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Nageshvara Temple, Begur: history, inscriptions and how to visit
The Nageshvara temple complex in Begur, south Bengaluru, goes back to the Western Ganga kings of the 9th and 10th centuries and is still in daily worship. Entry is free and shoes come off. No official darshan timetable is published, so the card above has no hours; the temple is in a residential area, a short detour off Hosur Road.
A Western Ganga temple compound of the 9th and 10th centuries: weathered granite shrines and carved pillars still in daily use in an ordinary south Bengaluru neighbourhood. Among the hero stones set around them is one inscribed in Old Kannada around 890 CE, recording a Bengaluru war. It is the earliest known written appearance of the city's name, six hundred years before Kempegowda founded the modern town. Free entry, shoes off, and almost never busy. A short detour off Hosur Road.
The stone on which the name Bengaluru was written down for the first time, 1,100 years ago
History: the stone with the first "Bengaluru"
Two shrines in the complex were commissioned under the Western Ganga kings Ereganga Nitimarga I (843–870) and Ereyappa Nitimarga II (907–921). The other shrines are later additions from the Chola, Hoysala and Vijayanagara periods.
Among the hero stones here is an Old Kannada inscription of about 890 CE that mentions a "Bengaluru war". The epigraphist R. Narasimhachar recorded it in Epigraphia Carnatica, and it is the earliest known written use of the name Bengaluru, centuries before Kempegowda founded the modern town.
What to see
The two Western Ganga shrines are the oldest part. Look up at the ceilings and at the doorways.
Nageshvara shrine
A square sanctum with a Shiva linga, a closed hall and an open hall on six plain, unequally spaced white granite pillars, with Nandi on a lotus platform. The closed-hall ceiling is divided into eight panels of the guardians of the directions, including a four-armed Uma-Maheshvara.
Sculptures in the hall
Mahishasuramardini (a form of Durga), an unusual two-armed Ganesha and Kalabhairava. Above the door, Gajalakshmi between two elephants.
Nageshvarasvami shrine
Faces east, with a separate eight-pillared hall for Nandi. River goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the base of the entrance.
Hero stones
Memorial stones set around the shrines, including the c. 890 inscription with the name Bengaluru.
✅ Visiting: what to know
- Entry: free.
- Shoes: off before you enter the shrines.
- Timings: no official schedule is published, and the hours are not confirmed.
- Crowds: it is rarely busy, which makes it easy to look at the carvings closely.
- Respect: the shrines are in use; keep to the side during puja.
❓ FAQ
What is the history of the Nageshwara Temple in Begur?
Two of its shrines were built under the Western Ganga kings in the 9th and early 10th centuries; later dynasties added the rest. An inscription here from about 890 CE is the earliest known mention of Bengaluru.
Is there an entry fee?
No, entry is free. Shoes come off before the shrines.
What are the Nageshvara temple timings?
No official timetable is published, and the hours are not confirmed by any official source.
Which god is worshipped at the Begur temple?
Shiva, as Nageshvara, worshipped in the form of a linga.