Kiran Naik

Tuesday is a usual hectic day every week. Its the day of real working day. Monday will be gone in setlling down in office. Hectic work starts from Tuesday. I am fortunate this week to have off on Tuesday and visit Nanjagud Najudeshwara near Mysore. Nanjudeshwara temple is situated at 25 kms from Mysore and considered as one of the oldest temples in India. It is near to the banks of Kapila (Kabini) River.

The Nanjundeshwara temple, Nanjangud is one of the biggest temples in Karnataka and built in Dravidian style. Holy Shiva Linga is installed by great sage Gauthama Maharshi who had come and stayed here for some time. Its belived that This Linga was also worshiped by Parashurama when he had stayed for some time in this town on his journey to get cleansed from the sin of beheading his mother.

The main entrance dwara is facing east. Tall Gopura (tower) is 120 feet high and a beauty to watch. All along the sides, we find all the different rupas of Shiva. It is said that Gopura is largest gopura in Karnataka. It has seven gold plated Kalasas on the top of the Gopura. Lord Nanjundeshwara, Goddess Parvathi (wife of Lord Shiva) and Lord Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi are main deities of the Nanjudeshawara temple. The other deities in the temple are Ganesh, Subramanya, Goddess Sharadamba , Chandikeshwara, Navagraha, and Nandi (Bull). There are sixty six Idols of shaiva saints called as Nayamnars. There are more than 100 lingas in the temple which are of different kinds and sizes of which Sahasra Linga is not to be missed. The Srikanteshwara (Nanjundeshwara) Linga is the oldest one.

We plan to leave at 5.30 AM to avoid Bangalore traffic. Planned members:8. We managed to leave at 7.30 AM and final members are 4. 50% is good compared to Bangalore life and 7.30 AM is great as we finally started to moive on to Nanjangud. I am happy that we left not so late and avoided all the morning traffic.

Route taken: Banashankari, Katriguppe, Food World, PES Collegeue (Along the ring road). Reached Mysore road junction towards State Highway 17 which goes to Mysore and then onwards to Nanjangud.
The total distance from Bangalore to Nanjangud is around 150 km. 25 kms from Mysore.
You might get little confused about how to go from Mysore to nanjangud. Thanks to Mysorians for guiding us the rooute. Its comes on the way to Ooty.

More Info can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjangud
Uploaded Nanajangud photoes at http://picasaweb.google.co.in/kiransnaik/Nanjangud?feat=directlink

Kanteshwara darshan went very well and I feel I am blessed by the Great Shiva and one cannot restrain without chanting Om Namha Shivay…Om Namha Shivay…Om Namha Shivay.