SRI GOVINDARAJA TEMPLE TIRUPATI

TOPIC: Art & Culture

Context- Tirupati wears a festive look as it celebrates 892nd birthday on Thursday.

Concept-

About Govindaraja Temple:

Sri GovindarajaPerumal temple (known as Thiruchitrakoodam) has the unique distinction of being located on the world famous Chidambaram Nataraja (Bhagwan Shiva) temple complex in the temple town of Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu.
Along with Nilathingal Thundam Perumal temple, these are two rare Divyadesam Vaishnava shrines that have Bhagwan Vishnu along with Bhagwan Shiva as presiding deities.
The Shaivite King Kulothunga Chola II is believed to have removed the presiding Govindaraja murti from the shrine in Chidambaram.

Sri Govindaraja Temple From Chidambaram to Tirupati:

According to inscriptions, it was on February 24 in the year 1130 that Vaishnavite saint Bhagawad Ramanuja laid the foundation stone for the temple
The earliest of the records available on this temple at Tirupati belong to the year 1235 A.D when the Chola King, Raja Raja III was ruling the place.
The temple came into prominence in 1506 A.D. during the rule of Saluva dynasty of Vijayanagar and from then onwards different rulers in a different way developed the temple.
In the 16th century, king Krishnappa Nayak of Madurai Nayak dynasty, expanded the Madurai Kingdom. He was instrumental in installing the murti of Govindaraja back in the Chidambaram Nataraja temple.