the sanctum (the universal symbol of the god Shiva) with a sculpture of Nandi (the bull) in a pavilion facing the shrine. According to Michell, during the 16th century Vijayanagara period, a pavilion with elegant pillars was added in between the two major shrines. The pillars crafted out of grey-green granite have relief sculptures of attendant maidens. Michell feels the minor "Uma-Maheshwara" shrine was added in between the two major shrines (behind the pavilion) during the post Vijayanagara rule of the Gowdas of the
Yelahanka Yelahanka is a premium locality in North Bangalore and also a Taluk of Bangalore Urban district in the Indian state of Karnataka. One of the zones of BBMP. It is the oldest part of present Municipal Bengaluru (Bangalore) city and the northe ...
dynasty. The minor shrine has a procession of deities and sages in wall relief. The wall that links the two major shrines was cleverly constructed so as to be in-distinguishable from the two original shrines. A spacious pillared hall was also added in front of the two major shrines.Michell, George (2013), ''Southern India: A Guide to Monuments Sites & Museums'', Chapter: Karnataka, Section: Bengaluru, Sub-section: Nandi, Roli Books Private Limited, ;Other monuments in the complex The outer bounding wall ('' prakara'') of the complex has two smaller goddess shrines of the Shakti tradition. To the north of the shrines is a second compound with a ''navaranga mantapa'' (pavilion) with '' Yali'' pillars. Beyond this compound is a large stepped temple tank ('' kalyani'' or ''pushkarni''), locally called "Sringeri Teertha" (the mythical source of the Pinakini river) where lamps are lit on certain festive days. ;Popularity The Uma-Maheshwara shrine has reliefs depicting Shiva's marriage to the goddess Parvati. Hence this shrine is popular with newly weds who come to seek blessing.


Gallery

File:Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple - South Side View.jpg, Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple - South Side View File:Nandi_temple.png, Entrance as seen in 1834 File:A mantapa (hall) in Bhoganandishvara group of temples at Chikkaballapur district.JPG, View of the large ''Maha mantapa'' (main hall), a
Vijayanagara empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
era construction at the Bhoga Nandeeshvara temple complex File:Parvati Temple.jpg, Parvati shrine in the temple complex File:Kalyani-a Vijayanagara era contribution to the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex.JPG, ''Kalyani'' (temple tank), added during the Vijayanagara era File:Window art and wall relief at Bhoganandishvara group of temples, Chikkaballapur district.JPG, Window art and relief work at the Bhoganandeeshvara temple complex File:Yali pillars2 at Bhoganandishvara group of temples, Chikkaballapur district (1).jpg, '' Yali'' pillars in the ''vasantha mantapa'', a Vijayanagara era addition at Bhoga Nandeeshvara temple complex File:Vasantha mantapa--a Vijayanagara era contribution to the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex.JPG, ''Vasantha mantapa'' ("marriage alter") is a Vijayanagara era contribution to the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex File:Pillar relief art in Bhoganandishvara group of temples at Chikkaballapur district.jpg, Ornate pillar in the large open ''mantapa'' is a Vijayanagara era addition to the Bhoga Nandeeshvara temple complex File:Ornate pillar in soap stone-a 13th century Hoysala contribution to the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex 1.JPG, Ornate pillar of the ''vasanta mantapa'', made of soap stone, is a Hoysala era contribution File:Ornate pillar in soap stone-a 13th century Hoysala contribution to the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex.JPG, Ornate pillar of the ''vasanta mantapa'', made of soap stone, is a Hoysala era contribution File:Open mantapa facing a minor shrine in the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex.JPG, Open mantapa facing a minor shrine at the rear in the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex File:Entrance to minor shrine in the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex.JPG, Entrance to minor shrine at the rear in the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple complex File:Ornate Pillar Carvings of Vasanta Mantapa - Bhoga Nadeeshwara Temple 03.jpg, Ornate Pillar carvings of the Vasantha Mantapa File:Carvings of Uma Maheshswara Shrine - Bhoga Nadeeshwara Temple.jpg, Ornate Carvings on the Uma-Maheshswara Shrine File:Ornated Pillar of the Vasanta Mantapa.jpg, Ornated pillar of Vasanta Mantap File:Outside carved wall of the Arunachaleshswara Shrine - Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple.jpg, Window carving on outerwall of the Arunachaleshswara shrine in the Bhoga Nandeeshvara temple complex File:Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple - Panoramic view.jpg, Panoramic view of Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple premises


References

{{Reflist Shiva temples in Karnataka Hindu temples in Chikkaballapura district Architecture of the Nolambas