Sthalapurana

Shri Prasanna Channakeshava Temple has been in existence for about 1000+ years. It dates back to Hoysala period. It’s said that Acharya Ramanuja during his stay in Tondanoor & Melokote while travelling to Belurused to rest in Bindiganavileon the way. With his influence Bindiganavile became an Agrahara of Sri Vaishnavas as many Sri Vaishanvas were living at Bindiganavile.

Originally this place was called Dindiganavile. Dindiga was a kind of plant with thorns and there were plenty of Peacocks (Navilu) in the sugarcane fields. Slowly Dindiga got replaced with Bindiga which means hillocks as there are many small hillocks in and around Dinganavile and became Bindiganavile. Bindiganavile was also called as Mayurapuri as even today one can get to see Peacocks in the early mornings in the fields. Bindiganavile has a big lake and is called Garuda Tataka and it is said is a part of VeeraVaishnavi River.

As said it’s an ancient temple with Lord Channakeshava and Thayar sannidhi’s and it’s interesting to know how Vynatheya’sSannidi came in to existence and how Vynatheya became an Archamoorthy.

Belur Channakeshava Temple ordered an wooden Garuda Vahana in Kanchipuram. While people were transporting the Vahana from Kanchipuram to Belur they used to rest at night at temples and likewise when they reached Bindiganavile it was night and they rested over there. That night the chief of the team had a dream in which Garuda whom they were transporting said “we are now in Keshava’s Sannidhi and I would like to stay here and serve the lord”. In the morning he narrated this to his teammates but did not give much importance to what happened in the night and they were getting ready to move on in the morning. But could not move Garuda Vahana from there. While they were struggling to move the Vahana, Palegara of this area came in search of this temple and said he also had a similar dream and Garuda asked him to make all arrangements in the temple so that he can be installed and daily pooja is performed. With the help of the Palegara and others Garuda was installed per his wish and from that day Vynatheya became an Archamoorthy in this temple whereas in other temples one can see Garuda as a Vahana and in Dwajastambha. This place became a significant Sri Vaishnava pilgrim center as Garuda stayed in this temple on his own hence even today thousands of pilgrims from across the globe visit and have his blessings.

As the days passed since it was a wooden vigraha, it got covered with Anthill and serpents started to live in it. People used to prey to the anthill itself and were afraid of going near as serpents were living there.

In the year 1931 the then Bangalore Municipal Chairman Rao Bahadur Sri.B K Garudachar who was from Bindiganavile had a dream in which Garuda said that his body is completely eaten by the ants and other creatures in Bindiganavile, ordered him to make a new vigraha. He immediately contacts the sculptures and started the project for which he bought huge Sandalwood and gave to the sculptures and asked them to carve Garuda. But sculptures could not start the work as they did not know how Garuda looked like and were afraid to chisel the wood. Again the Chief of this team had a dream where Garuda asked him to start the work next morning and when he went near the wood there was a profile on the wood and they started the work,the outcome of which is what we see today in the temple beautiful vigraha of Garuda and with the left out wood they also carved Aanjaneya. Today what we all see in the temple an excellent vigraha’s of Periya and Siriya Thiruvadi (Vynatheya & Aanjaneya)is because of this great person Rao BahadurSri.B K Garudachar who got this done at his Tulasi Totam temple, Bangalore, got it installed in the year 1931 in place of the earlier vigraha which is now under the Brindavana in the temple prakaram.

Rao Bahadur Sri.B.K. Garudachar did not stop at this, in the year 1941 he built a big choultry in front of the temple for the benefit of pilgrims who visit Bindiganavile and the same is extensively used by one and all from that day and continue to use till date. One should be grateful to this great personality who gave us this beautifulvigraha and also place to stay when pilgrims visit Bindiganavile. Now the Choultry is maintained by B K Garudachar Charities a trust run by his family members who have uplifted the ancient building and because of number of devotees visiting the place have increased, have added rooms, washrooms with water and electricity and have been constantly upgrading per the requirements and for the convenience of devotees from time to time.

In the year 1976 devotees of the temple formed a registered body in the name of Bindiganavile Sri Vainatheya Bhaktha Mandali and joined hands in the development of the temple and to celebrate various festivals and functions and facilitate the devotees who are spread across the universe. In 2005 Mandali took initiative with the help of devotees and installed both Stira and chara (Moola and Utsava)moorthies of all the 12 Alwars of Sri Vaishnavas who gave us 4000 Divya Prabhandamas along with Sri Krishna, Sri Vishwaksena, Sri SudarshanaNaarasimha, Ramanuja, Vedanta Deshikar and Madapalli Naachiyar. Later over the years added Lord Dhanvantri, Sri Nathamuni and Sri Yamunamuni vigrahas also. The temple also has all the vahana’s which are used during the Rathothsavam time.

Another interesting contribution by the Mandali is installing Kalyana Vynatheya along with Rudra and Sukeerthi Chara (Utsava) vigrahas, which can be seen only in this temple and nowhere else in the world
 

Disclaimer

This website was started with the blessings of My Acharyan H H Sri Rangapriya Swami and also other Holiness of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya.

What belongs to us is given as Bhiksha (ALMS) to us by Sriman Narayana and Pirati and hence All are free to use the contents and pictures of this web site with permission. Self and my Wife Geetha Sridhar travel extensively and locate all these ancient treasure troves left by our forefathers. We have been doing this as our Social commitment to the society , since last 10 years , hence as the fruits for our hard labour if you take permission and use , we will feel delighted. Please do not generate any controversies.

Website conceived, designed & Sponsored with Blessings of Perumal, Pirati and All Acharyas of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya by Lakshminarasimhan Sridhar & Geetha Sridhar at our cost , we have no personal interest ,out of Social Service attitude we have built the website . It is a personal website for public cause we do not deal in any money transaction .

We directly or indirectly do not involve in any money transactions, collections in the name of religion. This humble effort is created fully out of Devotion. We neither encourage people to contact us for any sevas in this Temples nor for any allied worships. We strongly recommend you to contact the Temple Authorities  regarding any of your prarthanas etc for proper guidence .

We have given the contact details of our known persons , as you will be going to Temple all the way from your place of residence, and there at the Temple will not have any facility for Food ( As many of the devote people will not have outside food except the Prasadam of the LOrd ), Accommodation, washroom etc. Hence out of good will gesture we have provided the Contact details so that you can avail the Prasadam ( Food ) etc , during the visit to particular temple and also ascertain whether the Priest will be available on the day of your visit etc. We do not know whether the temple is in Government control or Private control , so when making donation please donate the amount to Authorized person and obtain the proper receipt.

If you want to give any feedback/ suggestions kindly contact on my personal email id  shrihi.kainkaryam@gmail.com