Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple is located at BR Hills near Chamarajanagar, Karnataka. Biligiriranganabetta is also known by several other names, including Biligiri Hill, Bilikallu Hill, and Shvetadri Hill. During the Ganga dynasty, it was called Gajaranya, which means 'forest of elephants'.
Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Story – History
This temple is a significant pilgrimage site with a history of about 5,000 years. The hill stands at an elevation of 5,091 feet above sea level and is part of a mountain range. The idol of Sri Biligiri Ranganathaswamy, also known as Shvetadri Srinivasa, is 5.5 feet tall and depicts the deity in a standing posture. It is believed that this idol was installed by the great sage Vasishta Maharishi, and later, King Vishnuvardhana renovated the temple.
It is described in the third chapter of the Shvetachala Mahatmya that during the Treta Yuga, while searching for Sita, Lord Rama and Lakshmana visited this place and offered prayers to Sri Shvetadri.
To the right of the main sanctum, there is a shrine dedicated to Sri Alamelu Ranganayaki Amma, which is built in Dravidian architectural style.
Sri Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy is also known by another name — Bilikallu Venkatanatha. It is known that Mudduraja of Haddinadu in the year 1667, and later Diwan Purnayya, donated two villages for the service of this temple.
According to local folk tales, Sri Biligiri Ranganathaswamy married a girl named Kusumale, who belonged to the Soliga tribal community of the forest. Because of this, even today, the Soliga people revere the deity as one of their own, and this belief has been upheld for generations.
Several grand festivals are celebrated at this temple, including:
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Annual Brahma Rathotsava (chariot festival)
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Daily Kalyanotsavam (marriage ritual)
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Mantapotsava (festival of the pavilion)
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Navratri festival
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Theppotsavam (boat festival)
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Pavithrotsavam (purification festival)
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Sankranti Rathotsava (chariot festival during Sankranti)
During Navratri, special rituals such as the coronation of Lord Rama (Sri Rama Pattabhishekam) are celebrated with grandeur.
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