During my visit to Karnataka, I had the privilege of visiting one such temple – Ranganathaswamy Temple Srirangapatna, Karnataka .The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Vishnu in the avatar of Ranganatha and thus the town gets its name from here. Located in historic town Srirangapatna. Inside the Srirangapatna Fort, the temple is situated on the banks of Kaveri River. This beautiful ancient temple situated about 14 km from Mysore, 5 km from Sri Nimishambha Temple, 3.5 km from Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, 18 km from Brindavan Gardens, 36 km from Somanathapura, and 125 km. from Bangalore.It falls in the Mandya district of Karnataka. Earlier it was known as Srirangpuri.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangapatna is considered as one of the five most important and sacred shrines devoted to Lord Vishnu. These sites are called Pancharanga Kshetram and are of very high religious importance. The presiding deity of this temple is the Adi Ranga, or the 'first Ranga'. The temple has a rich history associated with it and is visited by devotees from all over the world. It comes under the Archaeological Survey of India.
(Idol of Pic taken from Google Image)
The idol of Lord Ranganatha is seen in a reclining posture over the Sheshanaga. An inscription in the temple premises indicates that the shrine was first sanctified around 984 AD. Innumerable architectural intricacies make the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple an enthralling architectural marvel and must be included on your list of places to visit. The entrance of the temple is grandeur and inspiring. Its Gopuram means very good workmanship in the upper part. To reach the sanctum sanctorum, we had to go through a narrow path made of steel pipes. In the sanctum sanctorum, The main shrine consists of the idol of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture. The idols sit the coils of the snake Adishesha Naag with seven hoods. There is an idol of Goddess Lakshmi at its feet.
Also, you can see various smaller shrines inside the complex, such as those dedicated to Narasimha, Garuda, Gopalkrishna, and Hanuman. A golden layer statue of Garun Dev is also a centre of attraction here.
History of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
As per one of the inscriptions, which are the oldest inscription on the temple complex Among them the main temple is that of Sri Ranganatha. The inner apartment of SriRanganatha temple was built in 817 A.D by a lady by name Hambi, of the class of dancers in the year 894 A.D. When a king of the Ganga dynasty was the ruler, a person by name Thirumalaraya got constructed the Navaranga mantap and the temple of Lord Thirumala(Srinivasa) at the left side portion of the great Mahadwara. In the year 1117 A.D when Sri Ramanuja came to this part after escaping from the chole country here a join by name Hoysala Bittideva was the ruler, Sri Ramanuja got him converted to a Vaishnava and named him Vishnuvardhana.
Architecture of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
The Temple is also renowned for its fine architecture. Around 1210 AD, King Veera Ballala II of Hoysala Dynasty made some additions and renovations to the temple complex. These have been documented in various inscriptions on the structure. The structure also possesses intricate carvings signifying architecture of Vijayanagara Dynasty and the Mysore Kingdom (Wodeyar Kings).
The entrance of the temple has a striking tower and two huge Prakarams which is a very typical structure in Hindu architecture that forms the outer part of the temple, around the sanctum. There is a Mandapa (pavilion) lined by numerous intricately carved pillars that lead to the main shrine. The temple complex also consists of two more halls, one of which is the Mukhamandapa (the front hall) and a Sukhanasi (an Antechamber).
Built-in the Dravidian style, this temple is a marvelous specimen of Hoysala and Vijayanagara architecture. The Gorupam of the temple with fort-like walls and intricate carvings impressed me the most. It has 4 pillars with carvings of 24 avatars of Lord Vishnu called Chaturvimashti.
After Sri Jayachamarajendra wodeyar came to the throne these ustavas were being celebrated even up to 1953-54 and on the day of the ustavas that was being done in memory of the mummadi King the Courtiers vidwans and other important persons of the Palace would attend the celebrations.
The main festival of this temple is Kotarotsava, which is celebrated with great enthusiasm. In this, Lord Ranganath is adorned well. More and more people come from far and wide to witness this grand event. I feel a wonderful peace and relaxation in the temple
Tips for Visiting Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
1. There is no dress code as such, but it is advisable to follow a conservative dress code.
2. The temple is visited by devotees all through the year, and there are long lines almost every day, but the temple gets extremely crowded during the weekends.
3. Garlands, flowers and other offerings can be bought from the kiosks outside the temple complex.
4. Carry enough water to keep yourself hydrated.
5. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the temple complex.
6. A decently large area nearby is used as parking space. Visitors can park their vehicles at minimal charges.
o reach here, you can take help of rail, road and air routes.
There are some small shops nearby where you can buy statues and a memento as a remembrance. Be careful not to negotiate.
Visitation time at the temple from 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm.
There is a lack of places to eat and drink around, so take some food and water.
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