Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud

Srikanteshwara Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
Location
Location	Nanjanagud
State	Karnataka
Country	India
Architecture
Type	Temple

The Srikanteshwara Temple (also called Nanjundeshwara Temple) is an ancient temple in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Nanjangud in the Karnataka state, Southern India. It is known for the ancient temple of the god Srikanteshwara (another name for the god Shiva, also known as Nanjundeshwara). The Srikanteshwara temple is located in the town on the right bank of river Kapila, a tributary of the Kaveri. Nanjangud is also known as "Dakshina Kashi" or "Varanasi/Prayag of South".

Nanju in Kannada means poison; the name Nanjundeshwara means the "God who Drank the Poison" (halahala), a word that has its origins in the legend of the Great Churning of the Ocean of Milk; thus the town got the name 'Nanjangud' which means "the abode of the god Nanjundeshwara".

Veda Brahma. T. S. Vishweshwara Dikshith is the composer of Sree Srikanteshwara Suprabhata Stotram of Lord. Srikanteshwara of Nanjangud. Sri. T. S. Vishweshwara Dikshith was a learned Sanskrit scholar in several Vedas (Yajur Veda in particular) and specialised in Ghana Krama - which is the essence of the Vedas. He also composed the Sree Sharada Suprabhata and Sree Chandramoulishwara Suprabhata of Sri Sharada temple, Shringeri and Sri Chandramoulishwara temple in V. V. Mohalla, Mysore respectively. He was a Ghana Pati and had mastered several Shastras such as Alankara Shastra, Jyothishya Shastra (Astrology), Tarka, and Vyakarana (Literature) to name a few. He received several awards and accolodates from the Maharaja of Mysore, their holiness the pointiffs' of Sringeri Sharada Peetham and Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam respectively for contributions made to Sanskrit Literature.

The "Dodda Jaathre" festival at Nanjangud by temple attracts thousands of devotees. The festivities in the fair includes five colorful chariots that are pulled by devotees on a path called the ratha beedi.

Gallery

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  View of gopura from inside the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Large pillared mantapa with sala towers in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Open mantapa with sala roofs in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Yali pillars in the mahadwara in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Pillared entrance in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Kannada inscription (1517 AD) of King Krishnadevaraya's father-in-law in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Ganesha sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Deity sculpture in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Decorative pillars in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Close up view of pillars at the entrance in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
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  Close up view of sala tower over mantapa in the Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud

See also

• Samudra manthan