Melukote in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, is one of the sacred places in Karnataka. The place is also known as Thirunarayanapuram. It is built on rocky hills, known as Yadugiri, Yaadavagiri and Yadushailadeepa, overlooking the Cauvery valley. Melukote is about 51 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore.
Melukote is the location of the Cheluvanarayana
Swamy Temple. On the top of the hill is the temple of Yoganarasimha. Many more
shrines and ponds are located in the town. Melukote is home to the Academy of
Sanskrit Research, which has collected thousands of Vedic and Sanskrit
manuscripts.
Early in the 12th century, the famous Srivaishnava
saint Sri Ramanujacharya, who hailed from Tamil Nadu, stayed at Melukote for
about 12 years. It has thus become a prominent centre of the Srivaishnava sect.
Etimology
The name of the place is derived from the temple of
Narayanaswamy which is built on the hillock, surrounded by a fort. It is built
on a granite rocky hill-range named Yadugiri.
History
In the 12th century, the Srivaishnava saint
Ramanujacharya took up his residence in this location for about 14 years. As a
result it became a prominent centre of Srivaishnavism. Large numbers of Iyengar
Brahmins migrated and settled in the region.
Cheluva-Narayana
Swamy Temple
The principal temple is a square building of large
dimensions. The utsavamurthi, which is a metallic image, represents the
deity who is called Shelvapillai, Cheluva Raya and Cheluvanarayana
Swamy, whose original name appears to have been Ramapriya. It is believed
that this utsavamurthi belonged to and was worshipped by Lord Rama and the
kings of the surya vamsa Dynasty for generations. Later the same deity
was given to a king of Chandra vamsam and was worshipped by Lord Krishna
and many generations.
Legend
According to a legend, this metallic image was lost
for many centuries and was recovered by Sri Ramanujacharya.
The temple is richly endowed, having been under the
special patronage of the Mysore Rajas, and it has an extremely valuable
collection of jewels in its custody. As early as 1614, Maharaja Raja Wodeyar I
(1578–1617) of Mysore, who first acquired Srirangapatna and adopted the
Srivaishnava faith, granted to the temple, and to the Brahmins at Melkote as
custodians of the deity, the large and valuable estate (fiefdom) granted to him
by Vijaynagar emperor Venkatapati Raya. A gold crown set with precious jewels was
presented by Raja Wodeyar I to the temple. This crown is known as the Raja-mudi,
after his name. Krishnaraja Wodeyar III also presented a crown set with
precious jewels. It is known after him as Krishnaraja-mudi. Yet another
crown, known as the Vairamudi or Vajramukuta, which is set with
diamonds and must have been the most expensive of the three, is also older than
both.
Jatra is held annually during March–April and more
than one lakh people congregate for this occasion.
Yoga-Narasimha
Swamy Temple
On the top of the hill is an attractive Melkote
Narasimha temple dedicated to Lord Yoga Narasimha. It is believed that the
image of Yoga Narasimha temple at melkote was installed by Prahlada himself.
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III presented a gold crown to Lord Yoga Narasimha. The
temple infrastructure has a large pond called as Kalyani. There are other
shrines of Ramanuja, images of Alvars and Yadugiriammanavaru etc., in the
temple.
Festivals
Vairamudi Brahmotsava is an annual spiritual event
and festival revered throughout South India. The main event is the procession
of Lord Cheluvanarayana Swamy through the streets of Melkote, which are
decorated in his honour. In the procession the Lord's idol is carried on a
golden garuda, along with idols representing his divine consorts Sridevi and
Bhudevi. The procession takes place at night and continues until dawn. The
festival is named for the legendary diamond studded crown, the Vaira Mudi,
which the Lord only wears during this procession. For the rest of the festival
the Lord wears the Rajamudi, another crown studded with precious stones.
Place of
attraction
Sri Vedavedantha Bodhini Sanskrit College, old
library and the Samskrita Academy are notable literary spots in Melkote.
Melukote has been known for quality handlooms
especially weaving dhoties, sarees, etc. An artisans training centre, a dairy
unit and a residential school are established in the place.
Melkote is also the location of the Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary which is created primarily to house wolves. Other mammals found in this sanctuary include the jungle cat, leopard, bonnet macaque, langur and pangolin.
During Kalyanotsava, the processional deities of the Lord and His consorts come first, with Ramanuja’s image bringing up the rear. Not surprising, for Ramanuja, like Lakshmana, was an incarnation of Adi Sesha.