Sri Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha Kalyani Kshetra is a small temple located in front of the Gangamma temple and diagonally opposite to the Kadu Malleshwara temple in Malleswaram, heart of Bengaluru city. The temple is also known as Nandi Tirtha, Nandishwara teertha, Basava teertha or simply as Malleswaram Nandi gudi. The main deity of the temple is Shiva, in the form of a Shiva Linga.
In the year 1997, construction began on an empty land diagonally opposite to Kadu Malleshwara temple. The workers while excavating found a Bull (Nandi). The local residents informed this to Archaeological Survey of India who took the responsibility to excavate it further.
The ASI confirmed that the temple is around 400 years old using carbon dating method. The temple complex consisted of a Bull (Nandi) on top of Shiva Linga and a large pond (Kalyani) in front of it.
Mystery
When the ASI cleaned the mouth of Nandi (Bull), what they found was far from miracle. A small stream of water started pouring out continuously and when the land was cleared at the bottom, they found that the water fell on the Shiva linga and joined the Kalyani in the middle of the temple complex. The source of water from Nandi’s mouth is still a mystery although many people believe that it comes from an underground spring system. However no one has proved the source and mechanism of water flow till now thereby remaining mysterious.
The source of the water flowing out of the Nandi’s mouth is not known. It can be a natural fresh water spring that emerges from under the temple and channeled to flow out through the Nandi. Another view is that the water comes from the nearby Sankey Tank, which is located a few hundred meters away from the temple. Considering that the Sankey Tank was built in 1882; and the Nandi temple is significantly older, this view can be discounted. Whatever the source of the water, this temple is an example of the ancient hydraulic engineering.
The Temple
Nandishwara Teertha Shiva temple in 17th cross street Malleswaram, popularly known as Nandhi temple of Malleswaram was accidentally discovered in 1999 when some construction work was started. When the dug the ground, then entire structure along with the Siva Linga came out. Water flows out from the mouth of a Nandhi and falls on a Shiva Linga. This water is collected in a huge pond. The source of this spring has not yet been found. Live fish and tortoises can be seen in the temple pond.
There is no documented history available for the temple. Though it is mentioned as being up to 7000 years old, there is no historical evidence to substantiate the temple’s age. There is a mention that while excavating the temple, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) estimated it to be around 400 years old, based on Carbon Dating.
Since the Nandi Tirtha temple is essentially a ‘Kalyani’ or a Stepped Temple tank usually built near big temples, this structure is considered to be part of the Kadu Malleswara Shiva temple complex. Looking at the basic architectural design of the temple and the usage of rough-hewn stone pillars for the main structure, this temple can potentially pre-date the Kadu Malleswara temple. Similar rough stone pillars have been used in ancient temples such as the Chandira Choodeshwara Shiva temple at Hosur.
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