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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Nageshvara Temple
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Hindu temple
| image_skyline = Naganatheshvara Temple (9th century) at Begur, Bengaluru.JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Historical Naganatheshwara temple at Begur
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Bangalore Urban]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
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| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
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| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
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}}
The '''Nageshvara temple''' complex (also spelt ''Nagesvara'' and called '''Naganatheshvara''' locally) is located in [[Begur, Bangalore|Begur]], a small town within the [[Bangalore urban district]] of Karnataka state, India. From inscriptions, it is known that Begur was once called Veppur, and Kelele (in Western Ganga King [[Durvinita]]'s Mollahalli grant inscription of 580-625 C.E.). Two shrines within the temple complex, the Nageshvara and Nageshvarasvami were commissioned during the rule of [[Western Ganga Dynasty]] Kings Nitimarga I (also called Ereganga Neetimarga, r. 843-870) and Ereyappa Nitimarga II (also called Ereganga Neetimarga II, r. 907-921). The remaining shrines are considered a later day legacy of the rule of the [[Chola Dynasty]] over the region.<ref name="grant">Sarma (1992), p.78</ref> An [[Old Kannada]] inscription, dated c. 890, that describes a "[[Bengaluru]] war" (modern [[Bangalore]] city) was discovered in this temple complex by the epigraphist R. Narasimhachar. The inscription is recorded in "Epigraphia Carnatica" (Vol 10 supplementary). This is the earliest evidence of the existence of a place called Bengaluru.<ref name=TheHinduinscription>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/08/20/stories/2004082016400300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040912144705/http://www.hindu.com/2004/08/20/stories/2004082016400300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 September 2004|title=Inscription reveals Bangalore is over 1,000 years old|date= 20 August 2004|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref>

==Temple plan==
[[File:Profile of Nandi mantapa in Naganatheshvara temple at Begur.JPG|thumb|left|Nandi mantapa in Nageshvara temple, Begur]]
[[File:Hero stone in the Naganatheshvara temple at Begur.JPG|thumb|right|Hero stone (''Virgal'') at Nageshvara temple, Begur]]
The Nageshvara temple has a simple square sanctum (''[[garbhagriha]]''), a [[vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]] (''antarala'') that connects the sanctum to a "great closed hall" (''maha-[[mantapa]]'' or ''navaragna'') which leads to an open hall (''agra-mantapa''). The entrance to the open hall is via [[balustrade]]d steps in the south-west and north-west corners.<ref name="nagesh">Sarma (1992), p.79</ref> The open hall has six unequally spaced pillars, with an image of [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] (vehicle or ''vahana'' of the god [[Shiva]]) placed on a "lotus platform" (''padma-pitha'') in the outer bay (compartment formed between four pillars). The white granite pillars are simple in design; with a square base (''pitha''), plain lower part and fluted octagonal in the centre. Many parts of the temple, including the open and closed halls appear to have been subjected to renovation in later periods. The sanctum has a ''[[linga]]'', the universal symbol of the god Shiva.<ref name="nagesh"/>

The ceiling in the closed hall (''navaranga'') has the characteristic Western Ganga artistic touch, the eight panel sculptures in a square grids (called the ''[[Guardians of the directions|ashta-dik-palaka]]'') which includes an image of four handed ''Uma-Maheshvara'' (the god Shiva with his consort [[Parvati]]). The ceiling of the open hall also has the grid sculptures with an seated image of Shiva and Parvati in the centre. Other sculptures kept in the hall include [[Mahishasuramardini]] (a form of the goddess [[Durga]]), a unique two handed [[Ganesh]], and ''Kalabhairava'' (a form of Shiva). The vertical doorjamb (''sakha'') have the typical carvings of creepers with ''[[gana]]s'' (attendants of the god Shiva from Hindu Mythology) in loops with lotuses (''padma'') at the terminations. On top of the doorjamb, at the centre of the [[lintel]] (''lalata''), is an image of ''Gajalakshmi'' (a form of the goddess [[Lakshmi]]) with elephants on either side.<ref name="nagesh"/>

The Nageshvarasvami temple, also a Western Ganga construction, faces east, has a square plan for the sanctum, a vestibule, an open hall, a detached hall called ''mukha-mantapa'' whose ceiling is supported by eight pillars. An image of [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] is placed in the ''mukha-mantap'' making it serve the purpose of a ''Nandi-mantapa'' (Nandi hall). The base of the entrance (''dvara'') is flanked by niches with images of [[Ganga]]-[[Yamuna]] figures with attendant ladies. This appears to be a [[Chalukya Dynasty|Chalukya]]-[[Rashtrakuta dynasty|Rashtrakuta]] influence.<ref name="ganga">Sarma (1992), p.83</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="150px" perrow="4">
File:Temple at Begur (c.1868),by Henry Dixon, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections.jpg|9th century temple at Begur (pic taken in c.1868), by Henry Dixon, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections<ref name=Dixon>{{cite book|last1=Dixon|first1=Henry|title=Archaeological Survey of India Collections|date=1868|url=http://arjunpuriinqatar.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/rare-photographs-of-bangalore-part-i.html|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref>
File:Nandi_mantapa_in_Nageshvara_temple,_Begur.jpg | Nandi mantapa in Nageshvara temple. The Nageshvara temple complex photo is located in Begur, a small town within the Bangalore urban district of Karnataka state, India.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{reflist|1}}

==References==
{{commons category}}
* {{cite book |last= Sarma|first= I.K.|title= Temples of the Gangas of Karnataka|orig-year=1992|year=1992|publisher= Archaeological Survey of India|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8}}
*{{cite web |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_karnataka_bangalore.asp|title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Karnataka -Bangalore, Bangalore Circle, Karnataka|work=Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India|publisher=Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts|access-date=15 July 2012}}

{{coord|12.87674|77.62671|display=title}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Bangalore Rural district]]
[[Category:9th-century Hindu temples]]

Nageshvara Temple, Begur - Revision history

->Sumanuil: Restored revision 1023335179 by Sct72 (talk): Unsourced, and that's a file name.