EK DIN BIK JAYEGA HINDI SONG MUKESH

 

MANTRALAYAM OR MANTRALAYA

The township of Mantralayam also called Mantralaya is 400km from the city of Bangalore through Anantpur, Gutti and Adoni in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Mantralaya is on the banks of the Tungabhadra river and is thronged by devotees perennially to the Shrine dedicated to saint Raghavendra.

This is a historic township with centuries of heritage. Thomas Munroe  the Governor General of Madras Presidency they say was a devotee and  was on collision course with his administration regarding the preservation and up-keep of this place. Thomas Munroe died at a place called Gutti also termed Gooty which is close to Mantralaya and is likely he visited Mantralaya during his ultimate days.

The word Mantralaya translates to "an abode of vedic chanting" and true to this doctrine vedic chanting is done here on a running basis to the general public through speakers.It is likely this place was a vedic school started by the Namboodiri brahmins of Kerala on the banks of the Tunga Badra river which gradually evolved with time.Mantralaya must have had key patronage and support of the Vijayanagara kings and the Shringeri Math. The Tunga Badhra river here looks in posture the same as seen in Hospet with multiple rocky formations and the city of Hospet not far from here.

Present day Mantralaya has a modest bus stand half the size of the present Mysore bus stand, has a relatively cool weather because of its proximity to the river and has a resplendent shrine of  RAGHAVENDRA  which is imposing in many ways and very close to the bus stand.This place could be in the Guiness book of World records for the number of lodges around the temple a combined capacity of upto twenty thousand.