RAJAGOPALASWAMYTEMPLE, MANNARGUDI, THIRUVARUR DISTRICT- TAMILNADU- Compiled
Dear friends, The most famous temple in Mannargudi, Thiruvarur district,Tamil Nadu (formerly part of Tanjore) is the Sri Rajagopala swamy Temple,dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Krishna. It's also known as Dakshina Dwaraka. I received a response yesterday suggesting to write abouttemples in Thanjavur area. So next few postings from me will be about templesin Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Kumbakonam andSirkazi areas honouring the suggestion. Hope a divine reading. Gopalakrishnan 19-08-2025 Here are some key facts about the Raja Gopala swamy temple: Deity: Lord Rajagopalaswamy (Lord Krishna) is the main deity,accompanied by his consortsRukmini and Satyabhama. Significance: It is a major Vaishnava temple in Tamil Nadu, recognized forits historical and architectural importance, as well as its festivals. It isalso considered one of the 108Abhimana Kshethram in the Vaishnavate tradition. History: The temple's origins trace back to the 10th centuryCE with Kulottunga Chola I,and it was expanded in the 16th century by the Thanjavur Nayaks. Architecture: The temple complex spans 23 acres and includesnumerous gopurams, prakarams, shrines, mandapams, and sacred theerthams. Theimpressive Rajagopuram reaches a height of 192 feet. A notable feature is thethousand-pillared hall. Haridra Nadhi: The temple tank, known as Haridra Nadhi, isone of the largest in India and covers 18 acres. Mythology: According to legend, Lord Krishna appeared in 32 forms to sages Gopila andGopralaya in Mannargudi, a place referred to as "SouthDwaraka". These forms are depicted in the temple's art. Festivals: The major festival is the 18-day Panguni Brahmotsavam in March-April.Other important celebrations include Vaikunta Ekadashi, Navaratri, and the uri adi ceremony. Location and Timings: The temple is situated in Mannargudi, near Kumbakonam and Thanjavur. The temple is open from 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM and againfrom 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM. These timings apply every day of the week,including weekends. Raja Gopalaswamy is also told as Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Introduction Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple is a Vaishnava shrinelocated in the town of Mannargudi in the District of Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity isRajagopalaswamy, a form of Krishna with his consorts Rukmini and Sathyabhama.The temple is spread over an area of 23 acres and is an important Vaishnavashrines in India. The temple is called Champakaranya Kshetram, Dakshina Dwaraka(Southern Dvaraka) along with Guruvayoorby Hindus. It is considered first among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavitetradition. My note-There are certain repetitions, the style of mycompilation, to emphasise information. I hope my friends might appreciate thestyle. Legend The Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy Temple is known as DakshinaDwaraka (Southern Dwaraka) because of a legend involving Gopila and GopralayaRishi. They wanted to see Lord Krishna in Dwaraka, but by thetime they arrived, Krishna's earthly presence had ended. Narada then instructed them to go to "SouthDwaraka," which led them to Mannargudi. There, they prayed to LordNarayana, who appeared before them as Bala Gopalan (a child Krishna) and re-enacted Krishna'spastimes. This event is why the temple is considered a southern counterpart toDwaraka. History Originally this ancient temple was first constructed by Kulothunga Chola I at 10th centuryand Chola Kings Rajaraja Chola III, Rajendra Chola III and later expanded byThanjavur Nayaks during the 16th century. The temple has three inscriptionsfrom the period and also mention in the religious texts. A granite wallsurrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and seven of its nine bodies of water. Thetemple has a 47 m (154 ft) Raja gopuram, the temple's gateway tower. The temple containsinscriptions of the Hoysala kings and some Vijayanagara grants, and manyrecords of the later Nayaks and Marathas. The Thanjavur Nayaks made the templeas their dynastic and primary shrine and made significant additions. Thecurrent temple structure, hall of 1000 pillars, main gopuram (temple gatewaytower) and the big compound wall around the temple was built by the kingVijayaraghava Nayak (1532–1575 CE). Raghunathabhyudayam, a doctrine by Nayaks explains thedonation of an armour studded with precious stones to the main deity by theking. He erected the big tower in the temple so that he can viewthe Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple from the top of Mannargudi. The Nayaks werespecially interested in music and it was promoted in both the temples.Instruments like Mukhavina, Dande, Kombu, Chandravalaya, Bheri and Nadhasvaramwere commonly used in the temple service. Architecture The history