Champakaranya Kshetra Bala | Mannargudi | Where 32 Leelas Come Alive

Mannargudi Rajagopalaswami: Where 32 Leelas Come Alive and Devotion Finds Its Eternal Home

In the heart of Tamil Nadu lies a sacred town, whose very name — Mannargudi — means “the abode of the king.” But this is no ordinary monarch. Here, the sovereign is Rajagopala Swami, the divine cowherd boy — Krishna, who once ruled over the hearts of Gokula, and who chose to remain in Mannargudi for the sake of two yearning sages.

The Pilgrimage of Love
Sages Gopilar and Gopralayar, moved by the divine leelas of Lord Krishna, set out from the South to behold His form in Dwaraka. Sage Narada met them en route and shared news that shattered their hearts: Lord Krishna had completed His earthly sojourn and returned to His divine abode. The sages collapsed in grief. But Sage Narada, the eternal traveler and bridge between worlds, gently revived and consoled them. He urged them to perform penance — for the Lord is never truly gone for those who seek Him with unshakable faith.

Their austerities bore fruit. Lord Krishna appeared before them, not in a single form, but manifesting all His 32 divine leelas. So moved was the Lord by their devotion that He chose to stay with them forever, right there in the quiet sanctity of Mannargudi.

A Cowherd King in Eternal Play
In this temple, the main deity is Vasudeva Perumal, representing the Lord at the time of His divine birth to Devaki and Vasudeva. But the processional deity, Rajagopala Swami — also known as Rajamannar — captures hearts with a unique and tender depiction.

He is shown as a young cowherd, clad in simple garments, wearing a turban, adorned with childlike ornaments, and accompanied by a cow and two calves. A beautiful reminder of His playful days in Gokula, He even holds an elephant tusk in His left hand, recalling the slaying of Kuvalayapeetam, the fearsome elephant sent by Kamsa.

In another divine touch, the Lord wears a Thadanga (palm-leaf earring) in one ear and a Kundalam (jewel ring) in the other — commemorating the time when a gopika found her missing earring on Krishna’s ear during a playful bath in the Yamuna.

Penance, Pujas, and a Sacred River
Each morning, the sanctum of Vasudeva Perumal is opened with a cow puja and elephant puja, echoing Krishna’s life with the animals of Vrindavan. Milk is the chief offering, and dosa, rarely offered in Perumal temples, is given here during evening pujas, much like at the Madurai Kallazhagar temple.

The temple tank — Haridra Nadhi — lies a little away from the main shrine. This sacred water body is regarded as the Yamuna itself, for it was here that the sages performed their penance and the Lord appeared. On Aani Purnima (June–July), the float festival is celebrated in grand devotion.

The Glory of 18 Days and 32 Leelas
The Brahmotsavam festival in Panguni (March–April) spans 18 days, a number deeply linked to Krishna’s avatāra:

• The Kurukshetra war lasted 18 days.
• The Bhagavad Gītā has 18 chapters.

During this festival, Rajagopala Swami appears in 32 different alankaras, each representing one of His leelas. On the 16th day, the Butter Pot Festival takes place — the Lord comes in procession as a crawling infant, butter in hand, greeted by butter balls joyfully thrown by devotees. He returns to the temple in the evening on a Horse Vāhanam.

He also appears during the festival as:

• Sri Andal, the divine poetess-saint,
• Seated upon the Kanda Peranda Pakshi, a two-faced mythical bird,
• And even as Sri Rama, borne on the mighty Pancha Mukha Anjaneya vāhanam.

Sengamala Thāyār: Grace in Feminine Form
The consort of Rajagopalan, Sri Sengamala Thāyār (also known as Sri Champakavalli), resides in a separate shrine. On her birth star, Poosam, special tirumanjanam (ritual bath) is performed. On the fourth day of the Tamil month Thai, the divine couple is seen seated together on a single throne — a vision of unity and grace. In front of Thāyār’s shrine stands Garuda, depicted in female form, a rare sight. Women and families pray here for marriage blessings and the welfare of children, often lighting ghee lamps in supplication.

Māyā, the Sister-Goddess
This is a Perumal temple, but the Lord’s elder sister, Māyā (Durga), who took birth before Him to escape Kamsa’s clutches, is also enshrined here. She blesses from within the Vasudeva sanctum, and special Rahukāla pujas are performed to Her. Devotees seeking children tie cradles here in deep faith.

Architectural Majesty and Sacred Numbers
The grandeur of the temple is equally divine:

• 16 towers,
• 18 vimānas,
• 7 prakaras,
• 7 mandapams,
• and 9 sacred theerthams.

The 11-tiered Rajagopuram is especially unique: for the first six tiers, there are no sculptures — a design found nowhere else. From the seventh tier upwards, deity sculptures begin, rising in majestic elegance.

If Tiruvarur is famed for Ther Azhagu (the beauty of temple chariots), then Mannargudi is celebrated for Mathil Azhagu — the aesthetic perfection of its temple walls.

Where the Lord Never Left
In Mannargudi, Krishna did not vanish with the end of His avatāra. He stayed. Not for the mighty, nor the famous — but for two humble sages whose hearts cried out for Him. Even today, when one walks into the sanctum, it is not history we recall — but presence we feel. Rajagopala Swami is still here — the cowherd king, smiling gently, tusk in hand, butter in his heart.

— A sacred jewel of Tamil Nadu, a heartland of Krishna bhakti, and a living miracle for those who believe.

A Madhurageetham in Nilambari
To this day, the temple inspires poetry and music. Our Guru Mahārāj, moved by the darshan of Sri Rajagopalan, composed a Sanskrit kīrtan in Nīlāmbarī rāga. The song also lovingly invokes Champakavalli Thāyār, the divine mother of the kṣetra.

To listen to the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=couO78i6ND1ihXJm&v=yNMvIP4ka4c&feature=youtu.be

Pallavi
champakAraNyakshetrabAla

O! young boy of Champakaranya (forest of Champaka trees)
jagadrakshaka rAjagopAla (cha)

O Rajagopala! (King of Cows and Cowherds), The protector of the world!

Charanam

ekavastrAnvita thejomayarUpa
Adorned with a single piece of cloth, shining with radiance

rAgamAlikArchanapriya (cha)
The one who enjoys to be worshiped with a garland of different ragas

jaya srIchampakavallIramaNa
Hail, O Beloved of Sri Champakavalli

gorakshaNakara rAjagopAla (cha)
O Rajagopala, The protector of the cows

muraLIdhara mAnasasevita
The one who Muralidhara’s heart worships

sakalamunihRudaya sadAbhAvita (cha)
The one who always resides in the hearts of all sages