Sri Rajagopalaswamy temple, Mannargudi of TN: Dakshina Dwaraka south of the Vindhya

 Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple (normally known as Rajagopalaswamy temple an important Vaishnava temple that graces the town of Mannargudi in Tamil nadu. Centuries ago according to temple records, Mannargudi  was called Sri Rajathi Rajah Chaturvedi Mangalam, a small settlement around the temple patronized by various ruling dynasties

Rajagopalaswamy temple Mannargudi oneindia.com

 Rajagopalaswamy templeMannargudi,TN
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Above image:Raja Gopuram of Rajagopalaswamy Gopuram, Mannargudi, TN  image: Harizen 20 156 ft tall.

Rajagopalaswamy temple, Mannargudi, THupload.wikimedia.org

Above image: Rajagopalaswamy temple of Mannargudi. temple within the enclosure of tall granite wall all around, View the various towers (gopurams)

.Mannargudi Aadi Pura Therrottam,TN dreamstime.com/

Revered as Dakshina Dwaraka,the presiding deity, Rajagopalaswamy, a form of Krishna, is enshrined alongside his consorts, Satyabhama and Rukmini. The temple, steeped in history, was initially constructed by Kulothunga Chola I in the 10th century and subsequently expanded by Chola kings like Rajaraja Chola III and Rajendra Chola III, and later by the Thanjavur Nayaks during the 16th century.  The main shrine houses a 156-inch tall image of Rajagopalaswamy in a seated posture. The temple's utsava deity, is a fascinating, displaying Chola-era bronze idol, a unique keshabananda coiffure and restrained ornamentation. This type of vigraham (idol), according to historians, was typical of 11th century Chola regions of Thanjavur and its neighboring places.  There are man inscriptions including those from the Hoysala dynasty (now Karnataka).  The Hindu (dated August 20, 2010) stated,  ''staying here for just a night earns the merit of having gifted a 1,000 cows and a story that dates back to the Krishna Avatar – all this makes the ancient Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannargudi a perfect Vaishnavite temple''.

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Above image: The small idol of Sri Rajagopalaswamy temple, Mannargudi, TH. The childless couples come here for special puja and are asked to hold the idol of Santhana Gopalan when the Bhattacharya is chanting the right mantra so that they twill  be blessed with a child. Many of them come back after the birth of a baby to express their gratitude. This tradition has been around here for decades .......

The temple has a separate sannidhi/shrine for  goddess Sengamala Thayar in sitting posture on a lotus with  Garuda in female form(Suparni). A rare feature here is Maya worshipped as Vishnu Duga (born before Sri Krishna and escaped from demon ruler Kamsa)

The thousand-pillared hall showcases architectural splendor of the past era.  The temple's history is chronicled in inscriptions from the Chola, Hoysala, Vijayanagara, Thanjavur Nayak, and Maratha periods, reflecting its enduring significance. One of the temple tanks called Haridra Nadhi is one the largest temple tanks associated with the Hindu temples in India.

The temple conducts daily rituals and annual festivals, and the main festival is the 18-day long  Panguni Brahmotsavam, along with the chariot festival, drawing large crowds from far and wide.   Though not glorified by Azhwars (they never performed Mangalasasanam here), the temple holds a special place in Vaishnava tradition, and is mentioned in the works of Sri Purandara dasaru and Sri Vijaya Dasaru. Legend has it  that Thirumangai Azhwar, a holy saint,  did come to this temple, He came up to the entrance, lifted the dwajasthambam (flag post) lying on the floor and went away, not glorifying the lord. No explanation was given for his act. 

Indiari dasa, the Pitamaha of Carnatic music, had visited this place and glorified the God by composing a Kannada song " Kande Mannaru Krisha na" and "Mannaru Krishnanege Mangala". He is from Vijayanagara empire. 

The temple is under the  control of HR and CE  the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu

https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/Dwaraka-south-of-Vindyas/article16138741.ece

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajagopalaswamy_Temple,_Mannargudi