Housed on a huge 33acre area, the RajaGopalan temple at Mannargudi [till a few centuries ago, this was called MannarKoil], is all what a Vaishnavite temple should be. Except that the Azhvaars did not perform Mangalasaasanam here, something that one finds difficult to come to terms with. Hence this is not a Divya Desam and remains only an ‘Abhimaana’ Sthalam.
It is quite a mystery actually that the Azhvaars who visited and sang praise of the Lord(and performed Mangalasaasanam) at ThiruKannapuram [50kms North Eas], ThiruKannangudi[50kms East], Thirucherrai, Nachiyar Koil, Thiruvinnagar-Oppiliappan, Kumbakonam Sarangapani(around 35kms North) and Thanjai Maa Mani [35kms West] missed the towering presence of RajaGopalan.
The famous Vishnu temple at Mannargudi dedicated to Sri Rajagopalaswami was built by the Chola king Kulottunga [1070-1120 AD]. The temple is situated over an area of 33 acres of land that commands an imposing view and provides accommodation for thousands of devotees. After the Chola kings the Nayak kings of Tanjore took interest in the renovation of temples built earlier and as a result the temple at Mannargudi was improved with many Gopurams and outer Prakarams.