Gallery

Melukote, as it is

The temple and its people, photographed and filmed through the year — from a quiet morning recitation to the crowds of the Vairamudi Brahmotsava.

Photographs

In pictures

Select any photograph to see it full size.

Showing 24 of 198 photographs

The Rajagopuram of Sri Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple floodlit in violet and pink after dark, with the temple's name board and strings of lights along the entrance beneath it

The Yoga Narasimha temple standing on its rocky hilltop above Melukote, seen from the town below between two coconut palms on an overcast morning

A tall bronze utsava murti of the Lord standing in a carved prabhavali, draped in white and gold cloth and hung with long sandalwood bead garlands, lit by oil lamps at either side

A black stone murti of the Lord with his consort set in a carved niche of the pooja mandira, crowned and armed in gold and dressed in blue-bordered white and deep red silk

The full altar of the Gurupeeta pooja mandira — a gilded prabhavali above, a silver naga hood below it, and lit brass lamps standing at each corner, everything wound about with peach blossom and jasmine

The altar of the pooja mandira in darkness, the gilded prabhavali and the deities beneath it lit only by the oil lamps burning on either side

A carved dark wood shrine in the pooja mandira hung with rows of brass bells and thick garlands of marigold, white and purple flowers, lamps burning inside it

A small standing murti inside a golden prabhavali, framed by hanging strands of jasmine and coral-coloured blossom

A murti seated within a silver prabhavali worked with peacocks, nearly covered over by jasmine buds and coral-coloured blossom

A garlanded murti in a silver frame, deep in jasmine and orange blossom heaped up on every side of it

The utsava murti of Sri Cheluvanarayana Swamy adorned in gold ornaments and jewelled garlands beneath a golden prabhavali, draped with blue lotus flowers

The Yoga Narasimha temple and its gopuram standing on the rocky hilltop above Melukote against a clouded sky

A small crowned bronze murti in orange silk, banked all round with jasmine and marigold in the pooja mandira

A thick garland of magenta and pale green flowers laid across the seat of the mandira shrine, a small gilded murti at its centre

A vaidika in rose silk raising a conch over the murti to pour the abhisheka, the row of silver vessels laid out in front of him

The gilded prabhavali of the mandira with a silver naga hood spread beneath it, tall brass lamps burning at either side and the offering vessels below

A silver murti with a pink gemstone crown set on fresh betel leaves and rose silk, gold and pearl garlands laid over it

Three murtis standing on a gilded platform beneath a carved golden arch, dressed in green and red bordered silk

The utsava murti under a heavy gold crown, hung with strings of pearls and dressed in yellow and green silk

The carved wooden shrine of the mandira lit only by its own lamps, the gilded prabhavali above and a silver naga hood below

The whole altar of the mandira dressed for a festival — the deities in white and green above, a silver naga hood and a small shrine below, lamps and vessels ranged across the front

A black stone murti of the Lord in a gilded niche, garlanded in yellow and dressed in ochre silk, a tall silver lamp burning beside it

Every student of the gurukulam standing together in white dhotis before the Garuda stambha and the carved gopuram behind it, under a peach sunset sky

Gurukulam students standing in two rows with their arms folded in front of the temple's Garuda stambha at dusk

Distinguished visitors

Guests of the kshetra

Public figures, artists and scholars who have come to Melukote for darshana and to meet Guruji. Select any photograph to see it full size.

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan
Amit Shah and Ananth Kumar
H. D. Kumaraswamy
The Pejavara Swamiji
Sri Siddaganga Swamiji
Sri Yaduveer Wadiyar
The pradhana archaka of Tirupati
The trustee of the Sringeri Peetha
The Babi Mutt Swamiji

Showing 9 of 79

Videos

In motion

Processions, recitations and festival evenings. Nothing plays until you ask it to.

Showing 6 of 13 videos

Gurukulam
The gurukulam at the Garuda stambha
Gurukulam
Evening recitation on the terrace
Gurukulam
Reading, before the rite
Gurukulam
In the tank, after the rain
Gurukulam
The Upakarma fire
Homas & Poojas
At the kunda, learning