Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Nandi, Karnataka

Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Nandi, Karnataka

Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Nandi village, at the base of Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state, India. The temple complex has two large shrines namely Arunachaleswara shrine & Bhoga Nandeeshwara shrine and a minor shrine namely Uma Maheshwara Shrine. There is another shrine situated on hill top dedicated to Yoga Nandeeshwara. This temple is considered as one of the oldest temples of Karnataka, dates back to the early 9^th century. The Temple is under the protection of Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance.

History

The original temple in the complex, identified as one of the oldest temples of Karnataka, dates back to the early 9^th century CE. The Temple was originally constructed by the Bana Queen Ratnavali in the 9th Century and later the Chola kings added the roof in the 11th century, the Hoysala dynasty added the marriage hall to the temple structure and the Vijayanagar kings added the Kalyana Mandapa and the Tulabhara Mandapa in the 13th century.  The earliest inscriptions referring to the construction of the temple for Shiva, according to the Archaeological Survey of India, are from Nolamba dynasty ruler Nolambadiraja and the Rashtrakuta emperor Govinda III dated 806 CE.

The copper plates of the Bana rulers Jayateja and Dattiya of about 810 CE refer to the construction and grants to the Siva temple at Nandi. Nandi formed part of the Bana-Nolamba territory during fourth to tenth centuries A.D. The temple was later under the patronage of successive notable South Indian dynasties namely the Ganga Dynasty, the Chola dynasty, the Hoysala Empire and the Vijayanagara Empire. The local chiefs of Chikaballapura and the rulers of the Mysore Kingdom (Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan) controlled the temple before it eventually came under British rule after the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799 CE. The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple Complex

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2020/12/bhoga-nandeeshwara-temple-nandi-temple.html

Festivals

There are many Shiva related festivals held in this temple throughout the year. Thrice a year, on main Hindu festival days like Deepavali, 100,000 lamps are lit on the rock cut steps of the pond.

Prayers

Newly married couples often visit this temple to take the blessings of Shiva and Parvati as the temple depicts the wedding scenes between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 500 meters from Nandi Bus Stop, 2 Kms from Nandi Halt Railway Station, 7 Kms from Chikkaballapur Railway Station, 8 Kms from Chikkaballapur, 32 Kms from Bengaluru Airport and 54 Kms from Bengaluru. The Temple is situated on Bengaluru to Chikkaballapur Route. Nandi Hills is well connected to Bengaluru by buses and trains.

Location | Photos