The Gazetteers Department

Nandganv Khandesvara, so called on account of the temple of Khandesvara is a village in Amravati tahsil lying along the Amravati-Yavatmal road, 51 km. (32 miles) distant from Amravati and 25 km. (16 miles) from the Badnera railway station. It was previously known as Nandganv Kazi. The village has two primary schools, one Marathi and the other Urdu, a high school, a post office, a sub-registry and a civil and a veterinary dispensary. There is a tomb of one Haji Ghazi Avaliya and an old temple dedicated to Khandesvara, Narsirhha and Sankar Parvati, situated on the knoll of a hill on the outskirts of the village. The temple is said to be Hemadpanti but its upper half is built in brick and mortar. It is believed that the temple is haunted. A 1.82 metres (six feet) high compound wall, with an entrance on the western side, encircles the shrine. On cither side of this entrance there are two spacious chambers. Inside, one comes across three samadhis with a small Maruti shrine in the background. Still further behind are seen five Lingas, popularly known as Panca Mahadeva. The temple mandap has two six-pillared rows on which are carved in relief images of horses, that of Krsna and many women devotees which in particular are extremely attractive. The pillars also bear unique designs and patterns. Many of the designs have been disfigured and some totally wiped off. In the centre of the mandap there is an 0.743 sq. metres (eight feet square) platform below which a deep dark cellar was noticed when one of its stones was removed.

The temple has three gabharas. In the one to the right of the visitor, the chief deity after whom the shrine is called is represented with a Linga symbol. It is donned with a facial plaque and a large hooded cobra, both of glittering and polished brass. In the background there is an idol of Gajanan while in the front there is an image of Nandl. Exactly on the opposite side, or to the left of the visitor, in a similar chamber is the idol of Narsirhha depicted as thrusting claws in the belly of Hiranya Kasipu, the father of Pralhada. Nearby there are tiny idols of Pralhada and his mother. In the third gdbhdrd are the images of Sankara and Parvatl. Parvati is depicted as sitting on Sankara's left lap. All the three gabharas are crowned with handsome sikhars. In 1959 a lightning struck the front part of the mandap thereby demolishing a small portion of it. It was however, subsequently repaired. The temple has some 4.86 hectares (12 acres) of land allotted to it. Mahasivratra is celebrated when people gather in a considerable number. In the month of Srdvan, the Saturday weekly market, which is otherwise held in the village itself, is held around the temple premises. On the southern side of the temple, but outside the enclosure, is a dipmal about 15.24 metres (50' feet) high, with a narrow passage inside.

Other objects.

The village has also a Jain Mandir and two maths viz., Ambabaicd Math and Lahan Math. The former is in memory of Ambabal, a pious lady who died some 250 years ago in the village. A pirzada known as Mati Mile Miya also lived here. The words mean "mixed with dirt". The name was doubtless descriptive of the pir, though one may suppose it was assumed with some suggestion of "ashes to ashes and dust to dust". A tomb bas been built over his remains and an urus is held annually which is largely attended. Nandganv is situated in the rocky portion of the Candur tahsil and in limes of scarcity is one of the places to be attended to first.

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