Mannarkudi Temples.

MANNARKUDI RAJAGOPALASWAMY TEMPLE.

Rajagopalaswamy temple is suituated in Mannarkudi Town (Old name of Mannarkoil). It is a Vaishnavite shrine located in the town of Mannargudi. The presiding deity is Rajagopalaswamy, a form of Lord Krishna. The temple is spread over an area of around 25 acres and is one of the important Vaishnavite shrines in India. The temple is called Dakshina Dwarka by Indians. Mannarkudi is a town located in Trivarur District, TamilNadu, India.

Temple View

The image of the Temple presiding deity is 12 feet tall. There is a big tank at the entrance of the shrine where rain water is collected. The temple complex has 16 Towers, 7 outer courtyard, 24 shrines, seven mandapams and nine sacred temple tanks. The utsava(festival deity) is a bronze figure from the Cholar period.The temple tank is called Haridranadhi, 1,158 feet long and 837 feet broad, making it one of the largest temple tanks in India.

History of Mannarkudi Temple

The temple was first constructed by Kulothunga Chola I(1070-1125 A.D.), with bricks and mortar, indicated by various stone inscription found in the site.The place Mannargudi is termed Sri Rajathi Raja Chathurvedhi Mangalam and the town started to grow around the temple. Successive kings of the Chola empire, Rajaraja Chola III, Rajendra Chola III and kings of Thanjavur Nayaks, Achyuta Deva Raya expanded the temple. The temple contains inscriptions of the Hoysala kings and some Vijayanagara grants, and many records of the later Nayaks and Marathas.The current temple structure, hall of 1000 pillars, main gopuram(temple gateway tower) and the big compound wall around the temple was built by the king Vijayaraghava Nayak(1532-1575 A.D.). Raghunathabhyudayam, a doctrine by Nayaks explains the donation of an armour studded with precious stones to the main deity by the king. He erected the big tower in the temple so that he can view the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple from the top of Mannargudi. The Nayaks were specially interested in music and it was promoted in both the temples. Instruments like Mukhavina, Dande, Kombu, Chandravalaya, Bheri and Nagaswaram were commonly used in the temple service.

Panguni Festival

Panguni Thiruvizha (பங்குனி திருவிழா) is a festival celebrated during the Tamil calendar of Panguni (Mid of Mar-Mid of Apr) and is attended by thousands of devotees.The festival is celebrated for 16 days and the seventh day has the enactment of the famous story of Krisha taking away the dress of bathing females, the females requesting the clothes back and Krishna singing the flute.The festival is placed in the pinnai tree, the branches of which are hung with garments and ornaments.At that time of Festival Government arranged All facilities to Mannarkudi like Extra bus, Train facility.

Pooja Details

Vishwaroopam 6am, Thiruvananthal 7am, Kaalai Santhi Poojai-9am,

Uchi Kalam-12noon

Thirumalai Purapadu- 6pm, SayaRakshai-7pm,

Irandam Kalam Poojai-8pm, Artha Jamam-830pm

Location and Route

Mannarkudi has the Bus and Train facility

Bus route - 30 km from Trivarur, 40 km from Tanjore, 40 km from Kumbakonam

Train route - Trains available from Chennai, Trichy , Tanjore , Nagapattinam

Nearest Airport - Trichy

For more details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajagopalaswamy_Temple,_Mannargudi