Melukote · Karnataka
Sri Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple (Tirunarayanapuram) — Melukote (Melkote), Yadugiri hill, Pandavapura Taluk, Mandya District, Karnataka
Sri Cheluvanarayana / Tirunarayana / Selva Pillai / Ramapriya — Sri Ramanujacharya's principal seat in Karnataka (12-year residence 1098-1110 CE during his Chola exile); the famous Vairamudi (diamond-crown) Brahmotsava; three royal crowns (Vairamudi + Rajamudi + Krishnaraja-Mudi); the originating site of the Mandyam Iyengar community
अन्य नाम: Cheluvanarayana Swamy · Tirunarayana · Tirunarayanapuram · Melukote / Melkote · Yadugiri / Yatishaila · Selva Pillai (utsava murti)
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
The moolavar Sri Tirunarayana / Cheluvanarayana — a standing Vishnu, chaturbhuja (Shankha-Chakra-Gada-Padma); the utsava murti is 'Selva Pillai / Cheluvapille Raya / Ramapriya' (recovered from Delhi by Sri Ramanuja); consort Yadugiri Nachiyar (Lakshmi); Bibi Nachiyar (Tulukka Nachiyar) installed at the moolavar's feet as a veiled Muslim-princess idol — Melukote's distinctive feature
The mula vigraha was reinstalled by Sri Ramanuja in 1099 CE; the utsava murti 'Selva Pillai' is the centre of the Delhi-princess narrative; Bibi Nachiyar is installed as a veiled idol (distinct from Srirangam's Tulukka Nachiyar painting-form)
सम्प्रदाय: Sri Vaishnava — the principal Karnataka seat; the 12-year residence (1098-1110 CE) of Sri Ramanujacharya; the Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt (originally established by Sri Ramanuja) + Parakala Matha + Ahobila Matha branches are present; the originating site of the Mandyam Iyengar community
The moolavar Tirunarayana Vishnu was given as a gift to Brahma; transmitted via Sanatkumara and installed at Yadavadri (Yadugiri / Melukote). The hill's yuga-names: Narayanadri (Krta), Vedadri (Treta), Yadugiri / Yadavadri (Dvapara), Yati-Shaila (Kali Yuga; after Sri Ramanuja's residence)
The Vairamudi crown was originally the crown of Narayana; during the churning of the Kshira-Sagara the asura Virochana looted it; Garuda recovered it and handed it to the temple. Since then it has been worn on the utsava murti only on one night a year (in Phalguna), strictly out of sunlight.
The Melukote utsava murti was carried off by a 'Delhi Sultan' (popular legend; historically anachronistic). Sri Ramanuja journeyed to Delhi; the Sultan's daughter had taken to the idol as a doll. Ramanuja called out 'Cheluva pille!' (beloved son) and the idol came to him — hence the name 'Selva Pillai / Cheluvapille'. The princess (Bibi Nachiyar / Tulukka Nachiyar) followed the idol to Melukote and merged with it; she is enshrined at the feet of the moolavar as a veiled idol.
The Yoga Narasimha idol atop Yadugiri is said by tradition to have been installed and worshipped by Bhakta Prahlada; the Lord is depicted seated with a yoga-patta around the knees; Krishnaraja Wodeyar III donated a gold crown to this upper shrine.
07:00 से 20:30 तक
विशेष नियम: The Vairamudi diamond crown can be worn only once a year on one night in Phalguna, strictly out of sunlight; the crown is transported with a police escort from the Mandya district treasury during the festival; access to the Yoga Narasimha hilltop shrine is via ~300-600 stone steps; photography forbidden in the garbhagriha; traditional dress code
Main shrine Tirunarayana; Bibi Nachiyar veiled shrine at the feet of the moolavar; outer view of the unfinished Raya Gopuram.
Only one night a year in Phalguna; 2026 — night of 27/28 March; a world-rare darshan of the diamond-crown-wearing Lord.
~300-600 stone-step climb; the lower portion is motorable to a parking point with the final ~150 steps remaining; Bhakta Prahlada installation tradition.
