27th
January 2019.
This Bhuvanesvara
Temple is on the next street of Sri Saumyakesava Swamy Temple. The existing
temple details do not match the details written in the books.
Presiding Deity :
Sri Bhuvanesvara
Some of the
important details are…
The temple faces east with a Garuda gamba/thoon. The temple is a very ordinary temple
structure built of soapstone with additions of granite in the latter period. It was built with a simple
plinth of several moldings except the two top moldings rest are all hidden under the ground due to the increase of road level. The uppermost molding has the decoration details. The
wall surface is also simple. It has regularly placed pilasters and in between
the pilasters are found carved flowers.
Kapota is yet another decorated molding indicating that originally there was a Kadamba
Nagara Vimana / Sikara above the sanctum. But unfortunately, the upper part of
the kapota is reconstructed with brick and mortar. The ardha mandapa /navaranga mandapa is a later structure of the granite.
The ceiling just in front of the doorway of the Sukhanasi has the
representation of Ashtadikpalakas surrounding Siva, all carved
in low relief.
There are few
sculptures kept inside the ardha mandapa / Navrang namely those of Brahma,
Vishnu, Nandi, Ganesa, Surya, and Mahishasuramardini which do not exhibit great
artistic quality.
INSCRIPTIONS
It is difficult to
fix the date of the Bhuvaneshwara temple as, we do not have any Hoysala
inscription referring to it by way of its construction, renovation, or gifts.
The earliest epigraphic reference to a Shiva temple at Nagamangala is dated
1511 CE when a ranga mandapa was added to the original temple. This was done
during the period of Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara dynasty. Another inscription
refers to this temple when some grants were made in 1549 CE. Renovation of the
same temple by some individuals in 1845 CE, including the gopura, vimana, and utsava murti is referred to in another inscription. Thus all epigraphic
references to this temple are a later date. However, a surmise can be made.
Nagamangala was made into an agrahara during the Hoyala period. Normally the
Hoysala Agraharas contain a Vishnu temple and a Shiva temple. As the above-mentioned Saumya Keshava temple is dedicated to Vishnu, the other Siva temple
could have been Bhuvaneshwara temple. In that case, the Bhubaneshwar temple could
have been built along with the Saumya Keshava temple.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The opening and
closing times are unpredictable. Try your best between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs.
HOW TO REACH:
The place Nagamangala is about 68 km from
Mysuru / Mysore and 45 km from Mandya.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
---OM SHIVAYA
NAMA---
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