Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi

Coordinates: 10°40′1″N 79°26′32″E / 10.66694°N 79.44222°E / 10.66694; 79.44222
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple
Kulothunga Chola I, Later Chola Kings
Website
http://rajagopalaswamytemple.tnhrce.in/

Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple is a

Guruvayoor by Hindus.[2] It is considered first among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate
tradition.

Originally this ancient temple was first constructed by

Thanjavur Nayaks during the 16th century. The temple has three inscriptions from the period and also mention in the religious texts. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and seven of its nine bodies of water. The temple has a 59 m (192 ft) rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower. Haridra Nadhi, the temple tank
associated with the temple is outside the temple complex and is considered one of the largest temple tanks in India.

Pundarikakshan is believed to have appeared as Krishna to sages Gopillar and Gopralayar.

Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni (March–April), being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Architecture

Image of shrines in the temple
The image of Rajagopuram, the main entrance

The history of

Chola period. It shows keshabanda type of coiffure and restrained ornamentation, atypical of the Chola bronzes of the 11th century.[3] The temple tank is called Haridra Nadhi, 353 m (1,158 ft) long and 255 m (837 ft) broad (9.3 ha (23 acres)), making it one of the largest temple tanks in India.[2][4] The shrine of Sengamalathayar (also called Hemabhujavalli) is located in the second precinct around the sanctum. The temple has a thousand pillared hall.[5]

History

Sculptures in the temple

The originally temple was first constructed by

Nadhasvaram were commonly used in the temple service.[11]

According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Rangantha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have a systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities as seen in this temple along with the

Thiruvallur and Rangantha temple at Srirangapatna.[12]

Festival

Chariot of Rajagopalaswamy temple

The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) every day, including festivals. Like other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite Brahmin caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:30 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises three steps; alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for the presiding deity. The worship involves religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals.

The major festivals celebrated in the temple are 18-day Panguni Brahmotsavam. During the second day, the enactment of the famous story of

Navarathri during September–October and butter pot breaking ceremony (locally called uri adi) are the other festivals celebrated in the temple.[13]

Religious importance

Rajagoplaswamy temple has not been glorified by

Thirumangai Alvar is believed to have built the tall flag post outside the temple with the help of cotton bales. He also is believed to have sung praises about the presiding deity, but the songs were lost with time. The other Alvars who are believed to have visited the temple at various periods were seemingly lost in memory under the beauty of the presiding deity and were at loss of words.[5]

Though Alwars have not glorified this temple, Sri Purandara dasaru, a Kannada Hari dasa, known as Pithamaha of Carnatic music had visited this place and glorified the God by composing a Kannada song " Kande Mannaru Krisha na" and "Mannaru Krishnanege Mangala". He is from Vijaya nagara empire. Even Sri Vijaya Dasaru also has composed song on this God.

Notes

  1. ^ Tourist guide to Tamil Nadu 2007 , p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d South Indian Railway Co., Ltd 2004, p. 176
  3. ^ T. 2002, p. 119
  4. ^ M., Rajagopalan (1993). 15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu. Chennai, India: Govindaswamy Printers. pp. 76–88.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-81-88661-42-8
    .
  6. ^ a b S. 2009, pp. 3-7
  7. ^ Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18, p.159
  8. ^ a b V. 1995, pp. 159
  9. ^ Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18, p.137
  10. JSTOR 20619601. – via JSTOR
    (subscription required)
  11. ^ T.K. 2010, p. 50
  12. JSTOR 3250291
    .
  13. ^ "Sri Rajagopalaswamy Temple". Dinamalar. Retrieved 4 May 2013.

References

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