Raja Gopalaswamy Temple

Overview

Tanjore region is popular as 'Koil Paathi, Kulam Paathi' and this proverbial saying connected into Mannargudi. Arranged southeast of Tanjore it has transport offices associating Tanjore and Kumbhakonam. Mannargudi is the vault of all the collected patterns of abundance, of ripeness of soil, water assets, instructive offices and social headway. Gudi in Telugu implies temple. As Raja mannar, viz. Rajagopalan stays in this temple, it is understood as Rajamannargudi. It is to be sure extraordinary that in a few cases in Tamil Nadu, why, in the whole nation, we can run over with the temple's name shaping piece of the town's classification. Sri Rajagopalaswamy is pre-prominent among the Vaishnavite sanctuaries of Tanjore area. Mannargudi 'the dirt super' is additionally another well known proverb.

About the Temple

The temple has 16 Towers, 18 Vimanas, 7 prakaras, 7 mandaps and 9 holy springs-therthas. In the 11 level Rajagopuram there are no models up to six stages from the base. All God figures are from the seventh stage just. This is an uncommon and diverse sort of Rajagopuram in Mannargudi. For the magnificence of temple autos Raths-'Ther Azhagu-in Tamil' Tiruvarur remains as exceptional case. For the excellence of temple Compound Wall-'Mathil Azhagu-in Tamil' Mannargudi is numero uno. Theertham Tank is a bit a long way from the temple. This is the spot where sages performed atonement for the darshan of God. This theertha is considered as Jamuna River-Yamuna-and is applauded as Haridra Nadhi. The buoy celebration is praised here on Aani Poornima day in June-July.

A great part of the authentic looks of the temple are Established in a territory of six square sections of land with enormous, sprawling seven circumambulatory ways with sixteen lofty towers and the run of the mill greatness of the stately Rajagopuram towering higher up the ethereal areas up 154 feet; the enrapturing wonder of a sanctuaries tolerates as an uncommon image of incredibleness. A portion of the circumambulatory way like Tiruvunnazhi Prakaram, Garuda prakaram, Champaka prakaram, Kasi prakaram, Nacchiyar prakaram are gigantically roomy and broad and one of a kind in their appearance. The seven unlimited unbelievable lobbies like Vallala Maharaja Mandapam, Thousand-pillared mandapam, Garuda Vahana mandapam, Yanai vahana mandapam, Lattice-window mandapa (Palakani mandapa) Butter and pot mandapa-(Vennai thazhi mandapa) Mast – Wood vehicle mandapa (Punnai vahana mandap) add them to the enrapturing pervasive scope of the temple prakaras. There are twenty-four altars including Perumal and Thayar hallowed places in the temple. The pole – wood tree Punnai is the sacrosanct tree of the temple venerated with exceptional commitment as it is devoted particularly to the God. It is situated in the Champaka Prakaram. This kshetra celebrated as Champakaranayam, in there days, possessed large amounts of Champaka plants.

Sri Sengamala Thayar the demonstrating Viralakshmi, blasting like the splendid lotus, cherished by all the celestials, brilliant with an enhancement studded with precious stones at the nose's tip, gifted in fulfilling each one of the objectives on the votaries, the able and capable consort of the evidence of Vishnu, as Sri Vidya Rajagopala, the most fantastic and unparalleled in incredibleness and bid, the sweetheart young lady of Samudra Raja and the gatekeeper and protector of the significant number of universes. Just before Sri Perumal Sannidhi there is a breathtaking Vadya mandapa and norther to it the Uttaramandapa of Vallala Maharaja and the heavenly place of Perarulalan. In this Mahamandapa Sri Perumal widens darsan in the midst of Pakal Pathru along these lines does Sri Thayar in the midst of Brahmotsava. Western to the spot of love of Sri Perumal there is the get together of rest and relief. On the pillars of Vadya mandapam, Achyutappa Nayak, Vijaya Raghava Nayak Rani Champakalakshmi is seen with given way hands. Southern to this mandapa there are dares to voyage by. Higher over the saligrama Anjaneya as blessed at Haridranadi is moreover to be seen.The Garuda Prakara is at the second's passage circumambulatory way. The bronze sentinels, Jaya and Vijaya are seen to be caught up in carefulness. Nritya mandapa of Sri Perumal stands at the Garuda Prakara and Garuda alongside Ulsavamurthy has the places of worship here. It is said there is an underground way here. From the southern piece of the western prakara there are altars for Venugopala, Lakshmi Narasimha, Ananta Padmanabha, Lakshmi Narayana and Gajendra Varada. At the northeastern end there is the place of worship for Vishvaksena and Sutravati Devi. Northern to this there is the mandapa for the silver, gold vehicles to be saved in safe guardianship.

