At the Outset
let me give a brief introduction about the website and also how it was
designed. Sorry for taking your time. This Web site is specially created
for all the Vishnu Temples located in Karnataka ( Melnadu) .
Once you think South Indian Temples, immediately you will remember Tamil
Nadu , All these years I was also thinking the same , but you will be
surprised that there are lot of temples and temples especially dedicated
to Lord Maha Vishnu and his different avatars In Karnataka. I can say in
Karnataka there are lot of temples dedicated to Lord Narasimha in
different forms (Yoga, Bhoga, Ugra, Sthambha etc.) . We should be proud
that present day Karnataka ( Karu Nadu ) ( Known as Mel Nadu in those
days ) has played a very vital role in spreading Sri Vaishnavism ; It
has played host to the two pillars of Sri Vaishnavism. Melkote played
host to Lord Ramanuja and Sathyagalam (In local Parlance it is known as
Sathyagala) played host to Swami Desikan. It is said that in the serene
atmosphere of Karnataka, number of divine works of the two great
Acharyas were composed.
We originally belong to the small village of Kalyanapuram near
Thiruvayaru in Thanjavur District, where Mother Cauvery flows my
paternal grandfather settled in Innambur a small village near Kumbakonam
and later on he could purchase the same Gruham once occupied by H H
KaTandethi Andavan who is my Elllu Tha-tha from both maternal and
paternal side. Then due to my fathers service I was brought up at
Barauni in Bihar and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. For the past 30years , We
are living in Karnataka and I can state that we are settled here. Even
though I was born in Tamil Nadu, brought up in North India , I am
settled in Karnataka , which is my adopted state. I am proud to say that
I have married an Iyengar girl from Hassan , a city well known as the
home of talented people owning the famous Iyengar's Bakery chain with
many branches across the length and breadth of the country. I was
married in year 1995 and until 2000 I never went to my wife's native nor
travelled much in Karnataka. Then in the year 2000 my Father in Law and
his brothers were performing Thirumanjana to their Kula Devatha Sri
Varadha Bhoga Yoga Narasimha at Shanthigrama in Hassan district. I
travelled with them enjoying the serine beauty of Paddy fields etc. Then
we reached the Sri Varadha Bhoga Yoga Narasimha temple, the trustees
treated us very nicely. Then Thirumanjana was done I could capture all
the moments in my Kodak Digital Camera. Then we went to nearby Sri
Sowmiya Keshava temple. Shanthigrama has two different temples in same
place and just a road separates it. The Moorthies were eye captivating.
What a beauty, it was very nice. For the first time i was seeing old and
beautiful temple in Karnataka, then I sent the photos to Sri Diwakar and
Sri Mukund of www.pbase.com/svami this website is a repository of
Perumal pictures across the globe. It was hosted there. I am
thankful to the Tamil religious Magazine " GOPURA DARISANAM " and its
Editor and Publisher Sri R S Mani, who gave me an opportunity to write
about the temples in Karnataka in his book ; The first temple I
covered was Doddamallur, That opportunity led me to think that I should
build web site for Doddamallur temple , then next place was Sathyagalam
Temple. Then my next place to visit was Kythnahali where my wife’s
distant grand uncle was conducting a Yagna after completing his 1 Crore
Gayathri Japam and on grand finale day H H Parakala Mutt Jeer and also H
H Sri Rangapriya Swamy were there, (I must tell it is a turning point in
my life, I met my future Acharyan H H Sri Rangapriya Swamy for the first
time there, I was very much impressed at the very first meeting) The
Anugruha Bhashanam of H H Sri Rangapriya Swamy was very impressive, Even
though I belonged to Ahobila mutt and My Great grandfather ( From both
Mother and Fathers side ( They both were cousins) was H H KaTandethi
Andavan of Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashram, I was very much attracted
to H H Sri Rangapriya Swamy and then I had my Samasharanam from H H Sri
Rangapriya Swamy. I am happy and I have the Bhagyam of meeting my Karuna
Moorthy often and with his Anugraham I am maintaining his website and
also I also present his Anugruha Bhashanam in form of Pearls of Wisdom
in his website.
