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{{short description|Hindu temple near Krishna Raja Sagara, Karnataka, India}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Venugopala Swamy Temple
| image = Venugopalaswamy temple Entrance.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Entrance to the temple complex
| map_type = India Karnataka
| map_caption = Location within Karnataka
| coordinates = {{coord|12|26|40|N|76|34|04|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Karnataka]]
| district = [[Mandya district|Mandya]]
|Status = [[Closed due to Corona pandemic]]
| locale = Hosa Kannambadi, Near [[Krishna Raja Sagara]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Lord Krishna]]
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Hoysala architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = 12th Century AD (originally)
Restoration and relocation began 2002
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Venugopala Swamy Temple''' located at Hosa Kannambadi, near [[Krishna Raja Sagara]], is an example of [[Hoysala architecture]] in [[Karnataka]], [[India]]. This temple was built in the 12th century AD around the same time as the [[Chennakesava Temple]] at [[Somanathapura]], Mysore district.
[[File:Venugopala map.png|thumb|left|Map showing the temple and the original site]]

== Original location ==

Before the [[Krishna Raja Sagara]] dam project was conceived by [[Visvesvaraya|Sir M.Visvesvaraya]] in 1909, the temple complex was located in the village of Kannambadi. The KRS Dam project meant that Kannambadi and other surrounding settlements would be submerged. The then king of Mysore, [[Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV]] ordered the construction of a new village for the residents of [[Kannambadi]] and aptly named it Hosa Kannambadi (New Kannambadi).<ref>{{cite web|title=Venugopalaswamy Temple|url=http://mysore.ind.in/venugopalaswamy-temple}}</ref>

However, the Venugopala Swamy temple complex and 2 other temples namely Kenneshwara (Ishwara) temple and Kalamma (A local deity) temple had to be abandoned.
By 1930, the first phase of the dam was completed and all three temples were submerged.<ref name="MysoreSamachar.com">{{cite web|title=Relocation of Krishnarajasagar Venugopalaswamy Temple|url=http://www.mysoresamachar.com/venu_temple.htm|publisher=MysoreSamachar.com}}</ref>

The main idol of Venugopalaswamy, Lord Krishna playing on flute as a cow-herd, was shifted to a new temple in the rehabilitated village before the submersion.<ref name="One India News">{{cite web|title=Submerged temple's reincarnation almost complete|url=http://news.oneindia.in/2007/03/04/submerge-temple-reincarnation-almost-complete.html|publisher=One India News}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
[[File:Venugopalaswamy temple (Side).jpg|thumb|right|The temple complex at its relocated site]]
The original temple complex was massive, with an area of around {{convert|50|acre}} {{convert|100|x|60|yd}}.<ref name="One India News"/>

The complex was a symmetrical building enclosed by two 'prakaras' and the outer gate (Mahadwara) had verandahs on both sides, flanked by the yagasala and the kitchen. This was enclosed by the second mahadwara, which led to the inner enclosure and was akin to the [[Somanathapura]] temple.

The temple had a [[garbhagriha]] (sanctum sanctorum), a vestibule, a middle hall and a mukhya mantapa (main hall). The cell opposite to the entrance had a figure of Kesava (Lord [[Krishna]]) and the south cell, containing the figure of Gopalakrishna, was a later addition<ref name="One India News"/>

== Submersion and restoration ==

When the [[Krishna Raja Sagara|KRS]] dam was conceived in 1909, the temple was condemned for submersion. By 1930, the entire erstwhile village of Kannambadi was completely buried underwater.
However, the temple would resurface whenever the water levels in the reservoir dropped, typically during drought years. This was most evident around the year 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sri Venugopalaswamy Temple reconstruction in progress near KRS|url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/Deccanherald/may042004/d19.asp|publisher=DHNS Mysore}}</ref>

For more than 70 years the temple lay underwater, when the Khoday Foundation under the guidance of liquor baron and philanthropist Mr. Sri Hari Khoday took up the task of relocating and restoring the temple.
It was initially planned to shift the entire complex to Madhuvana Park in [[Mysore]]. However, protests from the villagers of Hosa Kannambadi convinced the foundation to shift it to a place near the rehabilitated village.
The cost of the project was estimated to be around {{Indian Rupee}} 2.5 crore.<ref>{{cite web|title=Liquor baron Khoday Kick-starts KRS temple shifting|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/khoday.htm|publisher=OurKarnataka.Com}}</ref>

The new site is about one km to the north of the original site; the backwaters would touch the outer walls of the temple if the water level of the KRS touched 124.80 ft, its maximum capacity.<ref name="MysoreSamachar.com"/> It is 9 km by road from [[Brindavan Gardens]].

The in-house architects of the group had shot the original temple on video, taken over 16,000 photographs, and marked each and every slab used in the construction of the original temple.<ref>{{cite web|title=Restoration of Gopalakrishna Temple under way|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/12/stories/2004021208600300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040311103858/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/12/stories/2004021208600300.htm|url-status=dead|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2004-02-12|archive-date=2004-03-11}}</ref>
Each and every temple stone was removed and reconstructed at Hosa Kannambadi with trained artisans and sculptors, with half a dozen experts from Tamil Nadu also involved in the reconstruction.<ref name="MysoreSamachar.com"/>

As of December 2011, the temple restoration has been completed, but is awaiting an official inauguration. It however has become a tourist hotspot considering its tale of submersion and relocation.<ref>{{cite web|title=For the offbeat traveller|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-districtplus/article2702440.ece|publisher=The Hindu}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery caption="Venugopalaswamy Temple Gallery">

File:Venugopalaswamy temple inscription.jpg|An inscription written in [[Old Kannada|halegannada]] seen at the entrance
File:Outer wall of the Venugopalaswamy temple.jpg|Outer wall of the Venugopalaswamy temple
File:Venugopalaswamy temple East.jpg|Entrance to the complex from the East
File:Venugopalaswamy temple East side.jpg|A View of the KRS reservoir from the temple entrance
File:Deepa Sthambha.jpg|Deepa Sthambha (Lamp Post) used to light up the entrance at night
File:Structure of the Venugopalaswamy temple.jpg|Typical Hoysala architecture of the Venugopalaswamy temple
File:Venugopalaswamy temple Gopura.jpg|Venugopalaswamy temple Gopura
File:Venu Gopala Swamy Temple.jpg|Venu Gopala Swamy Temple from the front
File:Venugopala swamy temple front.jpg|Venu Gopala Swamy Temple from the front
File:Sunset overlooking KRS.jpg|Sunset overlooking Krishna Raja Sagara as seen from the Venugopala Swamy temple
</gallery>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}

{{Hindu temples in Karnataka}}

[[Category:Submerged places]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Mandya district]]
[[Category:13th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Karnataka]]

Venugopala Swamy Temple - Revision history

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