Often referred to as the “Floating Temple of Mysuru” because of its dramatic peninsula setting surrounded on three sides by the shimmering blue expanse of the Kaveri River, Venugopala Swamy Temple is one of the most serene and photogenic destinations in southern Karnataka. Below is the verified 2026 visitor command manual.

The Miraculous Relocation Story

The original temple was built in the 12th century CE during the reign of Hoysala King Veera Ballala II in the historic village of Kannambadi. When Sir M. Visvesvaraya designed and constructed the landmark Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam in the 1920s, the entire village and the temple were submerged under the massive reservoir. For over seven decades, the temple only emerged during extreme summer droughts.

Between 2003 and 2011, the Khoday Foundation undertook one of the most ambitious heritage architectural relocations in Asian history: over 16,000 individual soapstone blocks were photographed, cataloged, numbered, and rebuilt on an elevated 7-acre landscaped peninsula 1 km from the original submerged site, restoring the temple with 100% architectural fidelity.

Temple Architecture & Key Highlights

• Sanctum Deity: The garbhagriha enshrines a magnificent black stone idol of Lord Venugopala (Krishna) playing the divine flute with his legs crossed in tribhanga posture, flanked by cows and gopikas.
• Lush Manicured Lawns: The temple is surrounded by expansive green lawns, stone paved pathways, and tranquil stone benches overlooking the vast Kaveri reservoir waters.
• Sunset Views: The temple faces west across the reservoir, offering panoramic sunset views across the water with Chamundi Hill visible in the distant southeast.