India GO
Krishna temples near Mysore
कृष्ण
Both of Mysore's Krishna temples are Hoysala work, and both hold Venugopala, Krishna playing the flute. One is a UNESCO monument at Somanathapura where worship ended long ago; the other, on the KRS backwaters, spent some seventy years under a reservoir and was rebuilt stone by stone, with worship resumed. Each is a half-day outside the city.
Krishna
The eighth avatar of Vishnu; for Gaudiya Vaishnavas and ISKCON, the Supreme himself: cowherd, lover, Arjuna's charioteer and the voice of the Bhagavad Gita.
Two temples, one flute
Keshava Temple, Somanathapura: the monument
Finished in 1268, about 36 km east of Mysore, and the high point of Hoysala carving. Three shrines share one star-shaped platform: Keshava (the image is lost), Janardhana and Venugopala, all forms of Vishnu and, as Wikipedia notes, names used for Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. UNESCO added the temple in 2023 to the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas. The ASI keeps it as a monument: ticketed, with a higher rate for foreign nationals. Check the opening hours locally; there is no checked schedule.
Venugopala Swamy, KRS backwaters: the working temple
Venugopala Swamy Temple at Hosa Kannambadi is a 12th-century Hoysala temple that went under the KRS reservoir by 1930. The Khoday Foundation filmed and photographed it, numbered every stone and rebuilt it on higher ground. About 30 km from Mysore and 9 km by road from Brindavan Gardens, it is open daily 9:00–18:00, with mahapuja (the main worship) at 9:00 and 18:00, according to the temple.
✅ Rules at the KRS temple
Venugopala Swamy publishes stricter rules than most temples:
- No cameras — Photography, video and drones are strictly prohibited; phones can be used outside the temple.
- No food or drink — Not in the temple and not around it.
- No offerings — Devotees are asked not to offer money, flowers or fruit.
- Arrive by late afternoon — The light is lowest over the water late in the day, but the temple closes at 18:00: aim to be there by 16:30–17:00.
How to plan the day
The two temples lie in different directions from Mysore, so most people give each its own half-day. Somanathapura suits a morning: the friezes run unbroken around the courtyard. The KRS temple pairs naturally with an afternoon at the dam and Brindavan Gardens.
Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, falls on 25 August 2027 by the India GO festival calendar; see Janmashtami. For the goddess on Chamundi Hill and the temples in the palace fort, see temples in Mysore.
❓ FAQ
Is there a Krishna temple in Mysore?
Two in this guide, both outside the city: the Venugopala Swamy temple on the KRS backwaters, about 30 km away, and the Keshava temple at Somanathapura, about 36 km east, with its Venugopala shrine.
What are the Venugopala Swamy Temple timings?
Daily 9:00–18:00, with mahapuja at 9:00 and 18:00, according to the temple.
Can I take photos at the KRS Venugopala temple?
No. Photography, video and drones are strictly prohibited inside.
Is Somanathapura still a working temple?
No. Worship ended long ago, and the ASI keeps it as a ticketed monument, part of the UNESCO Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas since 2023.