Srikanteshwara Temple Nanjangud - Lord Shiva Temple

Nanjangud is a temple town on the banks of Kabini river. The Srikanteshwara Temple is dedicated to Nanjundeshwara (God who consumed poison), a form of Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, while the Gods and the demons churned the ocean for nectar of immortality, poison emanated first out of the ocean. To prevent the poison from spreading across the universe, Lord Shiva came to the rescue and drank it. That is how the Lord got this name and the shrine is described as one who cures diseases of his devotees. As one of the largest temple complexes in Karnataka, the initial construction was laid by the Cholas in the 10th century. The anterior hall in which the devotees sit was developed during the Hoysala period of the 13th Century AD.

The 9 storied tall main tower was built by queen of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III in 1849. The outer wall of the temple is 12 feet high. The temple has more than 100 images as statues dedicated to Lord Shiva and his various manifestations. According to popular belief, Tipu’s elephant got afflicted by an eye-ailment and no doctor was able to heal it. He was suggested to pray to this shrine and he was answered curing the ailment of the elephant. He gifted an emerald green lingam to the temple. The Maharajas of Mysore were the illustrious devotees of this temple. A distinctive feature of this shrine is that it has devotees from both Vaishnava and Saiva sects. Its location close to Mysore is an added advantage.