Rajamannar, also known as Rajagopalaswamy, is the presiding deity of the town, Mannargudi in Tamil Nadu. Rajamannar is a manifestation of Lord Krishna, shown here as a young shepherd in a dhoti and a whip held in one hand, with a cow and calf beside him. This aspect of the deity is a depiction of Lord Krishna as a teenager, who bravely fought the assassins sent by his maternal uncle, Kamsa. Thus, he is seen in the attire of a warrior, while holding the whip of a shepherd in his hand.
The Rajagopalaswamy temple of Mannargudi flourished in the 16th century, under the patronage of Thanjavur Nayakas, who made it the primary shrine of their dynasty and developed the temple significantly. Today, the Rajagopalaswamy Temple is known as 'Dakshina Dwaraka' or the 'Dwaraka of the South', as locals believe the sages Gopillar and Gopralayar witnessed Sri Krishna re-enacting the 32 leelas or chapters of his incarnation to them, in the vicinity of the temple town Mannargudi.
The Rajagopalaswamy temple of Mannargudi flourished in the 16th century, under the patronage of Thanjavur Nayakas, who made it the primary shrine of their dynasty and developed the temple significantly. Today, the Rajagopalaswamy Temple is known as 'Dakshina Dwaraka' or the 'Dwaraka of the South', as locals believe the sages Gopillar and Gopralayar witnessed Sri Krishna re-enacting the 32 leelas or chapters of his incarnation to them, in the vicinity of the temple town Mannargudi.
