Mysore

Shiva temples in Mysore

शिव

Mysore belongs to the goddess Chamundeshwari, yet on her own hill the oldest shrine is Shiva's. The two great Shiva temples of the region stand on rivers outside the city: Nanjangud on the Kapila, about 25 km south, and Talakadu on the Kaveri, about 45 km southeast. All three are working temples; Mahabaleshwara and Nanjangud charge no entry fee.

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Shiva

The destroyer and transformer, the great yogi. In the sanctum he is usually worshipped as a lingam rather than a statue.

Mahabaleshwara Temple, Chamundi Hill

Srikanteshwara Temple, NanjangudDetails →

TalakaduDetails →

Mysore in the app Open

Three temples and how they differ

Mahabaleshwara, Chamundi Hill: thirty seconds from the queue

Almost everyone on Chamundi Hill heads for the goddess and walks straight past a small shrine a few steps behind the main square. The Chamundeshwari temple's own site calls Mahabaleshwara the oldest temple on the hill; inscriptions date it to around 950 CE, and the hill was known as Mahabaladri after it before the goddess made it famous. The dravida (South Indian) core is intact. No ticket, shoes off at the door, usually nobody about.

Srikanteshwara, Nanjangud: the Kashi of the South

Nanjangud is the big pilgrimage temple, honoured as Dakshina Kashi, the Varanasi of the South. Shiva is worshipped here as Nanjundeshwara, who in the legend of the churning of the ocean drank the halahala poison. The complex grew over a thousand years, from the Cholas' 11th-century sanctum to the 120-foot gopuram (gateway tower) built in 1845. Open 6:00–13:00 and 16:00–20:30, according to the state Muzrai Department.

Talakadu: temples in the sand

At Talakadu drifting dunes have buried more than thirty temples on a bend of the Kaveri. Legend blames a queen's curse; Wikipedia ties it to the river changing course and the sand spreading over its banks. What has been dug out is led by the Chola-era Vaidyanatheshwara, one of the five Shiva shrines of the Panchalinga circuit, with walkways across the sand between them. There are no checked timings.

How to fit them into a trip

Mahabaleshwara goes with any visit to the Chamundeshwari temple, about 13 km from the city: look behind the main square on your way out.

Nanjangud fits into a morning. It is about 25 km from Mysuru, according to the Muzrai Department, roughly 45 minutes by road. Leave early, have darshan (sight of the deity) before the temple closes at 13:00, and be back for lunch.

Talakadu is a day trip, about 1.5 hours each way. Karnataka Tourism recommends October to February. Bring water and a hat.

Shiva's festivals around Mysore

Maha Shivaratri (the great night of Shiva) falls on 6 March 2027. At Nanjangud it brings enormous crowds and long waits, and so do the days of the Dodda Jatre, the great chariot festival, when five decorated chariots are pulled along the temple street by devotees.

Panchalinga Darshana at Talakadu is the rarest festival in the region: all five Shiva shrines are worshipped together when the new-moon Monday of the month of Karthika falls on the Vishakha star. It is often called a once-in-twelve-years event, but recent ones came in 2009, 2013 and December 2020; check the next date nearer the time.

For Shivaratri across India, see Maha Shivaratri.

✅ Before you go in

Shoes off — At the door at Mahabaleshwara and Nanjangud, and at each shrine at Talakadu.
Midday closing — Nanjangud is closed from 13:00 to 16:00. Plan the drive either side of it.
Modest dress — No official dress code is published for these temples; covered shoulders and knees are the usual courtesy at a working shrine.
Entry — No entry fee at Mahabaleshwara or Nanjangud. There are no checked fee details for Talakadu.

Other temples around Mysore

For the goddess on Chamundi Hill, the temples inside the palace fort and the Vishnu and Krishna temples within a day's drive, see temples in Mysore.

❓ FAQ

Which is the oldest Shiva temple in Mysore?

Mahabaleshwara on Chamundi Hill, dated by inscriptions to around 950 CE. The Chamundeshwari temple's site calls it the oldest temple on the hill.

What are the Nanjangud temple timings?

6:00–13:00 and 16:00–20:30, according to the Karnataka Muzrai Department. It is closed in between.

How far is Nanjangud from Mysore?

About 25 km, roughly 45 minutes by road.

Why is Nanjangud called Dakshina Kashi?

It is one of the most revered Shiva pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, so the town is honoured as the Kashi (Varanasi) of the South.

When is Maha Shivaratri in 2027?

On 6 March 2027. Nanjangud is at its most crowded that day.

Sources (7)