Srirangapatna

On the banks of river Kaveri lies this magnificent temple that is dedicated to Ranganatha Swami, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The intricate designs of this temple can make the modern age designers shy. The foundation of this temple is believed to have been laid in 984 A.D. by a local known as Tirumalaiah. The temple gained fame when the city was ruled by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana. The king's who followed gave this temple their touch which makes it look like what it is today.


The main attraction of this temple is the huge Lord Vishnu idol. The idol represents Lord Vishnu in his yog nidra ( sleeping position) on a coiled five headed snake. There are very few temples in India that have idols of Lord Vishnu in this position.

Mobile phones were not allowed inside the inner sanctum, so I could not click pictures of the huge idol that is completely carved in one single black stone and is many centuries old.

The temple is very huge and one can get easily lost of there are no exit signs. The interior of the temple has some delicate inscriptions on the walls in the language that no one with me could understand. There were also designs of fish and birds which surely meant something.

The temple is located away from the hustle bustle of city life. History loves must visit this temple that is located around 30 kilometers away from Mysore in Karnataka.