Bhoga Nandishwara Temple

Our visit to Bhoga Nandishwara temple yesterday: At the foot hills of Nandi hills near Bangalore is one of Karnataka’s oldest temples. From the inscriptions found in Chikkaballapura, it is believed that this temple was built by Queen Ratnavali in the 9th century. The Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara kings who controlled this region over a period of 700 years added to the works commenced by Queen Ratnavali. One finds a mix of all the different architectural designs of the various rulers in one temple, including pillars sculpted on blackstone.

As we entered through the main entrance in this sprawling temple complex, we first had darshan of Lord Vishnu. We are used to seeing the lord in his full solitary form and glory! Here, he is flanked by Padmavathi and Lakshmi in the main sanctum sanctorum.

Next one was dedicated to Lord Veerabhadra Swamy, who is the manifestation of Lord Shiva’s wrath. He is a warrior God worshipped by rulers and soldiers during the times of war. As the legend goes, Goddess Parvathi as ‘Sati’ marry’s Lord Shiva and when her father Dhaksha performs Ashwamedha Yagna and denigrates Lord Shiva; She feels humiliated and immolates herself by jumping into the pyre. Lord Shiva takes the massive and ferrocious form of Veerabhadra to slay Daksha and quell his arrogance. It is said that Daksha is only a manifestation of the ego people have as part of themselves. This can be destroyed by Veerabhadra, the divine power which also resides in all of us. We pray to Lord Veerabhadra Swamy to rid ourselves of this ego.

We enter the main temple where Shiva and Parvathi as Uma-Maheshvara are carved on a single saligrama stone and worshipped together. Nowhere else in the country will you find them worshipped together. Shiva is in his ‘Linga’ form, but it is only out here he is worshipped as an idol. Flanked to his right is Arunachaleshwara, built by the Gangas of Talakad, in the 13th century and Bhoga Nandishwara to his left, built by the Cholas. Other than Tiruvunnamalai in Tamil Nadu, this is the only other temple where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Arunachaleshwara. It is interesting to note that the 4 stages of the Hindu way of life has been depicted in this temple complex. The first two – childhood and youth is represented as Arunachaleshwara and Bhoga Nandishwara, the third stage of wedded life is in the form of Uma-Maheshwara and the fourth and final stage is atop the Nandi Hills as Yoga Nandeeshwara, in meditation. No celebration or festivities are conducted in the hilltop temple to mark the final stage in life where one renunciates. Whereas, the temple at the foothills observes all festivals with pomp and pageantry.

The Vasanta Mantapa, sandwiched between the main deity and the Kalyani (sacred temple tank) was contributed by the Hoysala’s and is the venue for the wedding of Shiva and Parvathi performed annually on Maha Shivarathri. On the whole, it certainly is a must visit temple…for the stories that it tells us; handed from the previous generation to its next, keeping the core intact.