A thousand years of faith and ritual. Nanjangud Srikanteshwara Temple Fair in Karnataka is one of the best temple fairs in the world. It is the "Kashi of the South" (Dakshina Kashi) temple, a celebration of every century dedicated to Hinduism that draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. The annual fair is a heartening manifestation of dedication, culture, and tradition within the traditional temple setting of the Kapila (Kabini) River.
The Srikanteshwara Temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Karnataka. Many dynasties, including the Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and Wodeyars, constructed and extended it. The presiding deity Nanjundeshwara, which means “the one who drank poison,” according to the Samudra Manthan legend, is in the temple. It is also believed to have purifying powers since we take a holy dip in the Kapila River and the darshan (Papa Vinashini).
According to legend, Sage Parashurama did penance here to make up for his sins. Even Tipu Sultan believed the deity to be healing his elephant himself. After he cured his elephant of the illness, he named this deity Hakim Nanjunda - the physician; it means physician (it’s the spirit of the temple and to be in service).
The most important part of the festival is the Pancha Maha Rathotsava - or five chariot procession. These five giant wooden chariots carrying idols of Nanjundeshwara (Shiva), Parvati, Ganesha, Subramanya, and Chandikeshwara are pulled by lakhs of followers across the street. The presence of these huge chariots in motion slowly moving under chanting, sound waves, and prayer gives the feel of total acceptance and unity to them.
From religious significance and other dimensions to cultural heritage and festivity, the fair is not only an event but also a cultural one. It brings in local people from all over Karnataka to the region and local festivals. There, traditional rituals, music, and solidarity have been the focal feature of an exhibition of cultural tradition that transcends religion. The fair gives people contact with each other and is a culture that’s close to us: old culture still in and of this period.
The Nanjangud Srikanteshwara Temple Fair is more than that - it’s a celebration and not just a festival. The fair, from its thousand-year legacy to the legend (the stories behind it, the chariots, that big) and so much more in it, keeps giving one reverence to it. It is evidence of Karnataka’s great cultural and social tradition and the great power of faith.
