Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Manimangalam, Kanchipuram
Rajagopalaswamy
Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu located at Manimangalam Village in
Kanchipuram District of Tamilnadu. This 1000year old Rajagopalaswamy temple in
Manimangalam housed on a 1 ¼ acre area, about 12kms West of Tambaram, a temple
whose construction dates back to the Chola period and one that is abound with
rich stone inscriptions providing us with insights into the glory of this
temple. Chola Rulers including Kulothunga I, Vikrama Chola Deva and Raja
Raja contributed immensely to the upkeep of the temple but the temple now
craves for attention.
This
temple is a Parikara Sthalam for getting back one's eye sight. Manimangalam is
the birthplace of Sri Ramanuja. The presiding deity at this ancient temple is
Sri Rajagopalar, who is seen in a standing posture facing east, with his
consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. There is a separate shrine for Sengamalavalli
Thayar. A peculiarity of the deity here is that he holds the conch in his right
hand and the Sudarsana Chakram in his left hand. The temple is located near the
Manimangalam bus stop.
History
The
earliest references to Manimangalam are in relation to a battle fought between
the Western Chalukya ruler Pulikesin
II and the Pallava King Narasimhavarman
I. This fact is mentioned in the copper plates discovered
at Kooram. Kalki has written about the Manimangalam battle in Sivagamiyin
Sabatham. He describes how Mahendra Varma Pallava was injured in the battle at
Manimangalam, and how his son Narasimha Varma Pallava and his trusted
lieutenant Paranjothi vanquished Pulikesin's army.
The
Rajagopala Perumal is one of three Vishnu temples in the town and was
constructed by the Medieval
Cholas. The earliest
inscriptions mentioning the temple are by Rajendra
Chola I and have been dated
to 1056 CE. Rajendra Chola I refer to the temple
as Kamakoti-Vinnagar and Thiruvaykulam.
The
Temple
The
presiding deity at this ancient temple is Sri Rajagopalar, who is seen in a
standing posture facing east, with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. There is
a separate shrine for Sengamalavalli Thayar. A peculiarity of the deity here is
that he holds the conch in his right hand and the Sudarsana Chakram in his left
hand. His lower right hand is in the Abhaya Hasta mudra and he holds the mace
in his lower left hand. This is also a temple that Ramanuja is believed to have
visited. Inscriptions of 11th century and 12th century CE are found in the
temple.
All the
three Vimanas of the temple are extremely attractive. The temple covers an area
of around 1.25 acres and looks very big with a lot of open space around the
sanctum. The east facing sanctum enshrines more than 7 feet tall gigantic idol
of Raja Gopala Swami. His idol is very beautiful. The Utsava idols of Raja
Gopala Swami with his two consorts, Chenkamala Valli and Andal are all found
together in the sanctum. The inner prakara is something very interesting and no
one should miss this.
Generally,
the exterior walls of Vishnu temple do not have niche (called as Koshta in
Sanskrit) idols similar to the temples of Lord Shiva. Hardly one or two niche
idols are found in few Vishnu temples. However, in this temple, there are five
Koshta idols found on the exterior walls of the sanctum. Ganesha, Chakra
Prayoga Murti, another Chakra Prayoga Murti, Paramapada Nathar and Durga are
found as the niche idols. Interestingly, it is unique to find Ganesh and Durga
as the Koshta idols in a Vishnu temple.
The miniature
carvings of Dakshinamurti, Nardana Krishna, Yoga Narasimha, Kalinga Nardana
Krishna and a Vishnu seated in Padmasana posture are found above all these
niche images. Interestingly, even the miniature relief image of Vishnu also
holds conch in his right arm similar to the presiding deity. Dakshinamurti is
not found inside any other Vishnu temple but only on Vimanas. It is another
unique feature of the temple. A sculpture of Hanuman is also found inside the
inner prakara.
The maha
mandapam area has beautiful pillars in round shapes. The walls have
inscriptions. In Ardha mandapam, there are Utsava idols of few Alwars, Vishwaksenar
and Ramanuja are found. The entire main shrine is situated on an elevated
platform. In the outer prakara, there is a vast open space area. The shrine of
the Goddess Chenkamala Valli and the shrine of Andal are found in the outer
prakara. Both Chenkamala Valli and Andal are very beautiful idols.