of Mannargudi is cantered around theRajagoplaswamy temple. The temple has a large gopuram (gateway tower) facingeast with a temple tank in the north eastern direction. The central shrine islocated axial to the gateway and the flag post and approached through a seriesof pillared halls. The Mahamandapam (Sabha) in front of the sanctum has ornatebrass-plated pillars and opens into the first circumambulatory path, Thiruvaimozhi Prakara,considered the most sacred passage around the sanctum. Moving westward from the sanctum, the Ardha Mandapam and additional mandapas houseassociated icons and are used for daily and festival rituals There is a big tank at the entrance of the shrine where rainwater is collected. The temple complex has 16 gopurams (towergateways), 7 prakarams (outer courtyard), 24 shrines, seven mandapams (halls)and nine sacred theerthams (temple tanks). Haridra Nadhi, the temple tank associated with the temple isoutside the temple complex and is considered one of the largest temple tanks inIndia. Shrines and TempleOrientation The temple complex of Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy Templeincludes 24 shrines,primarily dedicated to Vishnu in various forms, Sri Lakshmi as SengamalaThayar, and numerous Alwars and Vaishnava acharyas. Poojas and festivals The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) every day,including festivals. Like other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priestsbelong 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 (foodoffering) 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 thetemple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals. MAIN DEITY The central sanctum enshrines Sri Paravasudeva Perumal,accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhu Devi. The image of the presiding deity is 156 inches tall andsported in a seated posture with his consorts Satyabhama and Rukmini on hissides. The utsava MOORTHY (festivaldeity) is a bronze figure from the Chola period. Sub deities Within innermost prakara are shrines for Vinayaka (Ganesha) and Durga, the latter venerated locally as Vishnudurgai and GajendraAzhwar, a rare feature shared with temples like Srirangam. My note- In Vishnu templesalso the word Ganesha or Vinayaga used for the deity Thumbikkai Alwar. The second prakara,known as Garuda Prakaram,features shrines for Garuda, Jaya and Vijaya the guardians of Vaikuntha, andthe Utsava Murti of Perumal. This precinct also includes sanctums for variousVishnu avatars and forms such as Venugopala, Lakshmi Narasimha, AnantaPadmanabha, Lakshmi Narayana, and Gajendra Varada, highlighting the theologicalrange of Vishnu’s roles in Vaishnavism. At the northeastern edge of the prakara, shrines for Vishvaksena, the commander of Vishnu’s army, and Sutravati Deviare present, along with a vahana mandapa for housing the temple’s gold andsilver mounts. The third enclosure,Champaka Prakaram, named after the champaka groves that once flourished here, houses numerousshrines and ritual structures. Prominent among these are shrines for Andal, Nammalvar, ManavalaMamunigal, Periyalwar, Kulasekhara Alwar, Tirumangai Alwar and Kumudavalli, aswell as Thondaradippodi Alwar and Anjaneya, who is worshipped alongsideChakkarathazhwar. A mandapam nearby is used for Kodai Utsavam andVasantha Utsavam celebrations. The sacred Madappalli (temple kitchen),associated with Madaipalli Nachiyar, is also situated in this prakara. The shrine of SriSengamala Thayar, a central and independently celebrated deity of the temple, is situated in the southern sectionof this prakara. It houses the Moolavar (Sri Shenbagavalli Thayar) and Utsavar(Sri Sengamala Thayar). The shrine complex includes the Nritya Mandapam, the GlassMandapam, the Vaikunta Sabha (Rohini Mandapam), and the Flag mast withsculptures of Garuda and Suparni, a rare representation. On Fridays and duringfestivals like Mattaiyadi Utsavam, Thayar Adhyayana Utsavam, and EkasimhanaUtsavam, Thayar receives special abhishekam and darshan rituals, oftenaccompanied by the chanting of the Gadya Traya composed by Ramanuja. Extending from this zone is a shrine complex for Sri Rama, with associatedmandapams including the Nritya Mandapam, Maha Mandapam, Artha Mandapam, and theSri Paduka Mandapam, alongside the Paramapada Entrance and Pancha Parva UtsavaMandapam. The sacred Punnai Tree, identified as the temple’s sthala vriksha, standsnearby, along with the Yagasala, used for Vedic sacrifices and rituals. In front of the main sanctum lies the Vadya Mandapam,featuring historicdepictions of Achyutappa Nayak, Vijaya Raghava Nayak, and Rani Champakalakshmi.Nearby, the Uttara Mandapam and Perarulalan shrine are used during Pagal Pattuand Brahmotsavam festivities. The fourth prakara,Kasi Prakaram, includesthe grand Thousand-Pillared Mandapam, the Tirumamani Mandapam—central toVaikuntha Ekadasi rituals—and mandapams for Vedic discourse and public worship.Shrines for Kurattalwar, Udayavar (Ramanuja), and