The Nageshvara temple complex is located in Begur, a small town within the Bangalore urban district of Karnataka state, India. From inscriptions, it is known that Begur was once called Veppur, and Kelele. Two shrines within the temple complex, the Nageshvara and Nageshvarasvami were commissioned during the rule of Western Ganga Dynasty Kings Nitimarga I and Ereyappa Nitimarga II. The remaining shrines are considered a later day legacy of the rule of the Chola Dynasty over the region. An Old Kannada inscription, dated c. 890, that describes a "Bengaluru war" was discovered in this temple complex by the epigraphist R. Narasimhachar. The inscription is recorded in "Epigraphia Carnatica". This is the earliest evidence of the existence of a place called Bengaluru.
The Nageshvara temple has a simple square sanctum, a vestibule that connects the sanctum to a "great closed hall" which leads to an open hall. The entrance to the open hall is via balustraded steps in the south-west and north-west corners. The open hall has six unequally spaced pillars, with an image ofNandi placed on a "lotus platform" in the outer bay. The white granite pillars are simple in design; with a square base, plain lower part and fluted octagonal in the centre. Many parts of the temple, including the open and closed halls appear to have been subjected to renovation in later periods. The sanctum has a linga, the universal symbol of the god Shiva. The ceiling in the closed hall has the characteristic Western Ganga artistic touch, the eight panel sculptures in a square grids which includes an image of four handed Uma-Maheshvara. The ceiling of the open hall also has the grid sculptures with an seated image of Shiva and Parvati in the centre. Other sculptrs kept in the hall include Mahishasuramardini, a uniquetwo handedGanesh, and Kalabhairava. The vertical doorjamb have the typical carvings of creepers with ganas in loops with lotuses at the terminations. On top of the doorjamb, at the centre of the lintel, is an image of Gajalakshmi with elephants on either side. The Nageshvarasvami temple, also a Western Ganga construction, faces east, has a square plan for the sanctum, a vestibule, an open hall, a detached hall called mukha-mantapa whose ceiling is supported by eight pillars. An image of Nandi is placed in the mukha-mantap making it serve the purpose of a Nandi-mantapa. The base of the entrance is flanked by niches with images of Ganga-Yamuna figures with attendant ladies. This appears to be a Chalukya-Rashtrakuta influence.
