Monday, August 3, 2026
Nanjangudu, Mysuru District.
On our way back from Gattavadi, after lunch, we had a chance to visit Sri Nanjundeshwara (Srikanteshwara) Temple at Nanajangud.
The speciality of the Srikanteshwara Temple (Nanjundeshwara Temple) in Nanjangud, Karnataka, is that it is dedicated to Lord Shiva as a healer who consumed the deadly Halahala poison, earning it fame for curative spiritual traditions, its massive 120-foot gopuram, and the annual Dodda Jaathre chariot festival.
The Srikanteshwara Temple in Nanjangud, Karnataka, is famous as a massive pilgrimage site dedicated to Lord Shiva. Known as "Dakshina Kashi" (Varanasi of the South), it honors Nanjundeshwara—the healer who drank cosmic poison to save the world—and features a historic 120-foot gateway tower built over centuries by multiple ruling dynasties
The origins of the Srikanteshwara Temple date back to the Ganga dynasty, but its expansion and present grandeur are attributed to contributions from the Cholas, Hoysalas, and the Wodeyars of Mysore. The prakara (outer courtyard wall) contains multiple niches housing 122 images of Shiva in various forms, as well as sculptures of Ganpati, Saptamatrika, and other deities. The temple also houses a stone sculpture of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III and his four wives, along with 65 Shiva lingas of various sizes and multiple vahanas (processional carriages). The Garba Griha (inner sanctum) was constructed during the Chola period, around the 11th century AD. The anterior mandapa, where devotees sit, was added during the Hoysala period around the 13th century AD. During the Vijayanagara period, a brick-and-mortar shikhara was built over the shrine, and the Parvati and Narayana shrines were added. While the Gangas first established a smaller shrine, the Cholas and Hoysalas made significant architectural additions. The Wodeyars, prominent patrons of the temple, are credited with building the impressive gopuram and several mandapas.
We were lucky to have Darshan without much crowd and waiting.
Spent about half an hour and proceeded to Mysuru.
Posted 6/8/2026
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