The temples of Mandya district in Karnataka are lovely in their structures and revered for their auspicious powers. Mandya District is bounded on the south by Mysore District, on the west by Hassan District, on the north by Tumkur District and on the east by Bangalore District. This district houses many temples that are widely known for their historical backgrounds.
Sri Ranganatha temple is one of the famous temples of Mandya district, located at Shrirangapattana.Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, the famous sleeping statue of Lord Ranganatha. Another point of attraction for the tourists here is horse riding. The architecture and wall carvings of this temple are astounding. Outside the temple, handicrafts made locally are sold at a very reasonable price. Cheluvaraya Swami Temple, Saumya Keshava Temple and Lakshminarayana Temple are some of the famous temples of Mandya district.
Brahmeswara Temple was built in 1171 and is an excellent example of the Hoysala style of architecture. This temple lies in Kikkeri, 20 km from Krishnarajapet. The architecture of this single-celled temple features a magnificent stone tower and beautifully carved pillars. Narasimha Temple of Hoysala period is an ancient temple situated to the south east of the famous Ranganatha temple at Srirangapatna at a distance of 100 yards. This temple showcases a 7 ft high image of Ugra Narasimha made of black stone, which is believed to be the best of its kind in south India.
Sri Nambinarayana Temple, one of the temples of Mandya district that is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Located at Thondanur, this temple is constructed by the Hoysala dynasty and closely resembles the Chennakesava Temple at Belur and is over 1000 years old. The main deity, Sri Nambinarayana, is in Samasrayana position with Shanku (conch) in the right hand and Chakra in the left hand. The ancient temple has huge artistic pillars.
Sri Keshava Perumal Koil is located at Bindiganavile in Mandya District of Karnataka. This temple is built in Dravidian style of architecture and it is an ancient shrine popular among Hebbar Iyengars, a sub-sect of Vaishnavas. The temple is dedicated to Sri Channa Keshava Perumal, who resides along with Sri Sowmyanaayaki Thaayaar. There is an idol of Acharya Ramanuja within the premises. The temple celebrates Brahma Rathotsavam on Magha Purnima (which falls on February) in a pompous manner. The celebrations in this temple last for ten days and people from in and around the area participate in it.
Ugra Narasimha Temple is one of the famous temples of Mandya district, built by the Hoysala Dynasty. This is a fine reflection of architectural poise. This particular temple enshrines the 7 ft high shining black idol of Lord Narasimha with eight hands and three eyes, killing Hiranyakashipu and wearing the viscera as garland. The temple also houses a number of other honoured shrines. The walls around the complex are ornately decorated with lovely frescoes. The temples of Mandya district are all noted for their elegant poise and patterns and are declared as heritage monuments of the state.
