Historian urges Chief Minister to preserve ancient Vaishnavite temple in Sathya Sai district-OxBig News Network

Sri Sajjaganta Ranganatha Temple at Gudipalli in Sri Sathya Sai district cries for attention. The temple was constructed in 1299 CE by Hoysala King Veeraballala III.
| Photo Credit: ARRANGEMENT

Historian MyNaa Swamy has appealed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to directs officials to draw up a comprehensive master plan for the development and beautification of the Sri Sajjaganta Ranganatha Swamy temple at Gudipalli in Somandepalli mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district. “Despite the temple’s rich mythological and historical significance, it remains largely neglected,” he said.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, following his visit to the temple as part of his ongoing research on the temple architecture of the Vijayanagara Empire, Mr. MyNaa Swamy shared a remarkable discovery — an inscription dating back to 1299 CE, attributed to Hoysala King Veeraballala III. The inscription, in Kannada, was found on the bottom stone of the southern wall of the sanctum sanctorum.

The inscription dates to the Salivahana Saka 1221, Pramadi year, Magha month — corresponding to January or February of 1299 CE. The historian explained that Penukonda Seema was part of the Dorasamudram kingdom (present-day Halebidu in Karnataka) under the rule of Hoysala King Veeraballala III (1292–1343), son of Veera Narasimha III. Based on this evidence, he suggested that the Sri Sajjaganta Ranganatha Swamy temple may have been built during Veeraballala III’s reign.

MyNaa Swamy was accompanied by Ramakanth Reddy, president of the Temple Development Committee, history researcher Vangampalli Gopi, Gudipalli Ramesh, Penukonda Sridhar and others. He expressed astonishment at the temple’s architectural completeness, which includes a sanctum sanctorum, antaralam (antechamber), mukha mandapam (front hall), open halls, towering gopurams, strong ramparts, and a sacred pushkarini (temple tank).

“Gudipalli was once a prominent Vaishnavite center during the reign of the Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara Empire, and was regarded as one of the 108 important temples in South India,” he said.

Regarding the Brindavan (tomb) located outside the temple complex, Swamy said it was constructed in 1398 CE by a royal woman named Saamaayi, as recorded in an inscription dated to Saka 1320, Bahudhanya year, Vaisakha month. The Brindavan was built as the samadhi (final resting place) of Sri Harideva, the then presiding priest.