Nanjangud

Amongst the many temple towns in Karnataka Nanjangud is widely popular. Situated on the banks of river Kapila it is blessed with an amazing landscape. Like many temple towns in Karnataka this place has temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Another name of the lord is Nanjangudeshwara. This name literally means the god who drank poison. There is an interesting tale associated with it. According to the legend both the asuras (demons) and the devtas (gods) churned the ocean of existence to get hold of the nectar. Whoever had this would be immortal. During this churning a lot of poison stemmed out of the ocean. To save the creation from being destroyed by the venom Lord Shiva drank the poison.

The place is named after the lord. Nanjangud refers to the place where Nanjangudeshwara dwells. This place in Karnataka is a popular destination for Shaivites and it has been so for ages. The Nanjundeshwara temple is the main attraction here. It is believed to have been built in the Ganga period. Nanjundeshwara temple was later renovated by the Hoysala rulers. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, too, were closely associated with the temple. Apart from this, the temple also received several grants from the Wodeyar dynasty for revamping it.

Nanjangud is a town in Mysore district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a temple town and is on the banks of the river Kapila. It is at a distance of 23 km from the city of Mysore. Nanjangud is also called as "Dakshina Kashi"

The huge temple is also known as Srikanteswara. According to legends Lord Buddha had stayed here and consecrated the Shiva linga. According to the inscriptions available in the temple Tipu Sultan`s favorite elephanted was granted eyesight at this temple. To show his gratitude the king remade the linga in jade and donated it to Nanjundeshwara temple. Till date this holy place is considered as a healer for its followers. The ritual of bathing in the Kapila River is prevalent even today.

Nanjangud in Karnataka is also famous for the various festivals that take place here. The Chariot festival takes place twice a year and this is commonly known as Dodda Jathre and the Chikka Jathre. Five separate chariots Lord Ganapathi, for Lord Srikanteshwara, Lord Subramanya and Goddess Parvathi, Lord Chandikeshwara are taken out with huge procession. Besides this there is also a Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt.

Nanjagud is often referred to as Garalapuri. This sacred place is known for the temple dedicated to Nanjundeswara. Built in the Dravidian style it has been situated 23 kilometers away from Mysore. Transportations, such as, hired cars are available to arrive at this holy place. This temple town is situated on the right bank of river Kapila and is popular for the Shiva temple, dedicated to Lord Nanjundeswara or Srikanteswara. A beautiful Rajagopuram adorns the eastern entrance.

According to a legend, when the Devas and Asuras churned the Milky Ocean, there appeared poison before they got the sacred nectar. When no human or Devas could stand the poison, Lord Shiva drank the poison. Realizing that the poison would harm the Lord, Devi Parvati held His throat stopping the poison there. Lord Siva`s neck turned blue. This legend earned Him the name `Neelakanta.` This form of the Lord is worshipped in the Nanjangud shrine.

Shiva and Parvati have separate sanctums. Lord Vishnu as Adi Kesava is also installed in between these two shrines. Lord Subramanya as Dandayudhapani, Prasanna Vinayaka, Durga and Sharada have separate shrines. The 63 Shaivite saints are immortalized in life size images on the southern prakaram.

The temple is further known for the plethora of sculptures. The Shiva Leelas are of exquisite craftsmanship.

The Muslim ruler Tipu Sultan was a great patron of this temple. His elephant was cured twice of major ailments with the grace of Nanjundeswara. Hence Tipu Sultan called the Lord Hakim Nanjundeswara and presented to the shrine valuable jewellery and a Maragatha Lingam, which is installed by the side of the Goddess` shrine.

Sage Parasurama did penance on this holy soil. There is a shrine for him near the Swarnavati River. An ancient mutt of Sri Raghavendra is situated in the town. The Guru`s image is said to have been found in river Cauvery by a king who consecrated it in the mutt.

Vidyanidhi Prasanna Somnathpura was the ancient name of this town. It is situated on the left bank of Cauvery. The Hoysala Temple built in the 12th century, dedicated to Lord Kesava, is known for its sculptural beauty. It was constructed by Somnatha, a minister in the court of Hoysala King, Veera Narasimha Devarasa. The 3 main shrines are dedicated to Lord Kesava, Lord Janardhana and Lord Venugopala. A `sukanasi` for each shrine and a common Navaranga have been constructed. 64 cells around the shrine are now empty. The temple is a perfect example of Hoysala art. A local belief is that Jaganachary, the master sculptor, had to break a few sculptures when the whole shrine started moving heavenward as gods, enamored of the shrine, wished to take it.

These temples in and around Nanjangud predominantly reflect the South Indian architectural style of architecture.