The Nageshvara temple complex is located in Begur, a small town within the Bangalore urban district of Karnataka state, India. 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, Hoysala Dynasty, Vijayanagara Empire 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.

Bangalore, officially Bengaluru, is the capital and largest city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than 8 million and a metropolitan population of around 15 million, making it India's third most populous city and fourth most populous urban agglomeration. It is the most populous city and largest urban agglomeration in South India, and is the 27th largest city in the world. Located on the Deccan Plateau, at a height of over 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level, Bangalore has a pleasant climate throughout the year, with its parks and green spaces earning it the reputation of India's "Garden City". Its elevation is the highest of India's major cities.