The entrances
of both the shrines have the mural paintings. Similarly, the Dvarapalas are
found in the form of mural paintings at the entrance of the main shrine. The
Vimana of Raja Gopala Swami is artistically beautiful. Similarly, the vimanas
of both the shrines of the Goddesses are also very attractive. Garudan sub
shrine, Bali peetham, flag staff and the deepa sthambham are all located facing
towards the main shrine. There is an interesting window gilded with the
sculpture depicting the fight between Vali and Sugriva.
A very
big bell is also found in this temple. The entire temple is surrounded by huge
fort like compound walls. The entrance of the temple has two sculptures of
serpents. Outside the temple, there is a four pillared mandapam and further
exterior to that, there is a sub shrine for Hanuman who faces towards the
entrance of the temple. The temple is located in a typical village atmosphere
and is surrounded by trees and old type tile roof houses with thinnais.
The
processional deity (Utsava murti) of four-armed Vishnu is in the usual pose of
having the chakra in his right hand and sankha in his left, flanked by his two
consorts. The alcove on the outer walls of this sanctum contains beautiful
images of various forms of Vishnu. Interestingly, in most of these sculptures,
Vishnu holds the chakra in the Prayoga position as though he is just about to
release it. In another separate niche by the side of the sanctum is an image of
Vira Anjaneya holding his right hand upraised and his left hand was holding a
lotus.
There
are no vahanams in the temple except for the Garuda vahanam. The vacant land
inside the temple on either side of the main Sannidhi has been let out on lease
and lessee had planted aubergine saplings in neat rows. The utsavamurtis of the
Vaikuntanatha temple are kept in the Rajagopala temple for safety reasons. The
architectural craftsmanship of the ancient artists is revealed from the
wonderful carvings and artistic trappings that adorn the temple and the images
in temple.
In front
of the main sanctum there is erected a mandapa with pillars of the Chola age
which indicates that this mandapa as also many of the other structures in this
temple-complex were constructed in the reign of the Imperial Chola kings of Thanjavur
(9th-13th centuries A.D.), who ruled over this area and gave numerous grants
for the maintenance of this temple.
Inscriptions
The
temple is abound with inscriptions in Tamil and Sanskrit earliest of which
dates back to the 11th Century AD and continued to find updates of contribution
to the temple with the passing of each century. On the South wall of the
central shrine of this temple is an inscription in Sanskrit that records a
grant made to Lord Rajagopalaswamy. A Tamil inscription on the same wall
records a sale of 4000 Kuli of land. Another inscription dating back to Chola
Raja Raja I records a gift made by members of the Mahasabha to this temple.
On the
North and West walls of the temple, inscriptions indicate gifts provided for
the offerings and expenses of worship of the temple by making 3200kuli of land.
An 1118AD inscription records a grand of 4450kuli of land. A few more
inscriptions dating to 12th Century AD and to the period of Kulothunga I
registers gift of land to the temple as well as the grant of land for providing
offerings to the temple.
Two
inscriptions on the west wall of the temple relating to Vikrama Chola Deva, in
his 13th year of reign, and again to the 12th Century AD, provide us insights
into the purchases of land for the offerings at the temple. A 1154AD
inscription in Tamil on the outside of the East wall of the inner prakara
records a donation of tax free lands to the temple for sacred
offerings. Inscriptions on the North and East Walls dating to 1198AD
record gifts of four lamps for the temple.
Inscriptions
dating to 13th Century AD and to the rule of Raja Raja II/III record
resolutions relating to gifts for the deity. Another interesting inscription of
1229AD and to the rule of Raja Raja III talks about payments into the treasury
for maintaining the Sannidhi lamps. On the South wall in Tamil is an
inscription dating to the rule of Jatavarman Sundara Pandya that records the sale
by a devotee of a Pattam to be worn by the deity. Inscriptions also indicate
gifts of several lamps by devotees and also gift of gold to support the
continuous burning of the lamps.
Temple
Opening Time
The
temple is open in the morning from 6.30 to 10.30 and in the evening from 3.30
to 7.00.
Festivals
·
Vaikunta
Ekadasi
·
Purattasi
Saturdays
Contact
Rajagopalaswamy
Temple,
Manimangalam
– 601 301,
Kanchipuram
District
Mobile: +91- 98413 63991
/ 88707 25799
Connectivity
Rajagopala
Perumal Temple is a Hindu
temple located at Manimangalam, near Tambaram, a suburb of Chennai. The temple is about 12 kms from Tambaram on the
Mudichur road and 5 kms from Vandalur on the Sriperumpudur highway. One can
take the Tambaram - Sriperumpudur bus (route numbers: 55N, 80, 583C, 583D) to
reach the temple.
References
