The place, Srirangapatna, had the name of Srirangapuri in the early ages. Latter it got the name of Srirangapatna. This town is an island being surrounded by the river Cauvery. In this town there are temples of Sri Ranganatha, Sri Lakshminarasimha, Sri Gangadhareshwara, Sri Jyothirmaheswara and other small temples. Among them the main temple is that of Sri Ranganatha.

   The inner apartment of Sri Ranganatha temple was built in 817 A.D. by a lady by name Hambi, of the class of dancers. When a king of the Ganga dynasty was the ruler, a person by name Thirumalaraya got constructed the Navaranga mantap and the temple of Lord ThirumaIa (Srinivasa) at the left side portion of great Mahadwara. In the year 1117 A.D. when Sri Ramanuja came to these part after escaping from the Chola country, here a Jain by name Hoysala Bittideva was the ruler, Sri Ramanuja got his converted to a Vaishnava and named him Vishnuvardhana.

   Sri Ramanuja got from this ruler much wealth and the lands of eight villages. He nominated certain office bearers named as prabhus or Hebbars to administer over the service of the Lord. In the year 1454 A.D. the Hebbar Thimmanna by name went to Vijayanagara and became an official called as "Danayaka" in the court of the king of Vijayanagara. He returned from Vijayanagara and got constructed the'outer the fort for the town and the big wall for the temple and the big gate in front.

   Latter the town of Sriranganatha came under the direct control of the Vijayanagar king. One of the representatives of these kings, Sri Ranganatha by name enlarged the town and got constructed the inner prakara in the temple, five steps at the big gate, and 2 stone elephants on both sides.

   His wife Alumelamma was a great devotee and righteous women. A good number of ornaments were got made by her, and they would be made to be borne by the Goddess on every Tuesday and Friday. Alumelamma would have a darshan of the Goddess, with ornaments on.

   Srirangaraya began to suffer much from a wound in back and so, he could not look after the administration of the state. He had no children. As then the Mysore king was efficient, he sent word for the Mysore king Sri Rajawadiyar, and gave over the administration of the kingdom to him. He then retired to Malangi, near Talakad and ended his life there after some time.

   Even after the death of Sri Rangaraya the practice of putting the ornaments to the Goddess on Tuesday and Fridays continued. One Friday Sri Raja Wadiyar came to the temple for a darshan. On learning the ornaments would be returned to Alumelamma, after the end of the day, Sri Raja Wadiyar insisted that they should not be returned to her but should be on the Goddess at all times. But by this time, Alumelamma had got returned some ornaments. Sri Raja Wadiyar demanded her of these ornaments. Alumelamma thought it would be unwise to stay there and getting on a horse ride away to Talakad. Some soldiers followed her. In order to escape from them she jumped in to the deep water of the Kavery near Malangy uttering a curse that Talakad should become very deep water and that the Mysore kings should have no children immediately the Malangy became very deep. And around it, great sandy desert arose. The soldiers could not find her out. Everyone can see that Talakad is in the midst of a great sandy desert arose. The soldiers could not find her out. Even now one can see that Talakad is in the midst of a great sandy area and that Malangy waters are very deep.

   On hearing the curse uttered by Alumelamma and her ending at Talakad, Sri Raja Wadiyar became greatly grieved and arranged the construction of an idol of Alumelamma in his palace and offered worship to her this worship would be done magnificiently on a large scale, during the Dasara. This custom has continued even to the present day. One can see the idol of Sri Rangaraya and Alumelamma near the Dwarapalakas in the temple.

   One of the ornaments given by Alumelamma the jewel for the nose, can he seen even now. This jewel, it said, is originally as big as lime fruit, but has been gradually decreasing in size.

   From the year 1610 to 1699 the town of Srirangapatna was the capital of the Mysore State. In the year 1690-91, the Mysore King Sri Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar appointed on Hyder Ali as the commander in chief. Hyder it is said, was a great devotee to Lord Ranganatha conver would appear to him, in dreams and see with him. Before Hyder would undertake any arduous task, he would take the approval of the God. A tale is told which brings out the devotion of Hyder anu the greatness of Lord Ranganatha.

   Once, when an enemy troop had entered into the border of the Mysore territory, Hyder started with an army, to oppose the enemies in the fight, the enemies were having the upper hand and Hyder's army was between the river Godavaryon the one hand and the enemy troops on the other. Hyder was confused and despondent. At the critical moment he prayed to Lord Ranganatha. Immediately the river Godavary dried up, so that the Mysore army could cross the river safely. When the enemy troops followed them the Godavari was in floods so that the enemies could not cross the river. Hyder, now returned with his army safely to Srirangapatna and once again, after offering prayers to the Lord, he started with his army, to oppose the enemies and returned successfully. This incident brings out well, the great devotion of Hyder Ali towards Lord Ranganatha and the greatness of the Lord.