VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Yoga Nandeeshwara Swamy Temple, Nandhi Hills, Bengaluru / Bangalore, Karnataka.

Friday, 31 August 2018

Sri Yoga Nandeeshwara Swamy Temple, Nandhi Hills, Bengaluru / Bangalore, Karnataka.

21^st August 2018.

This temple’s visit was a part of the Bangalore & Kolar Heritage Visit. The following are the places to visit in the Nandhi Hills. Sri Yoga Nandeeshwara Swamy temple, Tippu Summer House, Amrutha Sarovar, Basara mandapa, Andhra ganga, Arkavathi River origin point, Tippu drop, Sri Gavi Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, Nallikayi Basavanna, Brahma Ashram, Palar River origin point and Horse steps. Part of these structures is constructed within the fort, built during the Vijayanagara period.

Moolavar : Sri Yoganandheshwara

Consort : Sri Parvati

Some of the salient features of the temple are...

The temple faces east with an entrance mandapa. Two stone stambhas and a balipeedam are after the entrance mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum walls have reliefs. 2 tier Rajagopuram is on the South side. Both Yoga Nandeeshwara and his consort are facing the east direction in separate temples with an interconnecting mandapa. The Mandapa pillars have the relief of Shiva's various forms. Brass dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the main sanctum.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of snactum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctirum is ona simple pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilasters. The prastram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. The single-tier Nagara vimanam is on the prastaram / bhumi desam. Both vimanam above Moolavar and his consort are built in the Dravidian style of architecture.

Lord Veerbhadra is the form of the Shiva Linga situated in the centre. The shrine dedicated to Goddess Parvati is on the right Side. Gajasuramandana, Lingodbhava Murthy, and a meditating Vishnu dancing Ganapati are depicted. in bas relief on the temple's four black pillars. "Doddamhanadoni, a water tank adore the temple premises.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Yoganandeeswara Temple, a Dravidian structure, was built in the 11th century by the Cholas. The tales of Shivaji's son Shambhaji reclaiming the Nandi Hills from the Mughals are chronicled in a Nagari inscription on the temple's exterior wall.

Even though it was claimed that the temple was built by the Chozhas (with a Bana period foundation), the present sanctum and the mandapam seem to be built by the Ganga dynasty, during the 13th to 14th century or even the Maratha period. The outer wall has the Marathi inscriptions, belonging to Sambhaji (Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son).

Ref:

Display board at the temple