Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy-Vaduvur-Alangudi

13 December 2017: Left Kumbakonam around 8.45 am towards Mannargudi via Needamangalam (22 Kms from Kumbakonam) which is a huge railway junction. We had to wait at the Railway crossing for around 15 minutes. From Needamangalam there is a diversion of 14 Kms to travel to Mannargudi.

Rajagopalaswamy temple is a Vaishnavite shrine located in the town of Mannargudi.  The presiding deity is Rajagopalaswamy a form of Lord Krishna. The temple is spread over an area of 23 acres (93,000 m²) and is one of the important Vaishnavite shrines in India. The temple has a 192 ft (59 m) Rajagopuram the temple's gateway tower. Haridra Nadhi, the temple associated with the temple is outside the temple complex and is considered one of the largest temple tanks in India.

Sanctums: Moolavar: Vasudevaperumal, Utsavar: Rajagopalaswamy, Amman: Sengamala Thayar.

The Temple Chariot

The massive Rajagopuram

The sprawling colonnaded entrance corridor

Haridra Nadi

Rajagopalaswamy

The Temple elephant Sengamalam

Dont I have a pretty tuft of hair ?

From Mannargudi we motored towards Vaduvur Kothandaramar Temple a distance of 15 Kms. A young priest was carrying out the morning pujas for Moolavar. A smart, well informed and articulate priest who went to great lengths to explain the history & legends associated with this temple. He even permitted us to take pictures of the Utsavar Moorthy.You can see below Lord Sri Rama along with his consort Seetha devi and brother Lakshman. Dont they all so serene and divine.Lord Ramas beuatiful smile is bewitching & enchanting to behold. You can see Anjaneya Swamy to thr right. This temple is also known as Dakshina Ayodhya.

 

Kothandaramar - holding the powerful and invincible Kodanda Bow

From Vaduvur we took a shorter route directly to Needamangalam and travelled back on Kumbakonam road for around 8 Kms. We stopped at Tiru Alangudi for a quick darshan. This temple derives significance for worship of Lord Dakshinamurthy. This is a padal petra sthalam and Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Abathsahayeswarar & Ambal is Tribhuvanayagi.