We read somewhere about the the growing Nandi (bullock statue) of Yaganti. Initially the cynic in us thought it must be another legend to draw devotees. When cross-verified the Archaeological Survey of India confirmed this saying the idol grows by an inch every 20 years. So, we decided to pay a visit and check for ourselves.
Route: Anantapura-Pamidi-Gooty-Vengalam Palle-Jaladurgam-Yaganti (125 KM)
After Vengalam Palle the road turned from bad to worse. The last 50 kilometers stretch was hectic, strenuous, and bumpy. We were almost near the temple when a person stopped us informing the temple is going to be closed at 1 p.m. We looked at the clock and it was 12. After parking the vehicle we hurried first to see the famed Nandi. A huge crowd was gathered around it, trying to take selfie with the star. There was a notice attached saying no-selfie. There were two dedicated priests to stop people from doing so. They were rude and pushy, not an ideal candidates to be priests. You maybe wondering if we were the part of selfie-crowd. No, we mostly try to follow rules even though we don't agree on restriction of photography in any historic monument, Yaganti being one such.
The idol of Nandi indeed looked like it has grown haphazardly or growing. According to an expert from Mines and Geology department "stones grow due to chemical reactions, particularly this rock has silica substances and iron particles". When a mineral is converted to other granules of Silica, it expands. At present the idol's height is 5 feet and width is 15 feet.
We overheard a gentleman explaining hundred years ago there was free area around the Nandi to do pradakshina (rounds) that is not the case now. There was a saint named Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra in the 16th century who wrote Kalagnanam, a Telugu book on prophecy. In that he predicts Yaganti Nandi will come alive and shout when Kali Yuga ends.
Legend has it Sage Agastya hoped to construct a Vishnu temple on this premises. However, toe nail of the idol got broken once it was chiseled to perfection. Installing a deformed idol in a temple is barred as it is considered inauspicious. The sage was very agitated to know about this and he wanted to find a solution. He did an absolution to Lord Shiva. Pleased with Agastya's penance Shiva appeared. Hearing about sage's dilemma, Lord Shiva suggested Yaganti suits better for Shiva as it resembles Kailasha parvatha. Then Agasthya appealed to Lord Shiva to be present with Goddess Parvathi as Uma Maheshwara in a single stone, which Shiva obliged. From then onward Yaganti temple is abode to Lord Shiva and Parvathi in Ardhanareeshwara form. Here Lord Shiva is worshiped in idol form rather than the usual Linga form that we see in most of the Shiva temples. We were curious to know why Agasthya had penanced to Lord Shiva when he wanted to build a temple of Lord Vishnu? Should not he worshiped Vishnu to find the solution for his problem?
Another folklore is that Chitteppa, a local of Yaganti was praying to Shiva and the simpleton Shiva showed up in the form of a tiger. Realizing that it is Lord Shiva, Chitteppa screamed with joy 'Neganti Shivanu ne kanti in Telugu (I saw Shiva I saw). It is easy to deduce how Neganti went on to become Yaganti.
The early existence of temple dates back to 5th century. It flourished under different dynasties from Pallavas to Cholas to Chalukyas to Vijayangara. Harihara Raya and Bukka Raya (known as Hakka-Bukka) of Vijayanagar empire contributed immensely to the development of this temple. Though the entry to temple is free the authorities were collecting 10 INR from devotees, which was ridiculous. Since the photography was prohibited inside the temple, our entry and exit to temple was quick.
Tips:
Temple visiting Hours: 6 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 8 pm
Entry: Free (Though collecting 10 INR at the entrance)
Car Parking: 20
(To be Continued in Caves and Pushkarini, Yaganti)