Then My Guru Bratha Sri Haresh of Singapore ( Presently in Mumbai due to
Loukikam ) came to India for getting Samasharanam from H H Sri
Rangapriya Swami and then we toured lot of places in Hassan, Mysore
etc.Then I thought I should show case the Vishnu temples of Karnataka ,
it is biggest treasure troves left for us by our forefathers whose value
we dont know. Then
www.karnatakavaishnavatemples.net was
born. I also consulted my religious mentor Dr.V.Sadagopan Mama of USA ,
you all will be knowing him , he is moderator for lot of e-groups and
also he is our leader in Likitha Kainkaryam about our Sampradaya, and
also Sriman Parthasarthi mama who writes articles in Tamil magazine on
Sri Vaishnavism topics, and also has a e- group known as Srivaishnavism.
He writes lot of article about Vaishnavism under the Name of
Poigaiadiyan . They also told to build one single website for Vishnu
Temples of Karnataka. Then on request of My e-sister Dr. Padmashri of
USA I went on to build a website for Bindiganavile famous for our
Garuthaman and I also landed up building web site for Marehalli
Lakshminarasimha Temple.
I and my wife Geetha travel in Motor bike in Holidays ( She runs her own
Pharmacy , She is holds a Degree in B.Sc, Pharmacy and Post Graduate
Diploma in Clinical Research) . We have now covered more than 60 temples
in Melnadu and due to paucity of time I have not been able to give
details, but the beautiful photos of moorthy including Moola Murthy are
available in
http://www.pbase.com/svami/melnattu_thirukkoil , I should mention that Sriman Mukund
of Singapore and Sriman Diwakar who maintain Pbase.com/svami have given
me a special section for the Karnataka (Melnadu) temples. it requires a
large heart. I am also thankful to my Sister Smt.Jayashree of USA, she
is the person who gives me suggestions ,feedback on the websites and
also helps me in correcting the content.
Due to some problem with Domain registrars i had change the website name
as
www.vishnutemplesofkarnataka.info .
I am grateful to another brother Sri A.Balaji {It is not necessary that
they should be related by blood only , it is GODs gift of giving me lot
of e-brothers and e-Sisters} (he is the main person in maintaining ISKCON
Bangalore’s websites) who has given me the space for hosting .
I have to mention on more thing, I have to say special thanks to Sri Subhash Sir of News Paper "Bangalore Mirror” for publishing my temple
visit to different places in the Column "Tech Venture". I have provided
the links of the articles which appeared in "Bangalore Mirror" in
Additional Info page. I Thank Bangalore Mirror News Paper.
It is my pleasure to present you the Vishnu temples located in each
district of Karnataka. I have added temples of Kaidala, Kalahalli and
Settikere for now . I would also request you to Kindly visit this
website and the temples and receive the Lord's blessings. Now onwards I
will try to present you one new temple's Sthaalapurnam and other details
every week.
There was a Controversy that I am clicking the Moola Moorthy and
presenting before you , for that on 4h April 2010 I and Sri Haresh had
been to meet our Acharyan H H Sri Rangapriya Swamy and he was kind
enough to clarify that nowhere in Shastras it is mentioned that Moola
Moorthy's Photograph should not be captured by camera , he told
Bhagavan’s Sanidhyam cannot be easily lost by mere clicking of Camera
and its flash. Swami told in those days camera was not there, and
according to change in times what I am doing is correct. Very shortly I
will present this topic as one of pearls in my " Pearls of Wisdom ". I
have also consulted this topic to Late Jeer of Yathiraja mutt of
SriPerumpudhur and also Present Embar Mutt Jeer of SriPerumpudhur, they
also presented the similar views. I also Thank Sri Madhavakannan Anna (
Formerly of Singapore )of Mumbai who is now Moderating Sri Rangasri
e-group , few years back he also supported me inspite of vehement
opposition to my capturing Moola Moorthy. Now I have revamped the
website and it is in new avatar as
www.vishnutemplesofkarnataka.info .
So no more controversy on why I am clicking Moola Moorthy. I grateful to
my patrons who have told that I am presenting them visual treat and
bringing the Perumal close to them.
........Sri Rangapriya Smaranam
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