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{{Short description|Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Ranganatha Perumal Temple
| image = N-TN-C93 Ranganathaswamy Temple Namakkal.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11|13|20|N|78|09|51|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Namakkal district|Namakkal]]
| location = [[Namakkal]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Ranganathaswamy ([[Vishnu]])<br /> ([[Lakshmi]])
| facade_direction =
| temple_tank =
| tower =
| Poets =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian]], [[rock-cut architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Ranganathaswami temple''' in [[Namakkal]], a town in [[Namakkal district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] [[Hindu deities|god]] [[Vishnu]]. The temple is one of the 108 Purana Kshethrams of [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate]] tradition. The temple is constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]] and [[rock-cut architecture]], the temple is located in the Salem–Namakkal–Trichy Road. Based on the architectural features, historians believe that the temple was built during the 6th century by the [[Athiyamān|Adiyamans]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.tnarch.gov.in/Library%20BOOk%20PDF/NAMAKKAL%20CAVES.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031010428/https://www.tnarch.gov.in/Library%20BOOk%20PDF/NAMAKKAL%20CAVES.pdf | archive-date=2020-10-31}}</ref> also called [[Satyaputra]]s as evident from the inscription mentioning the temple as 'Adiyendra Vishnu Gruham' or 'The house of Vishnu of the Adiyaman kings'.<ref name=jstor>{{cite journal|title=Nr̥siṁha Cave Temple at Nāmakkal: Its Iconographical Significance|jstor=29757426|pages=189–194|last=V.G.|first=Rajan|journal=East and West|volume=49|issue=1/4|date=December 1999|publisher=Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO)}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757426 | jstor=29757426 | title=Nr̥siṁha Cave Temple at Nāmakkal: Its Iconographical Significance | last1=Rajan | first1=V. G. | journal=East and West | date=19 February 1999 | volume=49 | issue=1/4 | pages=189–194 }}</ref> This temple plays an important role in history as it has four main [[Sanskrit]] inscriptions dated around 6th century to 8th century CE, and is also used to date another cave temple ([[Narasimhaswamy Temple, Namakkal]]) excavated in the same hill, as that cave temple as no Inscriptions.

==History==
[[File:Ranganathaswamy temple, Namakkal (3).jpg|260px|thumb|left|View of the Temple]]
[[File:Ranganathaswamy temple, Namakkal (2).jpg|260px|thumb|Steps to climb the temple]]

The temple is considered to be built around the 6th and 7th century CE by the [[Satyaputra]] kings in [[rock-cut architecture]].<ref name=oct>{{cite book|title=Southern India: A Guide to Monuments Sites & Museums|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GdBbBAAAQBAJ&dq=namakkal+temple&pg=PT398|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|pages=398–99|year=2013|isbn=9788174369031|last=Michell|first=George}}</ref> P.R. Srinivasan has placed it at 6th century. Most of the historians have compared the temples with similar architectural elements found in [[Badami Caves]] (6th century) and a possible influence. There are few inscriptions in the temple, especially an undated inscription in [[Grantha script|Grantha Characters]] of [[Sanskrit]] in the temple which are similar to the inscriptions in the [[Ganesha Ratha]] in [[Mahabalipuram]]. There are totally four main inscriptions in this '''Ranganatha temple''', the first main inscription mentions it as '''Adiyanatha Vishnu Grham''' by Gunasila King and '''Adiyendra Vishnu Gruham''' which evidently shows that the cave was excavated by the Satyaputra kings, apart from these inscriptions another was discovered, this inscription not only confirms this but also mentions the king's name as ''Gunasila'' (Dated 500 CE to 600 CE). Historians believe it is possible that both the temples were built during the same period.<ref name=jstor1>{{cite journal|title=Sculptures in the Two Rock-Cut Vaiṣṇava Cave Temples of Nāmakkal|jstor=3249275|pages=107–116|last=P.R.|first=Srinivasan|journal=Artibus Asiae|volume=24|issue=2|date=1961|publisher=Artibus Asiae Publishers|doi=10.2307/3249275}}</ref> The sanctum sanctorum is mentioned as '''''Sayanagrham''''' the main [[Hindu deities|deity]] is [[Lord Vishnu]] sleeping in Anantashayana pose, with all the Gods Worshiping him, The inscriptions details the gods like [[Shiva]], [[Brahma]], [[Varuna]], [[Narada]] worshiping Vishnu, there are various rock-cut panels of [[Sri Vaishnavism]] in the temple and 12 birudas of King Gunasila inscribed in this Cave.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/epigraphia-indica/epigraphia-indica-vol-36/page/n209/mode/2up | title=Epigraphia-indica }}</ref> The panels show high architecture which has Thrivikrama, Bala or Kevala Narasimha, Hari Hara. The records of the details of the inscriptions are found in the ''Annual report of Epigraphy -1961''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/epigraphia-indica/epigraphia-indica-vol-36/page/n209/mode/2up | title=Epigraphia-indica }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Namakkal district]]
[[Category:Purana temples of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Hindu cave temples in Tamil Nadu]]

Sri Ranganatha Perumal temple, Namakkal - Revision history

GeorgeGirdleston: Created some location w/ infobox