| Sages,Rushis & Saints |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
RAMANUJACHARYA |
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| Bitti
Deva Ramanuja traveled eastward and came to Tondanur, the second capital of the Hoysala Empire. Bitti Deva (Vittala Devaraya) was the name of the Hoysala ruler. His daughter was suffering from a mental illness. Ramanuja by now had become famous as the man who cured the illness of the Chola princess. When the king sent for Ramanuja, he did not go at first. But when a disciple,Tondanurunambi, assured him that the Hoysala king was not a fanatical tyrant like the Chola king, Ramanuja agreed to go. He cured the illness of the princess, to the delight of the king. He was drawn to Ramanuja's faith and became a Srivaishnava. He then onwards came to be known as Vishnu- vardhana. In memory of this great event, the king built five Vaishnava temples Channiganarayana temple at Belur, Nambinarayana temple at Tondanur, Kirtinarayana temple at Talakad, Veeranarayana temple at Gadag and Chaluvanarayana temple at Melkote. These temples are lasting monuments of Karnataka culture and architecture. Ramanuja built many other temples too in Tondanur. He also got constructed a huge reservoir called ‘Tirumalasagara'(now called Moti Talab). He left Tondanur for Melkote, which was also known as
Tirunarayanapura or Yadavagiri. It was a hilly area overgrown with a thick jungle. The
original idol of god Tirunarayana was lying hidden in a molehill. Ramanuja got it dug out
and installed the idol in a specially built shrine. Ramanuja called them 'Tirukulattar' ('high-born'). He arranged to have them admitted to the temple on three days in a year, when they could have free darshan of the deity. |
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