Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is a Hindu temple located at the foot of Nandi hill in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state. Sri Bhoga Nandeeshwara Gudi Temple is a hidden gem that offers a fascinating blend of history, culture and architectural beauty.
Bhoga Nandishwara Temple is about 62 km from Bangalore. It is about 08 km from Chikkaballapur city and 08 km from Chikkaballapur railway station.
The temple is perhaps the finest and the most ornate of the Dravidian temples in Karnataka. This is a twin temple built side by side. The north one is dedicated to Bhoganandishwara and the south shrine to Arunachaleshwara. Each consists of a garbhagriha, a sukanasi and a navaranga. They have two pierced windows opposite to each other in both the sukanasi and the navaranga. The four pillars of the navaranga of the Bhoganandishwara shrine are carved with fine small figures on the all the sides. The ceiling over them, about 7 feet square has, astadikpalakas with Shiva and Parvati in the central panel. In front of the navaranga entrance is the nandi mantapa. The outer walls of the north and south shrines have pilasters, turrets and pierced windows with a few figures here and there. The base has a frieze of elephants, yaalis and lions intercepted with each other. Both the shrines have fine sikharas built of stone which are mostly similar in design.
Between the two shrines is a small intervening shrine dedicated to Umamaheshwara. In front of this is a Kalyanamantapa built of black stone very interestingly carved with creepers and birds. The temple is known for the sculpture of Herambha Ganapati, kept in the navaranga of Bhoganandishwara shrine. The prakara has two Devi shrines, Vasanta mantapa, Tulabharamantapa and a square stepped Shringi Thirtha pond. There is a Kalyana mantapa and a huge stepped tank in the north, enclosed by a cloister wall. The prakara has. two mahadwaras. The whole are measure 370 x 250 feet. Contain copper plates found at Chikkaballapur states that the temple was built by Ratnavali consort of the Bana King Bana Vidhyadhara and records a grant to it in A.D. 810.