Sri Nigamata Maha Desikan—theonly Vadakalai shrine in the temple—are located here. A public drinking water well and other practical structuresare also situated in this area. The fifthcircumambulatory path, Nachiyar Prakaram, is unique in that it hosts the chariot procession of SriSengamala Thayar, a rare tradition where the goddess, rather than the lord,takes part in a separate ratha utsavam. The prakaram includes multiplegopurams, such as the WesternGopuram used historically by Thanjavur kings, and sacred tanks reserved forThayar’s worship. It also contains the Elephant shelter, Cow Shed,Sixteen-Pillared Mandapam for the Tiruvandikkappu ritual, and the YogaNarasimha shrine. A newly constructed mandapam offers a prominent view of theKrishna Gopura, adding to the temple’s ceremonial architecture. Together, theseshrines reflect a vibrant ecosystem of Vishnu devotion, Lakshmi worship, Alwarveneration, and rich liturgical tradition. The spatial arrangement,iconography, and ceremonial use of each shrine contribute to the temple’sstatus as a significant centre of Sri Vaishnavism in Tamil Nadu. Several circumambulatory paths—such as Tiruvunnazhi Prakaram,Garuda Prakaram, Champaka Prakaram, Kasi Prakaram, and Nachiyar Prakaram—areknown for their spaciousness and architectural elegance. The mandapams locatedalong these paths play a central role during major temple events, especiallythe annual Brahmotsavam and the Adhyayana Utsavam. Halls of the Temple The Rajagopalaswamy Temple complex features a series ofrichly constructed mandapams (pillared halls) that serve as both architecturalhighlights and focal points during temple rituals and festivals. Thousand-Pillared Mandapam-Thesehalls are strategicallylocated across the prakarams (circumambulatory enclosures), contributing to thefunctional layout of the temple and enhancing the visual and devotionalexperience of devotees. The temple featuresseven principal mandapams, each associated with specific utsavams andtraditions: Vallala Maharaja Mandapam: This hall is actively used duringthe Pagal Pathu portion of the Adhyayana Utsavam and during the KollattaUtsavam, a unique local celebration. It is also a point of royal historicalinterest, reflecting regal patronage. Thousand-Pillared Mandapam: One of the most iconic halls in thetemple, it hosts the Raa Pathu segment of the Adhyayana Utsavam and majorcelebrations like the Navaratri Utsavam. It is known for its vast space androws of intricately carved granite pillars, exemplifying Nayak architecture. Garuda Vahana Mandapam: This mandapam plays a key roleduring the Garuda Sevai on the twelfth day of the Panguni Brahmotsavam, wherethe utsava murti of Perumal is brought here before being seated in theChapparam (processional canopy). Yanai Vahana Mandapam: During the Panguni Brahmotsavam,most vahana processions commence from this mandapam. It acts as a preparatoryarea for the various festival mounts of the deity. Lattice-Window Mandapam (Palakani Mandapam): Known for itselegant stone lattice work that allows for a balcony-style view, this mandapamis used during Rohini Nakshatram when the Utsavar Sri Perumal proceeds here forThirumanjanam (ritual bathing ceremony). Butter and Pot Mandapam (Vennai Thazhi Mandapam): Associatedwith the Vennai Thazhi Utsavam, a Krishna-themed celebration during theBrahmotsavam, this mandapam is where Sri Rajagopalan is taken in procession torecreate the divine play of Krishna stealing butter. Mast-Wood Vehicle Mandapam (Punnai Vahana Mandapam): This hallis central to the Punnai Vahana Utsavam during Brahmotsavam, in which the deityis taken across the temple’s sacred precincts, traditionally even symbolizing ajourney across the Kaveri River. Additional functional mandapams found throughout the templeinclude the Nritya Mandapam, Maha Mandapam, Artha Mandapam, and theSixteen-Pillared Mandapam (Sri Paduka Mandapam), each of which plays a role inritual recitations, darshan arrangements, and seasonal ceremonies. The PanchaParva Utsava Mandapam, Paramapada Entrance, and Yagasala further support thetemple’s extensive festival calendar and Vedic rites. These mandapams not onlyreflect the temple’s rich architectural legacy but also form the sacred stageupon which the temple’s ceremonial life unfolds throughout the year. Annual Utsavams The temple witnesses a vibrant array of Brahmotsavams, Utsavams, and annual festivals,uniting the community in devotion and tradition. These celebrations span alltwelve months of the Tamil calendar and are deeply rooted in Vaishnaviteliturgical heritage. The most significant is the eighteen-day PanguniBrahmotsavam, culminating in the Rathotsavam (Chariot Festival) on PanguniRohini, commemorating the Thirunakshatram (birth star) of Sri VidhyaRajagopalaswamy. Each month features unique festivals such as Garuda Sevai, Theppotsavam,Navaratri, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and various Theerthavari rituals. These utsavams are marked by