SRI RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE, SRIRANGAPATNAM






     Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatnam, Mandya  District.  This  place is 20 kms away  from  Mysore in the  Island  of Srirangapatnam  formed by the  branching of river  Cauvery. The  temple was built intially  in 9th  century  by Ganga Dynasty  Chief Thirumalraya. As per ASI the east  facing  temple  was later expanded during the  reigns of Hoysalas, Vijayanagar kings, Mysore  Wodeyars and Hyder Ali. The  temple  architecture  is a mix of Hoysala architecture  with  circular exquisitely  carved  pillars, with  Dravidian Towers,  Vimanas and  Vijayanagar  era Mandapams.   Lord Ranganathaswamy is in a gigantic reclining pose on his Serpent Sesha with  multiple  hoods. During  the 11th  century  when  Saint  Ramanuja was staying in Melkote the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhan was converted to  Vaishnavism. He gave large  number of  villages to Ramanuja who appointed a community of  Hebbar  Iyengars     ( some famous  descendents  are Congressman Jayaram Ramesh , actress Vasundhara Das) to  run the  affairs of the temple. The  temple  has separate  shrines for  Garuda, Narasimha, Ranganayaki,  Sudharsana, Ramanuja  and Tirupathi  Balaji.  It is said  the temple  was venerated by Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan  has donated Silver  Theertha  Vessels  to the  temple. After  the death  of Tippu in1799AD the  Wodeyar king Mummadi  Krishnaraja Wodeyar revived the  various  festivals associated with the  temple. There are two beautiful 15th century  exquisitely sculpted  elephants on both sides of the main  Gouram inside. A temple with  hoary  past.

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