Pics by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav

Mysuru: Even as monsoon continues unabated in the State filling dams and reservoirs, the visitors are flocking the tourist destinations to witness natue’s bounty and water spectacle.

In the midst of all this, apart from Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam, which is drawing huge crowds, is the other major attraction that is close by and it is the restored 700-year-old Sri Venugopala Swamy temple at the backwaters of KRS near Hosa Kannambadi village.

The clean serene surroundings and the picturesque ambience is drawing huge crowds and nearly 15,000 people visited the temple on Sunday. The temple is located in a vast area which also has Hoysala-type architecture stone chariot and other attractions.

Since the reservoir has reached the maximum level of 124.80 feet, the backwater touches the outer walls of Sri Venugopala Swamy temple. The whole place has been fully secured keeping in mind the tourist safety. The temple is not only a pilgrimage shrine but a tourist attraction too, though devotees are not allowed to offer coconuts and flowers. In fact, the temple does not even have a hundi (donation box) for offerings. The temple is yet to be formally inaugurated.

“I had visited the place two years ago and I went there along with my family members from Bengaluru who had all heard about the restored Sri Venugopala Swamy temple. We drove there early in the morning on Sunday to find that there is lot of improvement in the place. We stayed till afternoon enjoying the backwaters and the beautiful idol of Lord Krishna,” said G. M. Manjunath, a resident of Mysuru, speaking to Star of Mysore.

The temple, which was earlier located at Kannambadi, was said to be built at the same time when Channakeshava temple was constructed by Hoyasala king during the 12th century. But with the construction of KRS dam the entire village of Kannambadi submerged. At this time, the then King Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar ordered for the construction of the new village which was named Hosa Kannambadi.

Another Mysurean, M.B. Malathi Prakash, who has settled in Bengaluru, came all the way from there along with her Ladies Club members and spent the whole day in the backwaters and visiting the temple. She was so invigorated with the atmosphere surrounding the temple that she again planned a trip with her family on Sunday last.

As the tourist footfall is increasing, the roadside vendors selling soft drinks, short eats have also cropped up finding business opportunity.

The Khoday Foundation, which relocated the temple block by block under the guidance of late Sri Hari Khoday, has constructed toilets, bathrooms and is developing the garden with fountain in phases.

With the popularity of the spot growing by the day, the tourist inflow is bound to go up during the peak season of Dasara and Deepavali.