The visit to this Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple at Kannambadi,
in Mandya District, Karnataka, was a part of “Kodagu Heritage Heritage walk”,
from 22nd to 24th May 2026, organised by “எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு”. The temple is a reconstructed temple, shifted
from the Krishnarajasagar Dam.
Moolavar : Sri Venugopala Swamy
Consort : Sri Rukmini and Satyabhama
Some of the Salient
features of this temple are…
The temple faces east,
with an entrance mandapa. The mandapa has a pyramidal type of vimana. A
stone chariot is on the left side, before the east side entrance. A monolithic stone Garuda sthambha is immediately after the east side main entrance /
mahadwara. Moolavar Venugopala Swamy is in the form of Krishna playing the flute as a herder under an Honne tree.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple was built in the Dravidian and Chalukyan styles. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum,
antarala, navranga mandapam/ ardha mandapam, maha mandapam, and an open mukha
mandapam. The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram on
a raised platform. The vimana is of two tiers with greevam and sigaram. The
vimana tala nasi is extended up to the antarala. No images are found on the
koshtas and vimana.
The complex was a symmetrical
structure enclosed by two "prakaras". The outer entrance, or the
Mahadwara, had verandas on both sides with a Yagasala and a kitchen. This was
enclosed by the second entrance/ mahadwara, which led to the inner prahara and
was similar to the Somnathpur temple. The open mukha mandapam pillars lathe
turned pillars.
The original temple had
46 shrines - 17 on the north and south sides each, 12 on the west, and 17 on the
north on the inner prahara, which was embellished with 24 murtis and 10 avatars
of Lord Vishnu besides the figures of Brahma, Saraswati, Harihara, Hayagriva,
Jalasayana (Jalasayana Naraya is the image of Vishnu in a reclining posture on
water), Ashta Lakshmis, Munis, and
sages.
The monolithic pillar, after the east side entrance base, has Vinayagar and Rishabham images. The top of
the pillar has the image of a peacock.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
This temple is an
example of Hoysala architecture in Karnataka, built in the 12th century CE
around the same time as the Chennakesava Temple at Somanathapura, Mysore
District.
When the KRS dam was
conceived in 1909, the Venugopala Swamy temple complex and 2 other temples, namely Kenneshwara (Ishwara) temple and Kalamma Temple, had to be abandoned. But
some villages, which include Kannambadi, were shifted to the present location. By
1930, the first phase of the dam was completed, and all three temples were
submerged. By 1930, the entire erstwhile village of Kannambadi was completely
buried underwater. However, the temple would resurface whenever the water
levels in the reservoir dropped, typically during drought years. This was most
evident around the year 2000. For more than 70 years, the temple lay underwater,
when the Khoday Foundation, under the guidance of liquor baron and
philanthropist Mr Sri Hari Khoday, took up the task of relocating and restoring
the temple. Initially, it was decided to shift the temple to Madhuvana, the centre of
the city; due to the Kannambadi villagers' protest, planned to shift to the present
location of Hosa Kannambadi.
After getting
permission from the Government to relocate the temple to the present
location. The whole temple was
photographed (nearly 16000 photographs), and the stones were numbered. With the
opinion and guidance of experts from Tamil Nadu, the temple was dismantled,
brought to the site, and stored in the open sky. With the help of Trained masons,
sculptors, and artisans were engaged for the reconstruction of the present temple. Except for the original idols of Sree Venugopala Swamy and the Krishna playing the flute,
all other damaged and missing Idols were made new and replaced. The
reconstruction was completed and consecrated in 2011.
Ref:
LEGENDS
There is no formal mythological tale/ stories/ puranas
directly connected to Sri Venugopala Swamy of this temple. There are some local
tales, and some miracles happened to the devotees.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from Mangala aarti,
Madhyana Poojas, evening Deepa aarti, special poojas are conducted on Krishna
Janmashtami, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Gokulashtami, Radhashtami, and the festivals related to Sri Krishna.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be
kept open from 6.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and from 16.30 hrs to 20.03 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
HOW TO REACH
The temple is on the eastern
side of the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, 7.3 km from the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam,
9 km from the Brindavan Gardens, 27 km from Mysuru Railway Station, and 145 km
from Bangalore.
The nearest Railway
Station is Mysuru.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:
CLICK HERE
Stone Chariot
Krishnarajasagar dam
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
