Is the #Nandi statue at Yaganti Uma Maheshwara #temple growing? #indian #mythology #shorts

Nandi is considered to be one of the closest aides of Lord #Shiva and no Shiva temple is complete without the presence of Nandi at the entrance. The Yaganti Uma Maheswara temple in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India is no exception.

What makes this Nandi statue unique is that it has been growing for the past many centuries. Locals say that there used to be space to do a complete pradikshana or prayer round around the statue but that does not exist anymore. Temple authorities have had to remove a pillar to accommodate the every growing stone statue.

The Archeological Society of India has confirmed that the statue is indeed growing at the rate of an inch every 20 years. This is due to the high concentration of #silica, #iron and #minerals in the rock. When a mineral is converted to other granules of Silica, it expands. The statue of Nandi or Basavanna is currently five feet high and 15 feet wide and will continue growing in the years to come.