Ranganathaswamy temple, Karamadai
| Ranganathaswamy Temple | |
|---|---|
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 Location in Tamil Nadu
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| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 11°14′32″N 76°57′37″E / 11.24222°N 76.96028°ECoordinates: 11°14′32″N 76°57′37″E / 11.24222°N 76.96028°E |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Coimbatore |
| Location | Karamadai |
| Culture | |
| Sanctum |
Ranganathaswamy(Vishnu) Ranganayagi(Lakshmi) |
| Architecture | |
| Architecture | Dravidian architecture |
Ranganathaswamy(Vishnu)
Ranganathaswamy temple (also called Karamadai Temple) in Karamadai, a town panchayat in Coimbatore district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is located 23 km from Coimbatore in the Coimbatore - Mettuplayam highway. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is dedicated to Vishnu who is worshipped as Ranganathaswamy and his consort Lakshmi as Ranganayagi in this temple.
As per Hindu legend, the face of Ranganatha was found under an anthill in the place where the Kattariyar tribe was residing. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a seven tiered rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower.
The temple follows Thenkalai tradition of worship. Four daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the fifteen-day annual Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Maasi (February - March), Vaikunta Ekadasi and Ramanuja Jayanti being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
As per Hindu legend, the place was once a forest with Karai trees. A tribe named Kottariyar inhabited the region, whose main profession was herding cattle. One day a herdsman found that his cow was not giving him any milk and emptied all its milk in an anthill. He dug up the anthill, but was astonished to see blood coming out of it. After spiritual advise of a priest named Vedavyasabhattar, a temple was erected around the anthill. People were unsure of whether the deity was Shiva or Vishnu, but Vishnu appeared in the dreams of Pitchu Mandarayar, one of the inhabitants. As per a modern time legend, a British general was trying to build a railway line bisecting the temple. The people of the village prayed for divine intervention. It is believed that Vishnu appeared in the dream of the General, who later withdrew his plans to demolish the temple. He also gifted a festive image of a horse to be used during divine procession.
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