The Vaishanava temples in Karnataka : Sponsorship of Web Pages

July 4, 2005

Dear BhakthAs and particularly those with special links to Karanataka:

My dear nephew , Sri L.Sridhar of Bangalore requested me to

announce the opportunity to sponsor the web pages of the wonderful

Srivaishnavite temples of Karnataka . It is my pleasure to do so .The URL

for the web pages for this growing collection of web pages containing

invaluable information ( Sthala PurANam , Route , Moorthys , Bhattar

contacts , VisEsha Uthsavams and a host of rare pictures ) are at :

www.karnatakavaishanavatemples.net

The path breaking work of Sridhar is some thing to be believed

when one browses these individual Temple Web pages . He has made

a vow to cover as amny Karanataka VishNava Temples as Possible

and is tirelessly collecting information . My parayers are for

his Kaimakryam to continue for all of our benefit .

There are 27 Distircts in Karnataka State . From Bidar in the North

to Chamrajnagar in South , with Mangalore in the west and Kolar in

the East , these districts have beautiful temples for Ranganatha ,

Narasimhar , VenkatEsa and Varadarajan . The Moorthys are

beautiful . Some of the locations on the bank of Cauvery river

are idyllic . The Temples at Melkote , Udippi , Srirangapattinam ,

Bindinganavile , ApramEyar at Dhoddamallur , Belur are very well visited .

Those at Rangasthalam in Kolar , Yoga Narasimhar at Holalu ,

the Yoga-BhOga Narasimhan at DevarAyaNa DhurgA are not

frequently visited . The Divine beauty of Ranganathar at

Rangasthalam in Kolar and Swamy NammAzhwAr at the same

temple are incomparable .

After Conversion of King VishNu Vardhanan at ThoNDanUr

to Sri VaishNavam by AchArya RaamAnuja (1017-1137 A.D) ,

VaishNavam flourished in Karnataka . This king reigned from 1108-1142 A.D. Great VaishNavite AchAryAs arose from Mandayam District .

The Hoysala Dynasty lasted for 346 years ( 1000 to 1346 A.D ) .

Before VishNu Vardhana's ( Bitti Devan before) time , Jainism

(Naasthika , avaidhika Matham ) flourished in the Hoysala

Kingdom . With AchArya RaamAnujA's visit to ThondanUr/Melkote /

Saalagraamam , all that changed . Swamy Desikan's stay

at Sathyagalam during the Muslim invasion consolidated

the foundations ofr VaishNavam in Karnataka . Towards the end

of the Hoysala Dynasty , the Hoysala King came to the rescue

of Chola King and a second capital for Hoysala kingdom was

established near Srirangam ( Kuppam ) and RanganAtha

temples flourished at Karnaataka . Even Tippu Sultan

( Ruling from1782-1799 ) had a special reverence for

Lord Ranganatha at Sriranga Pattinam , KrishNa Raaja

Wodeyar ( 1799-1831) and the Wodeyar dynasty rulers

all the way down to Jaya chaamarAjendhra Wodyar

( reigned from 1940-1949 A.D) supported the VaishNavite

darsanam . ParakAla Matam of Mysore established itself

at the special behest of the WodeyArs as one of the most

revered AchArya Peetam with Sri Lakshmi HayagrIvan as

the AarAdhana Moorthy .

To summarize , there is a rich tradition of worship of

Sriman NaarAyaNa at KarnAtaka with links to AchArya

RaamAnujA . The VaishNavite Temples , where Aagamic

worship is carried without interruption are special

centers for pilgrimage . The creation of the web pages for

these VaishNavite Temples is a great Kaimkaryam by Sridhar .

He is spending so much funds out of his own pocket sof ar.

These web pages need to be maintained for posterity .

It is estimated that Rs.500 per Temple web page would help

to cover the Web site maintenance . There might be some 40 to 50

Temple web pages for the VaishNavite Temples of Karanataka .

Please sponsor one or more web pages for these temples .

As for myself , I am so overtaken by the beauty of

Sri RanganAthar at Rangasthala, Kolar and Swamy

NammAzhwAr's Archaa Moorthy there , I would like to

sponsor that web page . I would also like to sponsor

the Sathyagalam Web Pages for Lord VaradarAjan and

Swamy Desikan . Sridhar , I will send a check for

Rs.1,000 for my sponsorship. adiyEn requests

all BhakthAs to sponsor web pages of the Temple(s)

of particular interest to you and your family .

To give you an idea of the search and discovery process of

" new " VaishNavite temples in Karanataka , the following

note from one , who has been inspired by one of the citizens

of karnataka would help. Sridhar will be adding them to his list

of coverge shortly .

Please help Sridhar in the creation and the maintenance

of these informative web pages since the Government of

Karnataka like other state governments does not take

much interest in such temples .

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

V.Sadagopan

-

Srihi

Manoj Kumar Sreeram

Cc: Haresh Balasubramaniam ; Sadagopan

We thought that we should let you know about the temples so that you may add them to the list of Vaishnava temple in Karnataka.

1. MADHAVA RAYA TEMPLE:

This temple is at Belluru, Nagamangala Taluk, Mandya Distict. To go to this temple one has to go to to Belluru, which is on Bangalore Hassan Road, taking the right side road at Belluru Cross {near Adichunchangiri Medical Hospital}. The Temple is dedicated to Madhava Raya {one of the 24 Forms of Chaturvimsati Murthy}. The three-celled temple raised on a stellate parapet was built in 1284 A.D. The main cell houses a fine Adi-Madhava image. more than four feet in height, the left cell Janardhana and the right Venu-Gopala.

2. SAUMYA KESAVA TEMPLE:

This temple is at proper Nagamangala, Mandya District. The Saumya Kesava temple is a large and splendid temple, which was built earlier than 1171 A.D. The three-celled temple raised on a stellate parapet has the image of Saumya Kesava is a fine piece of sculpture, which is six feet in height. The sanctum to the left houses an image of Lakshmi-Narasimha, while the one on the left has the image of Venu-Gopala. The central hall is very ornate, elegant and impressive, resting on twelve finely carved columns and having lovely ceilings: the enclosure has many shrines including that of Goddess Saumya-nayaki. The Garudagamba in front of the temple is fifty five feet and considered finest sculptured column in Karnataka.

3. YOGA-MADHAVA TEMPLE:

This temple is at Setti-Kere, Chikka-Nayakanahalli Taluk, Tumkur Distict.To go to this temple one has to go to to Chikka-Nayakanahalli , which is on Gubbi-Tiptur Road, taking the right side road at Kibbanahalli. The Yoga-Madhava temple is dedicted to an unusual form of Vishnu. The Santum houses an image about nine feet in height above a pedestal of Vishnu seated in the typical contemplative "Lotus Posture" {Padmasana}. The temple was built by Gopala-Dannayaka in 1261 A.D during the reign of Vira-Narsimha III. It is a Hoysala structure, raised on a stellate parapet. three foot height, with a square central hall.

We hope that this temple will be included in the list of Vaishnava temple in Karnataka.

Thank you

Regards

Sreeram Manoj Kumar