There are a number of other temples in T Narasipur, the most important of which is the Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple on the right bank of the River Kapila. Dedicated to Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, this is a large structure built in Dravidian style and features a tall entrance tower (gopura) and four-pillared main hall. Continue reading Visiting Tirumakudalu Narasipur
The small rustic village of Tirumakudalu Narasipur is obscure by just about any standard, but that doesn’t deter it from making some rather grandiose claims about itself, including (just like Nanjangud) that it is “Dakshina Kashi” or the Varanasi of the South. Continue reading Rustic Delights of Tirumakudalu Narasipur
In addition to making his own Shiva linga, the sage Agastiya is also believed to have founded the Agasthyeshwara Temple, an ancient temple in the village with elements that date back at least a thousand years to the Chola and Ganga periods. Continue reading Tirumakudalu Narasipur Agasthyeshwara Temple
Almost half-way between Talakad and Somanathapur is the small rustic village of Tirumakudalu Narasipur, which draws on its legendary associations with the main religious centers of northern India to make some rather grandiose claims to being “Dakshina Kashi” or the Varanasi of the South. (Nanjangud, another town featured in my eBook, is also a contender for this title.) Continue reading Tirumakudalu Narasipur
When I reached a small temple closer by the Kapila River at Nanjangud, a colorful wedding procession was forming.
An introduction to the magnificent Nanjundeshwara Temple near the right bank of the Kapila River in Nanjangud.
Here are some additional tips on visiting Nanjangud. Continue reading Visiting Nanjangud
Other sights in Nanjangud include the 15th century Ragavendra Math, a popular pilgrimage site situated close to the Nanjundeshwara Temple that features the remains of five saints of the Ragavendra sect, and a sacred spot called the Parasurama Kshetra. Continue reading Other Sights in Nanjangud
It probably wasn’t a coincidence that there was an elephant standing outside the Nanjundeshwara Temple when I visited it; for in the 19th century the local ruler the Tippu Sultan donated a precious jade Shiva-linga and emerald necklace to the temple after his favorite pachyderm was cured of blindness by the deity. Continue reading Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple Elephant
Both the town of Nanjangud and the Nanjundeshwara Temple probably derive their names from Nanjayya, the name of a native folk deity who later became identified as Shiva. According to a popular local legend, the Devas (gods) appealed to Shiva for protection from an Asura (demon) called Kesian that was terrorizing them. Shiva advised them invite the demon to a yagna (ritual sacrifice) at the confluence of the Kapila, Koundina, and Markina rivers near to where the Nanjundeshwara Temple now stands and throw him into the fire pit when he arrived at the ceremony. Continue reading Mythical Origins of the Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple