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{{Short description|Hindu temple in Tiruvarur}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple
| image = Rajagopalaswamy temple10.JPG
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|40|1|N|79|26|32|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Tiruvarur district|Tiruvarur]]
| location = [[Mannargudi]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy ([[Krishna]])
| primary_deity_Godess =
| utsava_deity_God =
| utsava_deity_Godess=
| facade_direction =
| temple_tank = Haridra Nadhi
| tower =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Kulothunga Chola I]], Later Chola Kings
| website = http://rajagopalaswamytemple.tnhrce.in/
}}

'''Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple''' is a [[Vaishnavite|Vaishnava]] shrine located in the town of [[Mannargudi]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].<ref>Tourist guide to Tamil Nadu 2007 , p. 64.</ref> The presiding deity is [[Rajagopalaswamy]], a form of [[Lord Krishna|Krishna]]. The temple is spread over an area of {{convert|23|acre|m2}} and is an important ''Vaishnava'' shrines in India. The temple is called Dakshina Dvaraka (Southern [[Dvārakā|Dvaraka]]) along with [[Guruvayoor]] by Hindus.<ref name="South">[[#South|South Indian Railway Co., Ltd 2004]], p. 176</ref> It is Considered First among the '''108 [[Abhimana Kshethram]]''' of [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate]] tradition.

Originally this ancient temple was first constructed by [[Kulothunga Chola I]] at 10th century and Chola Kings [[Rajaraja Chola III]], [[Rajendra Chola III]] and later expanded by [[Thanjavur Nayak]]s during the 16th century. The temple has three inscriptions from the period and also mention in the religious texts. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and seven of its nine bodies of water. The temple has a {{convert|192|ft|m|abbr=on}} ''[[gopuram|rajagopuram]]'', the temple's gateway tower. Haridra Nadhi, the [[temple tank]] associated with the temple is outside the temple complex and is considered one of the largest temple tanks in India.

Pundarikakshan is believed to have appeared as [[Krishna]] to sages Gopillar and Gopralayar.

Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Panguni'' (March–April), being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department|Hindu Religious and Endowment Board]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Architecture==
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|image1=Rajagopalaswamy temple4.JPG
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|footer=Image of shrines in the temple
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[[File:Rajagopura of the temple.jpg|thumb|The image of Rajagopuram, the main entrance]]
The history of [[Mannargudi]] in centered around the Rajagoplaswamy temple. The temple has a large [[gopuram]] (gateway tower) facing east with a temple tank in the north eastern direction. The central shrine is located axial to the gateway and the flagpost and approached through a series of pillared halls. The image of the presiding deity is 156 inches tall and sported in a seated posture with his consorts [[Satyabhama]] and [[Rukmini]] on his sides. There is a big tank at the entrance of the shrine where rain water is collected. The temple complex has 16 ''[[gopuram]]s'' (tower gateways), 7 ''[[prakarams]]'' (outer courtyard), 24 shrines, seven ''[[mandap]]ams'' (halls) and nine sacred ''[[theertham]]s'' (temple tanks). The ''[[utsava]]'' (festival deity) is a [[Chola art|bronze]] figure from the [[Chola]] period. It shows ''keshabanda'' type of coiffure and restrained ornamentation, atypical of the Chola bronzes of the 11th century.<ref>[[#T.|T. 2002]], p. 119</ref> The temple tank is called Haridra Nadhi, {{convert|1158|ft|m|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|837|ft|m|abbr=on}} broad ({{convert|23|acre|ha|abbr=on}}), making it one of the largest [[temple tank]]s in India<ref name="South" /><ref name=M>{{cite book|title=15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=M.|first=Rajagopalan|pages=76–88|publisher=Govindaswamy Printers|location=Chennai, India|year=1993}}</ref> The shrine of Sengamalathayar (also called Hemabhujavalli) is located in the second precinct around the sanctum. The temple has a thousand pillared hall.<ref name=A>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|first=Ambujam |last=Anantharaman|pages=58–9|publisher=East West Books (Madras)|year=2006|isbn=978-81-88661-42-8}}</ref>

==History==
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|image1=Rajagopalaswamy temple7.jpg
|image2=Rajagopalaswamy temple8.jpg
|footer=Sculptures in the temple
}}
The originally temple was first constructed by [[Kulothunga Chola I]](1070-1125 A.D.) stone inscription found in the site.<ref name="S.">[[#S.|S. 2009]], pp. 3-7</ref> The place Mannargudi is termed Sri Rajathi Raja Chathurvedhi Mangalam<ref>''Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18, p.159</ref> 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]]<ref name="V.">[[#V.|V. 1995]], pp. 159</ref> expanded the temple. The temple contains inscriptions of the [[Hoysala]] kings and some [[Vijayanagara]] grants, and many records of the later Nayaks and [[Marathas]].<ref>''Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18, p.137</ref> The Thanjavur Nayaks made the temple as their dynastic and primary shrine and made significant additions.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Imperial Frontiers: Building Sacred Space in Sixteenth-Century South India|journal=The Art Bulletin|volume=90|issue=2|jstor=20619601|last=Branfoot|first=Crispin|year=2008|page=185|doi=10.1080/00043079.2008.10786389}}{{Subscription required |via=[[JSTOR]]}}</ref> 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 [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom#Vijaya Raghava Nayak|Vijayaraghava Nayak]](1532-1575 A.D.).<ref name="S." /> ''[[Raghunathabhyudayam]]'', a doctrine by [[Nayak dynasty|Nayaks]] explains the donation of an armour studded with precious stones to the main deity by the king.<ref name="V." /> 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 ''[[Nadhaswaram|Nadhasvaram]]'' were commonly used in the temple service.<ref>[[#T.K.|T.K. 2010]], p. 50</ref>

According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Rangantha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have a systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities as seen in this temple along with the [[Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple]] at Koviladi, [[Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple]] at Thirukoshtiyur, [[Thiruevvul|Veeraraghava Perumal Temple]] at [[Thiruvallur]] and [[Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna|Rangantha temple]] at [[Srirangapatna]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Typology of the Anantaśayī Icon|page=80|jstor=3250291|last=K. V. |first=Soundara Rajan|journal=Artibus Asiae|volume=29|issue=1|year=1967}}</ref>

==Festival==
[[File:Rajagopalaswamy temple11.JPG|250px|left|thumb|Chariot of Rajagopalaswamy temple]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) every day, including festivals. Like other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Vaishnavism|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'' (food offering) 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 the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals.

The major festivals celebrated in the temple are 18-day Panguni Brahmotsavam. During the second day, the enactment of the famous story of [[Krishna]] taking away the dress of bathing females, the females requesting the clothes back and Krishna singing the flute.<ref name="South" /> The festival deity is placed in the ''pinnai'' tree, the branches of which are hung with garments and ornaments.<ref name="South" /> The chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple and the surrounding villages. It is celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of Panguni (March–April); devotees pull a chariot round the streets of Mannargudi. Verses from the ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'' are recited by a group of temple priests and music made with ''[[nagaswaram|nagasvaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''tavil'' (percussion instrument) is played. [[Vaikunta Ekadashi]] during December–January, [[Navarathri]] during September–October and butter pot breaking ceremony (locally called ''uri adi'') are the other festivals celebrated in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite news|title=Sri Rajagopalaswamy Temple|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=354|newspaper=Dinamalar|access-date=2013-05-04}}</ref>

==Religious importance==
Rajagoplaswamy temple has not been glorified by [[Azhwar|Alvar]]s, though it is classified as one of the Abimana Stalas, which are considered holy temples in Vaishnava tradition. [[Thirumangai Azhwar|Thirumangai Alvar]] is believed to have built the tall flag post outside the temple with the help of cotton bales. He also is believed to have sung praises about the presiding deity, but the songs were lost with time. The other Alvars who are believed to have visited the temple at various periods were seemingly lost in memory under the beauty of the presiding deity and were at loss of words.<ref name=A/>

Though Alwars have not glorified this temple, Sri Purandara dasaru, a Kannada Hari dasa, known as Pithamaha of Carnatic music had visited this place and glorified the God by composing a Kannada song " Kande Mannaru Krisha na" and "Mannaru Krishnanege Mangala". He is from Vijaya nagara empire. Even Sri Vijaya Dasaru also has composed song on this God.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{cite book |last=V. |first=Vriddhagirisan |title=Nayaks of Tanjore |year=1995 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0996-4 |ref=V. |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/nayaksoftanjore0000vrid }}
*{{cite book |last=T.K. |first=Venkatasubramanian |title=Music as history in Tamilnadu |year=2010 |publisher=Premium Books |location=Delhi |isbn=978-93-8060-706-1|ref=T.K.}}
* {{cite book|title=Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu|year=2010|publisher=Sura Books|pages=64|isbn=978-81-7478-177-2}}
* {{cite book|title=Power of Passion|pages=3–4|last=S.|first= Manickavasagam|publisher=AEG Publishing Group|year=2009|isbn=978-1-60860-561-3|ref=S.}}
*{{cite book |last=T. |first=Padmaja |title=Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: history, art, and traditions in Tamilnāḍu |year=2002|publisher=Shakti Malik |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7017-398-1|ref=T.}}
*{{cite book |last=South Indian Railway Co., Ltd |title=Illustrated guide to the South Indian Railway (Incorporated in England |year=2002|publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-1889-0|ref=South}}
{{refend}}

{{Tiruvarur district|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Krishna temples]]
[[Category:Abhimana temples of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Vishnu temples in Tiruvarur district]]
[[Category:Dravidian architecture]]
[[Category:Chola architecture]]

Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article