Sri Panchalingeshwara Temple / Sri Pancha Lingeswarar Temple / Sri Nageshvara Temple / Sri Naganatheshvara Temple, , Begur, Karnataka. – A BENGALURU AND KOLAR HERITAGE VISIT.

21^st August 2018.

This two-day trip was planned to visit Temples in the Western Ganga and Nulamba regions, which were once under the control of the Chozha Dynasty. Our first visit was to the Panchalingeshwara Temple, at Begur, a southern part of Bangalore. The temple complex consists of 5 Shiva Linga Temples and Parvathi Sannadhi.

Moolavar : 1. Sri Nageswara Swamy 

                2. Sri Kali Kamateshwara Swamy 

                3. Sri Nagareswara Swamy 

                4. Sri Chozheshwara Swamy 

                5. Sri Karneswara Swamy.

Consort :      Sri Parvati

Some of the important details are…

The temple faces east with a recently built 5-tier Rajagopuram. In addition to the east, there are 3 more Rajagopuras in the other three directions with a 10-foot-high compound wall under construction at an estimated cost of Rs 7 to 8 crores.

Sri Nageswara Swamy Temple... This is the main temple in the temple complex. In the sanctum Shiva Linga. Moorthys of Ganesha, Bairava, Vishnu, Suryan, Chandran, Saptamatrikas, Kasi Viswanathar, Subramaniyar, and Samundeeswari are in the mandapam. The mandapa ceilings have the bas-reliefs of Uma Maheswari and Ashtathik Balakas. Urchava murtis are kept in the ardha mandapa. Sri Parvati is in a separate sannadhi and Navagraha is near to it. At the entrance of the sanctum a Ganesha with 2 hands believed to be the oldest Ganesha found in South India. This temple was constructed by  Western Ganga King Nitimarga-I and Erayappa Nittimarga –II, in the 8^th Century AD. The sanctum Vimana was built with stone.

Sri Nagareshwara Swamy Temple…built like a separate temple. The moolavar and Rishabam are big. Rishabam is in the Mukha mandapa. A Suryan sannadhi is in front of the temple.  In the Ardha mandapa sannidhis for Ramalinga, Chamundeeswari, Bairava and Vinayagar. This temple was constructed by  Western Ganga King Nitimarga-I and Erayappa Nittimarga –II, in the 8^th Century AD. The sanctum Vimana was built with stone.

Sri Kali Kamteeshvara Swamy Temple…Goddess Kali is in a separate sannadhi and a Shiva Linga with Shiva’s face. Rishabam is facing the goddess. A stone sthamba is in front of the temple. This temple was built by the Gangas and later renovated by the Vijayanagara Kings. The sanctum Vimanam was built with stone.

Sri Karaneeshwara Temple… This is a small temple without any Vimana. The Moolavar Shiva Linga is small. A Rishabam is in front. The sanctum Vimana was built with stone.

Sri Chozheeshwara Temple…This temple is also facing east with a Rishabam. There are no other idols other than Shiva Linga.  The temple was believed to be constructed by Chozhas, hence the moolavar bears the name Chozheshwara.

 Sri Chozheshwara Temple with Nagara Vimanam

In the outer prakara a 30-foot stone sthamba, Dwajasthambam, and balipeedam are after the entrance of the east side of Rajagopuram. Kulothunga Chozha and his wife’s inscriptions are behind the Rishaba sthamba. Hero stones and inscription stones are also found. An 890 CE inscription stone mentions the name of Bengaluru. This inscription stone with the other two inscription stones is erected near the south side of Rajagopuram. The details of the hero stones will be written in a separate post.

The temple Complex has the Contributions of the Gangas, Chozhas, and Vijayanagara Dynasty. The Dravidian architecture temples existed before 1100 years, but the City was founded by Kempegowda only about 500 years before.  It was a Jain settlement once.

HOW TO REACH:

8.3 KM from central and 18.6 KM from Bengaluru / Bangalore Railway station

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 Sri Chozheshwara Temple

Sri Chozheshwara Temple

 Sri Chozheshwara Temple- Pillar

 The earliest Vinayagar of 8^th century with 2 hands

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---