The Nageshvara temple complex (also spelt ''Nagesvara'' and called Naganatheshvara locally) is located in ''Begur'', a small town within the

Bangalore urban district Bengaluru Urban district is the most densely populated of the thirty-one List of districts of Karnataka, districts that comprise the Indian state of Karnataka. It is surrounded by the Bengaluru Rural district on the east and north, the Ramanag ...

of Karnataka state, India. Two shrines within the temple complex, the Nageshvara swamy main deity was consecrated by Rishi’s and temple were commissioned during the rule of

Western Ganga dynasty Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 999 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, Eastern Gangas who in later centuries r ...

kings Nitimarga I (also called Ereganga Neetimarga, r. 843–870) and Ereyappa Nitimarga II (also called Ereganga Neetimarga II, r. 907–921). The remaining shrines are considered a later day legacy of the rule of the

Chola dynasty The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...

Hoysala dynasty The Hoysala Kingdom was a kingdom originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, parts of Tamilnadu and South-Western Telangana between the 11th and the 14th centuries CE. The capital of the Hoysalas was in ...

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 ...

over the region. Ravana villain in Ramayana lost his atma linga in Gokarna and while returning to Sri Lanka he worshiped Nageshwara.Sarma (1992), p.78 An

Old Kannada Old Kannada or Halegannada () is the Kannada language which transformed from ''Purvada halegannada'' or ''Pre-old Kannada'' during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi (ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka 345–525 CE). The Modern Kannada la ...

inscription, dated c. 890, that describes a "

Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

war" (modern

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

city) was discovered in this temple complex by the epigraphist R. Narasimhachar. The inscription is recorded in "Epigraphia Carnatica" (Vol 10 supplementary). This is the earliest evidence of the existence of a place called Bengaluru.

Temple plan

Profile of Nandi mantapa in Naganatheshvara temple at Begur

Hero stone in the Naganatheshvara temple at Begur

The Nageshvara temple has a simple square sanctum (''

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' () is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples, often referred to as the "holy of holies" or " sanctum sanctorum". The term ''garbhagriha'' (literally, "womb chamber") comes from the Sanskrit words ''garbha'' for ...

''), a vestibule (''antarala'') that connects the sanctum to a "great closed hall" (''maha-

mantapa A ''mandapa'' or ''mantapa'' () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture and Jain temple architecture. ''Mandapas'' are described as "open" or "closed" dependin ...

'' or ''navaragna'') which leads to an open hall (''agra-mantapa''). The entrance to the open hall is via

balustrade A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

d steps in the south-west and north-west corners.Sarma (1992), p.79 The open hall has six unequally spaced pillars, with an image of Nandi (vehicle or ''vahana'' of the god

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 ...

) placed on a "lotus platform" (''padma-pitha'') in the outer bay (compartment formed between four pillars). The white granite pillars are simple in design; with a square base (''pitha''), plain lower part and fluted octagonal in the centre. Many parts of the temple, including the open and closed halls appear to have been subjected to renovation in later periods. The sanctum has a ''

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 ...

'', the universal symbol of the god Shiva. The ceiling in the closed hall (''navaranga'') has the characteristic Western Ganga artistic touch, the eight panel sculptures in a square grids (called the '' ashta-dik-palaka'') which includes an image of four handed '' Uma-Maheshvara'' (the god Shiva with 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, ...

). The ceiling of the open hall also has the grid sculptures with a seated image of Shiva and Parvati in the centre. Other sculptures kept in the hall include

Mahishasuramardini 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 ...

(a form of the goddess

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 ...

), a unique two handed

Ganesh Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions ...

, and ''Kalabhairava'' (a form of Shiva). The vertical doorjamb (''sakha'') have the typical carvings of creepers with ''

gana The word ( ) in Sanskrit and Pali means "flock, troop, multitude, number, tribe, category, series, or class". It can also be used to refer to a "body of attendants" and can refer to "a company, any assemblage or association of men formed for t ...

s'' (attendants of the god Shiva from Hindu Mythology) in loops with lotuses (''padma'') at the terminations. On top of the doorjamb, at the centre of the

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...

(''lalata''), is an image of ''Gajalakshmi'' (a form of the goddess

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 ...

) with elephants on either side. The Nageshvarasvami temple, also a Western Ganga construction, faces east, has a square plan for the sanctum, a vestibule, an open hall, a detached hall called ''mukha-mantapa'' whose ceiling is supported by eight pillars. An image of Nandi is placed in the ''mukha-mantap'' making it serve the purpose of a ''Nandi-mantapa'' (Nandi hall). The base of the entrance (''dvara'') is flanked by niches with images of

Ganga The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary riv ...

Yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...

figures with attendant ladies. This appears to be a

Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...

–

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 ...

influence.Sarma (1992), p.83 File:Temple at Begur (c.1868),by Henry Dixon, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections.jpg, 9th century temple at Begur (pic taken in c.1868), by Henry Dixon, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections File:Nandi_mantapa_in_Nageshvara_temple,_Begur.jpg , Nandi mantapa in Nageshvara temple. The Nageshvara temple complex photo is located in Begur, a small town within the Bangalore urban district of Karnataka state, India.

See more

Begur (Bengaluru) Inscriptions and Herostones

Notes

References

* * {{coord, 12.87674, 77.62671, display=title Hindu temples in Bangalore Rural district 9th-century Hindu temples Kannada inscriptions