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Bhoga Nandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara) Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Nandi village, near Nandi Hills or Nandidurg , Kolar district (near Chikkaballapur district), Karnataka, and is devoted to the Lord Shiva (Bhoha Nandeeshwara).

Temple pond (Kalyani) outside the temple. It's Much smaller compared to Shringi Theertha (large indoor water pond).

The original temple, recognized as one of the oldest temples of Karnataka, dates back to the 9th century A.D. and was afterward renovated consecutively as in the Dravidian style of construction. It is located at a distance of 54 km from Bangalore and at the bottom of Nandi Hills.

Entrance to the main temple, Bhoganandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

Bhoganandishwara Temple Structure

The temple was initially constructed during the 9th century AD by Bana Queen Ratnavali, in the Dravidian style of construction. The main temple was renovated repeatedly throughout the consecutive five dynasties under Chola, Hoysala, Pallava and Vijayanagara kings. This big temple houses three temples within the temple complex, viz., Arunachaleswara, Uma Maheshwara and Bhoga Nandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara).

Huge stone wheels outside the entrance of the main temple.

The other portion of the temple houses a large indoor water pond, called Sringeri Teertha and has rock cut steps on which many lamps are lit by the side of the tank on certain festive days like Deepavali. This pond is believed to be a source of Pinakini River. Inside the temple, certain stone carvings are also depicted.

Temple premises (Outside the main temple entrance) bordered by numerous small stone housings. Bhoga Nandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

Bhoganandishwara Temple History

Inscriptions of the Nolamba ruler Nolambadiraja and the Rashtrakuta king Govinda III (A.D. 806) and copper plates of the Bana ruler, Jayateja and Dattiya (A.D. 810) refer to the construction and grants to the Siva temple at Nandi. Nandi formed part of the Bana-Nolamba territory during fourth to tenth centuries A.D. Epigraphs indicate that it was under the rule of chola followed by Hoysala and Vijayanagara.

Mahanavami Dibba – Place for Mahanavami celebrations.

However, the foundation of the present village is attributed to one Baire-Gouda of Avati in the late medieval times. The chieftains of Chikaballapur, Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan held sway over the area. A regiment of the British military was stationed from A.D. 1799 to 1808 between Nandi and Sultanpet.

Stone curving at the entrance of the main temple - Bhoga Nandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

The Bhoganandisvara temple is architecturally one of the most important specimens of Dravidian order datable to circa ninth to fifteenth century A.D. Enclosed in its own prakara measuring 112.8m x 76.2m with double mahadvara, this complex consists of twin temples dedicated to Siva as Bhoganandisvara (north) and Arunachalesvara (south). Between the two is a small intervening shrine.

Temple premises (Inside the main temple campus).

Each temple consists of a garbhagriha, a sukanasi and a navaranga. Both sukanasi and navaranga are provided with sculptured jalis. Both temples have individual nandimandapas in front. In between the two shrines is a kalyanamandapa built of black stone intricately carved with creepers and birds, even excelling the meticulously worked Hoysala specimens. The prakara has two Devi shrines and other related structures like vasantamandapa tulabharamandapa and a square stepped tank.

Temple premises (Inside the main temple campus).Bhoga Nandeeshwara.

The Arunachaleshwara Temple

The Arunachaleshwara temple is built by the Ganga dynasty. The Arunachaleshwara temple has a only one of its kind of Lord Ganesha called Simha Ganapathi (Ugra Ganapathi). There is a Nandi idol made of granite in front of this temple.

Stone Pillers - Bhoga Nandeeshwara (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

Uma Maheshwara Temple

Uma Maheshwara Temple built by the Hoysala dynasty. Uma Maheshwara Temple is dedicated to Uma and Maheshwara. The Kalyana Mandapa is bounded by four stone curved pillars each of which have a divine couple curved on them – Shiva and Parvati, Brahma and Saraswathi, Vishnu and Lakshmi and Agni Deva and Swaha Devi. The pillars and walls are covered with complex carvings of Hoysala style.

Stone made umbrella for lord Bhoga Nandeeshwara.

The Bhoga Nandeeshwara

The main temple is the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temle has a royal Shiva Linga in the Sanctum. This temple is believed to have been created by the Cholas. There is a figure of a Chola King in this temple. The figure is believed to be of Rajendra Chola Chola dynasty.

Stone Pillers with beautiful curving - Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple.

The pillars are covered in beautiful carvings. The Nandi Idol in front of the Sanctum in this temple is gorgeous and more attractive than the Nandi in front of the Arunachaleshwara Temple. There is one Kalyana Mandapa and one Tulabhara Mandapa built by the Vijayanagara kings.

Beautiful stone curving on the outer wall of Garbhagriha (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

Shringi Theertha is the temple pond (Kalyani). This pond (Kalyani) has rock cut steps going down to it on all four sides, on which 100,000 lamps are lit thrice a year on main festival days like Deepavali. . It is enclosed on all four sides by a pathway and a running mandapa.

Beautiful stone curving on the outer wall of Garbhagriha (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

Legend has it that this pond (Kalyani) was built by the divine Bull Nandi with his horn into the ground to draw out water from the divine Ganga. This pond (Kalyani) is believed to be the starting place of the Dakshina Pinakini or South Pennar River.  Pinakini means `bow shaped' and Shiva himself is `Pinaki ‘ – one who wields `Pinaka' (the mighty bow).

Beautiful stone curving on the outer wall of Garbhagriha (Bhoganandishwara) Temple.

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