The Growing Statue Of Nandi

Unbelievable as it may sound, in Sri Yaganti Uma Maheshwara Temple there’s an idol of Nandi which is growing in size. The temple is located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.

Statue That May Come alive At The End Of Time, Source: Travel My Globe

Anything is possible in this world. When such unusual possibilities take place researchers never lag in finding the logic behind them. Locals evidently claim that they have noticed the difference in the size of the idol. Former sarpanch, Chandrasekhar Reddy, said, “There was a space to do pradakshinas around Basavanna a century ago, but now it has taken up the gap between the stone pillars.” The archaeological department of India has also confirmed that the statue grows by 1 inch every 20 years. And due to its growing size, a temple pillar also had to be removed.

The current size of the Basavanna idol is around five feet high and 15 feet wide. Interestingly, it somehow resembles the dimensions of the big Nandi of Lepakshi. It is also predicted that the idol of Nandi will come alive at the end of Kali Yuga and will start shouting. This will represent the end of a cycle of creation. It is also believed that from the three caves of Yaganti, millions of horses will come out to serve as the final avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Assistant director, C. Mohan Rao, of the Mines and Geology department said that stones increase in size due to chemical reactions. He also added that rock has silica substances and iron particles. So it expands when a mineral is converted into other granules of silica.

The Uma Maheshwara temple was built in the 15th century by King Harihara Bukka Raya of the Sangama Dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. The construction of the temple was influenced by Vaishnavaite traditions.

One intriguing fact about this temple is that no crows are seen in Yaganti. And if they try to enter this place, then they are bound to die. The story behind it says that crows disturbed the Sage Agastya while he was performing his penance. So to get rid of them, he cursed the crows. Crow is the vehicle of Shani Deva. Hence, it is believed that Shani will not trouble those people who worship in Uma Maheshwara Temple.

Due to this less-seen natural phenomenon of the growing statue of Nandi, it has become a tourist place. People visit from all over the world to witness the idol with their own eyes, and to know more stories associated with Nandi and the temple.