Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna
Srirangapatna, Karnataka
The Ranganathaswamy Temple stands on the island town of Srirangapatna, in the river Kaveri, close to Mysore. It is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu who reclines on the serpent Adisesha. The temple is the first of the five Ranganatha temples along the Kaveri, called the Pancharanga Kshetrams, and so the Lord here is known as Adi Ranga. It has a tall gopuram, long pillared halls and a thick fort-like outer wall, and it is one of the oldest and best-known Vishnu temples of Karnataka.
What to see and do
- Have darshan of Lord Ranganatha, reclining on Adisesha
- See the tall gopuram and the strong outer wall of the temple
- Walk through the pillared halls, with their carved shrines and the flagstaff courtyard
- See the island setting of Srirangapatna on the Kaveri
Ideal for
- Devotees of Vishnu and the Sri Vaishnava tradition
- Pilgrims visiting the Pancharanga Kshetrams
- Travellers on the Bangalore to Mysore road who want a calm temple stop
Good to know
- Sources give different timings, roughly 6 or 7:30 am to 1:30 pm and 4 to 8:30 pm, so check locally
- It is about 15 to 19 km from Mysore and about 125 km from Bangalore, on the Bangalore to Mysore road
- Dress modestly, and remove footwear at the entrance
- The temple is near the fort and other historic sites of Srirangapatna, so a short extra walk is possible
- Allow about 1 hour
Spiritual significance
Srirangapatna is the first of the five Ranganatha shrines on the Kaveri, and the temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India as a national monument. A source dates it to 984 CE, under the Western Ganga dynasty, with later additions. The town takes its name from the temple.
Why it matters
- Adi Ranga: the first of the five Ranganatha temples on the Kaveri (Pancharanga Kshetrams)
- An old temple: a source dates the first temple to 984 CE
- An island pilgrimage: the temple stands on an island in the Kaveri