The largest among the 108 traditional tanks; four-sided pillared corridors + octagonal Bhuvaneshwari mandapa.
The 'elder-sister / younger-sister' twin ponds; one with sweet water, the other slightly saline.
Sri Ramanuja-established Yatiraja Mutt darshan; the Academy of Sanskrit Research (established 1978) manuscript-preservation centre.
22 March - 2 April 2026; the temple's most famous festival; 27 March night Vairamudi diamond-crown procession (21:00-03:00); sunlight strictly forbidden; the crown is transported with a police escort from the Mandya district treasury; 4-5 lakh+ devotees; sequence — Rajamudi (most days) → Vairamudi (one night) → Krishnaraja-Mudi (final day in some traditions).
A principal Vaishnava tithi.
Sri Ramanujacharya's birth anniversary; a remembrance of the 12-year Melukote residence.
A remembrance of the 1790 Tipu Sultan massacre; the Mandyam Iyengar community's 200+ year Diwali mourning tradition.
Annual Brahmotsavam.
Worn only on one night a year (in Phalguna); sunlight strictly forbidden; the originating Narayana-crown narrative; 4-5 lakh+ devotees; a once-in-a-lifetime rare darshan sankalpa
स्रोत: Wikipedia Vairamudi + Karnataka Tourism + Utsav.gov.in multi-source
Sri Ramanuja's 12-year residence in Karnataka; Yatiraja Mutt darshan; the Vishishtadvaita-diksha tirtha; Gadya Trayam parayan
स्रोत: Jeeyar Asrams + Acharya.org multi-source
The utsava murti recovered from Delhi by Sri Ramanuja; together with Bibi Nachiyar, the centre of a Vaishnava-Islamic convergence narrative
स्रोत: Holy Dham + Kshetra Puranas multi-source
Vairamudi + Rajamudi + Krishnaraja-Mudi all three crowns darshan — a symbol of the Hoysala-Wodeyar-Vaishnava patronage tradition
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Karnataka Tourism multi-source
The Bhakta Prahlada installation tradition; a Yoga-Narasimha yoga-sadhana sankalpa tirtha; the Krishnaraja Wodeyar III gold crown
स्रोत: Tirthayatra Yoga Narasimha + Wikipedia
The originating site of the Mandyam Iyengar community; the Mandyam Tamil culture preservation; the 200-year Diwali-mourning remembrance of the 1790 massacre
स्रोत: Swarajya + Organiser + Wikipedia Iyengar multi-source
The largest of the 108 traditional tanks; four-sided pillared corridors + octagonal Bhuvaneshwari mandapa; a ritual-bath sankalpa
स्रोत: Karnataka.com Kalyani Tank
Bhakta Prahlada installation tradition; depicted with a yoga-patta around the knees; Krishnaraja Wodeyar III gold crown
The largest of the 108 traditional tanks; the octagonal Bhuvaneshwari mandapa
Elder-sister/younger-sister twin tanks; one with sweet water, the other saline
An incomplete Vijayanagara construction; granite pillars; famous as a film-shooting backdrop
Sri Ramanuja's original foundation; continuous pontifical lineage
The Delhi-princess veiled-idol shrine; Melukote's unique Islamic-Vaishnava convergence
Thousands of Vedic/Sanskrit manuscript preservation centre
The site of the 1790 Mandyam Iyengar massacre; a historical memorial
Sri Ramanuja's principal Karnataka seat — Melukote (12-year residence) + Srirangam (Tiruvarasu preserved body) + Kanchi Varadaraja (Vishishtadvaita diksha) + Tirunarayanapuram + Tirukoshtiyur — pitha-yatra combination
5 मंदिर
Annual one-night Vairamudi diamond-crown darshan; 4-5 lakh+ annual devotees
1 मंदिर
Melukote (Vaishnava) + Srirangapatna (historic) + Mysuru-Chamundeshwari (Shakti Pitha) + Somnathpur — southern Karnataka cluster
4 मंदिर
Hoysala-king-Vishnuvardhana-patronised Melukote + other Hoysala-architecture tirtha combination
4 मंदिर