Nobody who’s grown up on a steady diet of Hindi films from the ’80s and ’90s can be completely immune to the romance of a temple wedding. A young runaway couple, an ancient pile of stone and exquisite sculpture, black clouds lowering in the sky, some vermilion to mark the bride as one’s own (blood will do), and a genial temple priest (actually even that’s not strictly on the list; in some cases the weddings are refreshingly DIY)…
Many young couples today are opting for exactly that – minus all the drama. They want to get married in a place that has more character and charm than a hotel ballroom can provide in a thousand years, and they are willing to brave a few logistical issues to get just such a wedding.
Take for instance the Bhoganandishwara temple. Situated on the foothills of Nandi Hills and at a very convenient distance of some 50-odd km from Bangalore, this ninth century temple is increasingly a niche wedding venue that remains a closely guarded secret among a few people. Bangaloreans who regularly drive down to Nandi Hills to get away from the city may have noticed a turn that marks the way to the temple, but few actually visit it.
The temple was built around 810AD, according to an ASI board on the premises. It has an unusual mixture of different architectural styles, including those used mainly during the Chola, Hoysala and Vijayanagara periods. Legend says the temple was commissioned by Queen Manikabbe, also known as Ratnavalli, who was the consort of the Bana King Vidhyadhara. There are three main shrines in the temple dedicated to the deities Bhoganandishwara, Arunachaleshwara and Umamaheshwara. Attached to the small shrine of Umamaheshwara is the kalyanamantapa, where most modern weddings are held. The temple is a ‘live’ one, which means besides being of considerable historic and architectural interest, it is used for actual worship.
The temple pond is a beautiful sunken structure surrounded by shallow steps that lead down to it. All around are gorgeous carved pillars, small shrines and covered awnings. There are plenty of open spaces within the temple to host a decent-sized wedding, but since there are no overnight stay options at the temple it has to be vacated by evening.
Contact: Sri Bhoganandishwara Swami Devalaya Nandigrama, Nandi Village, Chikkaballapur.
Trek and get married
The trend of choosing unusual and historic locations for weddings is catching on. Everyone wants a memorable, unusual wedding and a considerable number of people are rejecting the hotel ballroom or lawn kind of venues that are generic and have nothing unique to offer. In and around Bangalore, venues such as The Tamarind Tree, Temple Tree, Ganjam Mantapa and the Bhoganandishwara Temple are becoming more popular. Even though this temple can be considered out of the way, and doesn’t have much to offer in terms of modern conveniences, it is ideal for those who are willing to make that trek for a wedding venue that has so much beauty and character.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / City> Bangalore / Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / by Shrabonti Bagchi / January 15th, 2012