Mantralayam is a town in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh.
Mantralyam is a Hindu religious place where the Moola Brindavanam of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy is located. Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy (1601-1671) was an influential saint in Hinduism. He advocated Vaishnavism (i.e. worship of Vishnu as the supreme God.) and Dvaita philosophy advocated by Sri Madhwacharya. He is considered to be a reincarnation of Prahallada, the devotee who was saved by Vishnu, in his avatar of Narasimha. Shri Raghavendra Swamy is said to have performed many miracles during his lifetime and is believed to continue to bless his devotees to this day and will continue to do so.
The town is located in Karnataka border of Andhra Pradesh on the southern bank of Tungabhadra river. Majority of people here are conversant with both Telugu and Kannada languages. You can also find people speaking Tamil.
- Raghavendra Swamy temple. 6AM-2PM, 4PM-8PM. Dressing up shows respect. Men are expected to wear dhoti to enter the religious areas. Women should wear a sari; a salwar kameez may be judged too informal. For some things, you may need to buy a ticket in advance. Food is offered for sale in the evenings.
The temple and "Mutt" complex is the main attraction here, but most people here are believers, not sightseers. If you go in the evening on special occasions (it is a regular event around 8PM), you can see chariots carrying the deity being drawn around the temple and the temple elephants paying obeisance to the deity. It is quite a spectacular sight. There are three chariots, one plated in gold, the other in silver and the third in sandalwood. Behind the temple the Tungabhadra river flows, which is also worth seeing.
Before entering the sanctum sanctorium of Mutt, you are advised to take a bath (or at least wash your feet) on the banks of Tungabhadra river (or at the tap in front of the mutt). Have the darshan of Manchalamma, the goddess who blessed the place for Shri Raghavendra Swamy's Vrindavanam. Then, you need to enter the sanctum of mutt through the queue complex in front of mutt. If you are lucky enough and there's no rush for the darshan, you can enter the sanctum directly (of course, you have to bear with queue of smaller length). After the darshan, you can quietly move around the sanctum chanting the stotras of Sri Raghavendra Swamy or simply chant OM Sri Raghavendraya Namaha.
If you are offering sevas exceeding ₹50, you are required to assemble in the seva hall on the right side of the sanctum before 8AM. Hence you are required to purchase the seva tickets the previous day. Please note that the seva timings might vary or sevas might be cancelled on auspicious days like Rama Navami, Madhva Navami, Aradhana days and on the days of eclipse. Parimala prasadams are unique kind of prasadams prepared and offered to deity in Mantralayam only which are available in the counters outside the sanctum.
Mass feeding of meals takes place in a large dining hall on the left side of the sanctum during afternoons. During nights you can purchase food items like puliogare, pongal from Annadaata counter in front of the mutt by paying a small amount. A new scheme is introduced with the offerings from one of the devotees. During night (sometime after 8PM), outside the temple, they provide two different rice items (rice bath, curd rice) which each plate of rice costs ₹2. The quantity and the taste are good. Two plates will be sufficient for one member.
Raghavendra Swamy temple. 6AM-2PM, 4PM-8PM. Dressing up shows respect. Men are expected to wear dhoti to enter the religious areas. Women should wear a sari; a salwar kameez may be judged too informal. For some things, you may need to buy a ticket in advance. Food is offered for sale in the evenings.
Good food is available easily and at affordable places. Please take care, as the cleanliness is missing on various eating places.
- Hotel Pannaga, +91-8512- 279460
- SR Tiffins - Fast food beside the temple (front view) is good, especially for breakfast & dinner.
- Sri Udipi Krishna Hotel on the main road. This hotel is quite good.
There's also MTR just opposite to the temple entrance, but there are no chairs to sit. One has to stand and eat. But the taste is very good.
Hotel Pannaga, +91-8512- 279460
SR Tiffins - Fast food beside the temple (front view) is good, especially for breakfast & dinner.
Sri Udipi Krishna Hotel on the main road. This hotel is quite good.
Twenty kilometers away across the state line in Raichur is a temple called Panchamukha that commemorates the spot where Sri Guru Raghavendra is said to have meditated for twelve years before Sri Anjaneya.
- Udupi
- Ballari
- Tirupati