The principal circumambulatory way, Thiruvunnazhi is just before the Perumal holy place there is the Mahamandapa, the Sabha. Every one of the columns there in are set with metal plates. Right to the Thiruvunnazhi Prakara and under the sanctum's roof sanctorum there is Vinayaka altars and in the northern Prakara the holy place of Durga, pretty much as we have in Sri Rangam. At that point we achieve the Arthamandapa of Sri Perumal altar. Inside the sanctum sanctorum the Supreme Deva alongside Sri Devi and Bhudevi, surcharged with the type of Mulavar Paravasudeva and Utsavar Sri Vidya Rajagopala partnered by Sri Rukmini and Sri Satyabhama invests the enduring wavelength of excellence and effortlessness and in the meantime dissipating every one of our pollutes and flaws and giving captivatingly formal and entrancing darsan to the votaries.

About the Deity

Sri Rajagopala is a type of God Vishnu's seventh symbol Sri Krishna. Sri Rajagopala is designed with the quills of peacock at the locks of hair dressed as a loop, with the brilliant tilaka of musk brightening at the brow, with single ear-ring in one ear and a kundala at the other, stunning with the moon light of a grin in the midst of the bud like pink lips decorated with various ornamentsw, enhanced with fragrant shoe glue, holding the brilliant bar of the whip, getting a charge out of the adored organization of Gopis, holding the lotus in the left hand, situated on the throne studded with Navaratna pearls and having Champakaranya as the changeless house.

Legend and Stories

At the point when barbarous Kamsa put his own particular sister Devaki and her spouse Vasudeva in jail, God Vishnu showed up before them and guaranteed that He would be destined to them. This is His first Leela-perfect play Krishna Leela. He showed up as Vaasudeva to Gopilar and Gopiralayar then. His life in Gokulam as a shepherd was the 32nd Leela. In view of these occasions, the managing divinity is Vaasudeva and parade god as Rajagopala. While opening the Vaasudeva altar in the morning, Gopuja-dairy animals puja and Gaja puja-puja to elephant are performed. Parade divinity is likewise called Rajamannar, subsequently the place's name Mannargudi. Rajagopala Swami shows up as a shepherd in basic clothing utilizing it additionally as a turban and wearing all the youngster adornments. There are likewise a bovine and two calves with Him. Kamsa drew in a wild elephant named Kuvalaya Peetam to murder Balarama. God Krishna slaughtered that elephant. Recalling the occasion, God is holding a tusk in His left hand. God Krishna masterminded an opposition among the Gopikas showering in Yamuna River. The challenge was that they ought to dress legitimately and wear the gems after the shower. One Gopika couldn't discover one of her ear ring. They discovered it finally in the ear of Krishna and were energized with delight to see its magnificence in His ears. In light of this occasion, God in the temple has a Thadanga-ear ring in one ear and Kundalam-ring in the other. Milk is the principle nivedhana for God. This is given as Prasad too. As in Madurai Kallazhagar temple, Dosa is the nivedhana here just in night pujas. 18 day Brahmmotsavam is praised in the month of Panguni-March-April. 18 has a noteworthiness in God Krishna's Avtar life. Length of time of Kurukshtra war was 18 days. Srimad Bhagwat Gita has 18 parts in the unfading Mahabharata epic. This is a celebrated celebration in the temple. God shows up in 32 sorts of Aalankaras speaking to His 32 Leelas. The Butter Pot celebration is praised on the sixteenth day when God comes in parade as slithering infant with margarine close by. That is likewise offered as nivedhana. After the Alankara, when God goes to a mandap in the spot, individuals toss jelly bellies. He comes back to the temple in Horse vahan at night. Amid this celebration, God likewise shows up as Sri Andal, on double dealing feathered creature named Kanda Peranda Pakshi and as Sri Rama wearing stark on the Pancha Mukha Anjaneya vahan. Mother Sengamala Thayar favors the devotees from a different place of worship. Extraordinary Tirumanjanam is performed to Her on Poosa Star day-Mother's introduction to the world star. On the fourth day of Thai month-January-God and Mother seems together on a solitary throne. Garuda is in female structure before Mother's place of worship. Those confronting issues in marriage and worried with the welfare of kids, light ghee lights to Garuda. In spite of the fact that this is a Perumal Temple, Maya, conceived before Krishna is favoring here as Durga in the Vaasudeva Perumal ghoshta. Uncommon pujas are performed here at Rahukalam time. Aficionados tie supports here looking for tyke shelter.

