The Ranganathaswamy Temple all Information

The Ranganathaswamy Temple is located in a district of Karnataka i.e. Mandya. This temple is dedicated to the hindu lord Ranganatha, a manifestation of the God Vishnu. In southern India, there are five sacred sites, and they are together known as Pancharanga Kshetrams. This temple is one of the five significant pilgrimage sites for the devotees of Ranganatha. The town in which this temple is located is named Srirangapatna, and it has derived its name from this temple. This town is located on an island in the river Kaveri.

Architecture of Temple

There is a tower over the entrance gate of the temple, and along with this are two large concentric rectangular enclosures,that are around its perimeter. The main structure of the temple is vestibule hall and a front hall which, is also called mukhamantapa. The roof of this hall is decorated with a garland of miniature decorative towers,and its niche contains stucco images of God Vishnu.

There is an image of God Vishnu in the sanctum reclines on the coils of the snake Adisesha, under a canopy formed by the snake’s seven hoods with Lakshmi at his feet. There are other smaller shrines that are dedicated to an avatar of Lord Vishnu known as Narasimha, Gopalakrishna, and Srinivas all of these are the manifestation of Vishnu. The temple hosts the shrines for Hanuman, Garuda, and the Alwar Saints.

How to reach

The nearest airport is Bangalore. Mandya is about 125 km away from Bangalore and 15 km away from Mysore. There are number of state run buses that provide facilities to reach Mandya from Bangalore.
The closest railway station is Mysore. Srirangapatnam is on the way to Bangalore, and it lies on Bangalore Mysore state highway.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit this temple is between July and September, during the monsoons. The sight of river Kaveri is the must have experience at this time as the river gushes with all its might.
Weather in October and December is also quite pleasant for exploring the sites during winters.

Few tips

There is no entry fee in this temple.
The temple is mostly crowded in the weekend. The temple is visited by devotees all around the year.
Garlands, flowers, and other offerings are easily available outside the temple complex.
Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the temple.
There is a facility of parking for the visitors.

Main celebrations in Temple

Sriranga Jayanti: This day is celebrated on seventh day of Vaisakh Shuddhi. On this day the idol of Sri Ranganathaswamy was installed here.
Magha Sudha Poornima: Magha is the full moon day. Taking a bath in the river Kaveri is considered to be very auspicious on this day.
Navaratri: For 9 days special poojas, homas etc are performed. A procession of Sri Ranganathaswamy is taken on the main road on the day of Ayudha Pooja Day, and the festival is concluded by performing pooja for the shammi tree in front of the temple.