The Rajagopala Swami temple in Mannargudi is one of the famous Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu. Traditionally known as Dakshina Dwaraka (Dwaraka of the South), Champakaranyam (forest of Champaka trees) and Rajamannargudi, inscriptions mention its name as Rajadhiraja Chaturvedimangalam, after Rajadhiraja Chola I (1018-1054 CE). Chaturvedimangalam indicates that it was peopled by scholars in the four Vedas. The Cholas contributed much to this temple but it was during the era of the Nayak kings, who were ardent worshippers of this deity, especially Vijayaraghava Nayak (1634-1673) also called Mannarudasa, that it became a grand temple complex.
The presiding deity Vasudeva Perumal is a huge image with Goddess Sri Devi and Bhu Devi on either side. The temple takes its name from the beautiful processional deity (Utsava-murti) of Krishna worshipped as Rajagopala Svami (Srividya Rajagopala Svami) flanked by Rukmini and Satyabhama. He holds a whip in the right hand and is in the pose of leaning on a cow with the left hand. He wears two different earrings, has a bunch of keys tucked in at waist level and is adorned with one piece of cloth (Eka-vastra-dhari). Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as Champakalakshmi (Senkamalavalli Thayar) in a separate sanctum in front of which is a rare image of Garudi.
The towering entrance gopuram of the Nayak era is about 154 feet high, in eleven tiers and has geometric designs as decoration upto the sixth storey, with the upper tiers studded with images of deities. Near this gopuram is a tall monolithic pillar (stambha) with Garuda atop, also belonging to the Nayak times. This temple has seven enclosures (prakarams) and its huge walls are regognised in the Tamil saying Mannargudi Madi Azhagu (the walls of Mannargudi are beautiful). This town is known for its large temple-tank (pushkarini) called Haridra Nadi covering an area of approximately 25 acres, probably the largest one in India. The famous music composer Muthusvami Dikshitar (1775-1835) has composed songs about Rajagopala Svami.
Annual festival
The Brahmotsavam is for eighteen days in the Tamil month of Panguni
Original name
The temple was once called Kulottunga Chola Vinnagaram
Chithra Madhavan
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The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture