Nava Nandis

The Nine Nandi Shrines of Nandyal

In and around Nandyal and Mahanandi, at the foot of the Nallamala hills in Andhra Pradesh, stand nine ancient shrines of Lord Shiva, each bearing the name of Nandi, the Lord's sacred bull. Together they are known as the Nava Nandis or Nava Nandulu, and the whole region is called the Nandi Mandala. The town of Nandyal itself is said to take its name from them.

The Nine Shrines

• Prathamanandi – in the Moolasagaram area of Nandyal town, near the railway station; tradition says Lord Brahma performed penance to Shiva here.
• Naganandi – in Nandyal town; the serpent deity Naga is said to have prayed here for protection from Garuda.
• Somanandi – in Nandyal town; associated with the penance of Indra.
• Shivanandi (Rudranandi) – at Kadamala Kalva village, about 10 km from Nandyal; the Pandavas are said to have visited after the Mahabharata war.
• Suryanandi – at Thammadapalli village, about 8 km west of Mahanandi; where Surya Deva worshipped Shiva.
• Krishnanandi (Vishnunandi) – about 4 km north of Mahanandi; where Lord Vishnu worshipped Shiva.
• Garudanandi – on the western side of the Mahanandi temple; where Garuda, Vishnu's vahana, did penance.
• Vinayakanandi – within the Mahanandi temple; where Lord Ganesha did penance.
• Mahanandi – the foremost of the nine, with its Swayambhu Linga and crystal-clear spring-fed pools.

The Nava Nandi Yatra

All nine shrines lie within about 15 km of one another, and devotees try to visit all of them in a single day, especially during Maha Shivaratri (usually February–March) and the holy month of Karthika (usually October–November).