processions, traditional music,Vedic recitations, and distinctive forms of divine worship, drawing devotees inlarge numbers and sustaining the temple’s vibrant religious life throughout theyear. Panguni BrahmotsavamDwajarohanam-The majorfestivals celebrated in the temple are 18-day Panguni Brahmotsavam in honor ofSri Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy’s Thirunakshatram. The Chariot Festival, celebrated on Panguni Rohini, marksthe Thirunakshatram (birth star day) of Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy and is themost prominent festival of the temple. It falls on the 17th day of the PanguniBrahmotsavam and is celebrated with grandeur by the temple and the surroundingvillages. Chithirai (April–May)-During the Tamil month of Chithirai,the temple observes the Chithirai Kodai Utsavam, a spring festival marked byprocessions and special alankarams. The highlight of this festival is theGolden Garuda Sevai, held on Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious day in theVaishnavite tradition. Vaikasi (May–June)In the Tamil month of Vaikasi, thetemple celebrates the Vasanthotsavam,a spring-themed festival signifying freshness and divine grace. The festivalincludes daily processions and floral decorations, invoking the spirit ofrejuvenation Aani (June–July)-TheppotsavamThe Tamil month of Aani is marked by thecelebration of the Aani Theppotsavam, the annual float festival of the temple.The highlight of this festival is the Theppam (float procession) held at theHaridra Nadhi Teppakulam, the temple’s sacred tank. On the day of the event,the festival deities are placed on a beautifully decorated float and takenacross the tank, accompanied by Vedic chanting, musical performances, and theillumination of oil lamps along the tank’s perimeter. Aadi (July–August)SriThayar Ratnangi Sevai-Inthe Tamil month of Aadi, the temple observes two important festivals: theThiruvadipuram Utsavam and the Jyeshtabhishekam. The Thiruvadipuram Utsavam iscelebrated in honor of Sri Sengamala Thayar’s Thirunakshatram, during which sheis venerated in the form of Andal, considering Sri Rajagopalan as Raja Mannar, reflecting thedivine wedding theme central to Vaishnavite devotion. Aavani (August–September)TheTamil month of Aavani at the Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple is marked by twoimportant observances: Uriyadi Utsavam and Thirupavithrotsavam. In connection with Sri KrishnaJayanthi, the Uriyadi Utsavam is celebrated with great enthusiasm, featuringthe symbolic recreation of Lord Krishna’s leelas—particularly the playful actof breaking butter pots. Purattasi(September–October)Duringthe Tamil month of Purattasi, the Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple observes the Navaratri Utsavam, asignificant festival dedicated to Sri Sengamala Thayar. Aippasi (October–November)-Inthe Tamil month of Aippasi, the temple celebrates the Deepavali KolattaUtsavam, a ten-dayfestival held in connection with Deepavali. Sri Rajagopalaswamy, in his Krishnaavatar, is taken in procession within the temple precincts, adorned in festivealankaram. The event features Kolattam performances by women. Karthigai(November–December)In the Tamil month of Karthigai, the temple observes theKarthikai Deepotsavam,coinciding with the sacred Karthikai Deepam, an important festival in TamilVaishnavite tradition. The temple is adorned with rows of agal vilakku (oillamps), symbolizing the triumph of divine light over darkness. On thisoccasion, Sri Rajagopalaswamy, with Sri Sengamala Thayar, Rukmini, andSatyabhama, blesses devotees in a special Kalyana Alankaram. A prominent feature of the festivalis the ceremonial lighting of the Sokkappanai, a towering structure made fromdried palm stems. Margazhi(December–January)The Tamil month of Margazhi is dedicated to the AdhyayanaUtsavam, one of the most significant liturgical celebrations in the Vaishnavitetradition. At the SriVidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple, the festival spans twenty days and is dividedinto Pagal Pathu (first ten days, observed during the day) and Ra Pathu (lastten days, observed at night). Each day features the recitation of hymns fromthe Nalayira Divya Prabandham, venerating the Alvars and their devotionalcontributions Thai (January–February)Inthe Tamil month of Thai, the temple celebrates the Thai Utsavam with a seriesof events. It begins with the Makara Sankranti Maasi (February–March)TheTamil month of Maasi is primarily marked by the celebration of the KannadiUnjal Sevai, also known as the Maasi Dolotsavam, which serves as the main festival of the month. Aspart of this utsavam, the deities are seated on a beautifully decorated swingadorned with mirrors and lights, creating a reflective and visually strikingdevotional setting. Administration The temple is maintained and administered by the HinduReligious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1373766048.784143.1755577005037%40mail.yahoo.com.
