Srikanteshwara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mysuru Airport is the nearest airport, 14.5 km away.

• By train

  Nanjungud is the nearest railway station.

• By road

  The sub-urban bus stand is 24 km away.

Book and check

Official pages only. We do not sell darshan passes or tours.

• Temple timings and how to reach (district site)mysore.nic.in

Why devotees come here

Srikanteshwara Temple is a Shiva temple in Nanjangud, a town known as Dakshina Kashi, the Kashi of the South. It is about 27 km from Mysuru. Its name recalls a legend of Shiva drinking poison.

Nanjangud is known as Dakshina Kashi, the Kashi of the South. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, also called Srikanteshwara or Nanjundeshwara. The name is said to mean the one who drank the poison. Sage Gauthama is said to have installed a linga here, and Hyder Ali Khan had strong faith in Nanjunda.

The origins of the temple go back to the Ganga dynasty. The Cholas, Hoysalas and Wodeyars of Mysore later added to it. The sanctum was built in the Chola period, around the 11th century. A stone Nandi about eight feet tall was installed in 1644 by Dalavayi Vikramaraya. The gopuram, or gateway tower, is 120 feet tall and was built in 1845 by Devarajammanni, wife of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III.

The temple is crowned by seven gold-plated kalashas, each about three metres tall. It is 163 km from Bengaluru and stands on the right bank of the Kapila River, also called the Kabini, a tributary of the Kaveri. The Dodda Jaathre fair draws thousands of devotees.

Festivals

• Twice every yearChariot festival

  Pujas are offered to five idols in separate chariots, including Nanjundeshwara and Parvathi. The main chariot, the Gauthama Ratha, is reckoned to be nearly 100 feet tall.

Tips for your visit

• The Parasurama Temple is near the Nanjundeshwara Temple.
• The car festival draws devotees from Mysuru, nearby districts and other parts of the state.

Questions people ask