Ramayana and Mahabharatha are famous for the narration of Indian culture (Samskrithi). There are very few who have not heard about these two great epics. The different events of the epic are painted or sculpted on stone for the layman to understand. These sculptures and paintings are seen in most of the temples in India and is very much a part of Indian culture. Patiently carved on temple walls, pillars and towers (gopuram), the sculptures narrate stories endlessly.
In the famous Nanjanagud temple a series of beautifully carved ancient Shiva statues are installed narrating incidents revolving around Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is known by different names like Ishwara, Maheshwara, Shankara, Neelakanta, Sreekanta, Gowrisha, Umesha, Nataraja, Mallikarjuna, Somanatha, Mahakala, Mamaleswara, Vaidyanatha, Bheemashankara, Rameshwara, Nagabhushana, Chandrakantha, and so on. It is unfortunate that the statues are not maintained well and none of the devotees or tourists has the patience to admire the statues and understand the story behind each of these statues.
I got an opportunity to take pictures of Lord Shiva Statues in Nanjanagud Temple and will be posting each one of them along with the story associated with the depiction. Please reserve 30 minutes to look at the statues the next time you visit the Nanjundeshwara temple at Nanjangud.
Following are some of the statues:
Kiratha Arjuna – Shabara Shankara
Manmatha or Kama – the god of love
Ardhanareeshwara – Dual form of Shiva
Place Statistics:
Type of place: Pilgrim town
Situated: Karnataka
Distance: 23 km from Mysore, 163 km from Bangalore
Transport: Well connected by road and rail
Facilities: Small hotels and restaurants are available. Rest rooms are available for pilgrims.
