Welcome to my new BrownBeat home. Moving my old content across to WordPress has been a time-consuming but enjoyable task, giving me ample opportunity to wallow in some wonderful memories of trips I’ve taken over the years. Continue reading Welcome
Tag Archives: India
Visiting Tirumakudalu Narasipur
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
Rustic Delights of 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
Nanjangud Wedding Procession
When I reached a small temple closer by the Kapila River at Nanjangud, a colorful wedding procession was forming.
Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple Video
An introduction to the magnificent Nanjundeshwara Temple near the right bank of the Kapila River in Nanjangud.
Visiting Nanjangud
Here are some additional tips on visiting Nanjangud. Continue reading Visiting Nanjangud
Other Sights in 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
Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple Elephant
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
Mythical Origins of the Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple
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
Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple
The Nanjundeshwara Temple stands close to the right bank of the Kapila River, and dates back to the ninth century AD when it was built by the Gangas. Over the following thousand years, it was greatly expanded by various patrons from the Chola, Hoysala, Vijayanagara, and Wodeyar dynasties that ruled over the region during this period. Continue reading Nanjangud Nanjundeshwara Temple