Rare Facts

God Krishna shows up as a shepherd kid with a whip close by and a turban on the head, and is seen wearing a dhoti. He has spread on the right hand, a decoration around the hip, a pack of keys, bangles close by and gems of kids. There is a bovine and two calves close by. Kamsa, his maternal uncle who kept his sister Devaki, Krishna's mom, sent his imperial elephant Kuvalayapeetam to murder Balarama, Krishna's more established sibling. God Krishna, as a kid executed the elephant breaking its tusks. As a source of perspective to this scene, the God is holding the tusk in His left hand. God Rajagopala shows up with an ear ring (Thadanga) on the left ear and a round ear ring on the left has a story. Once, the Gopikas were showering in stream Yamuna. Krishna let them know that they ought to get their dresses and trimmings effectively after the shower. One Gopi was not ready to discover one of her ear rings and was essentially scanning for it. She discovered the same in the God's ear and was extremely cheerful to see Him great looking with her ear ring. Milk is offered as Nivedhana to God in the temple. As in the Madurai Kallazhagar temple, Dosa is offered as Nivedhana in night pujas.

Significance

For general prosperity and for shelter, this temple is approached. In the Mahabharata, Pulastya tells Bheeshma that anyone staying for a night at MannarKoil earns the merit of having gifted a 1000 cows, such is the significance of this place.

Pooja Details

Vishwaroopam 6am, Thiruvananthal 7am, Kaalai Santhi Poojai-9am, Uchi Kalam-12noon
Thirumalai Purapadu- 6pm, SayaRakshai-7pm, Irandam Kalam Poojai-8pm, Artha Jamam-830pm

Prasad & Offering

It is the staunch faith of the devotees that prayers to Lord Rajagopalar-Vaasudeva would bless them with prosperity in life, happy wedding, removal of adverse aspects on children, health of cattle and all happiness. Devotees perform Tirumanjanam to Lord and Mother and donate cows.

Festival

Brahmmotsavam in Panguni (March-April), Summer festival in Chithirai – Vaikasi (April to June), Aadi Pooram (July-August), Navarathri in Purattasi (September-October), Oonjal festival for Rajagopalaswami in Masi (February-March) are the festivals grandly celebrated in the temple.

Nearby Temple

Ponvaithanaathar
Swarnapureeswarar
Padaleswarar
Satchinathar
Sarguna Nathar
Kaichinneswarar

Accessibility

The temple is in the heart of Mannargudi town 28 km from Tiruvarur. The nearest railway station is Tiruvarur, and the nearest airport is in Trichy.

Temple Address

Rajagopalaswamy Temple,
Mannargudi, Tiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu,
India, Pincode - 614001.