Sri RanganathaSwamy Temple – Srirangam: History & Guide
Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple is one of the oldest Vishnu temples in India, occupying an area of 155 acres (63 ha), with 81 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions, and many water tanks integrated into the complex. Its great historical architecture makes it the world’s largest functioning Hindu temple.
A Heaven on Earth
Srirangam is the first and main divyadesha temple of Lord Vishnu. It is located in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. Srirangam is an island surrounded by the River Cauvery on all four sides. The name of the Moolavar Perumal is Sri Ranganathar, and the name of the utsavar is Sri Namperumal.
Location of the temple – Google Maps
This Perumal temple has songs from 11 Alwars, and many Acharyas lived here. It is the first Divya Desam in Chola Naadu Temples; it is also called Bhooloka Vaikuntham, which means “A Heaven on Earth.”
In Srirangam, the Ranganatha Swamy faces towards the south direction, which is rare in the world! Moolavar Ranganatha Swamy is reclining in an amazing posture—with his head towards the west, lotus legs towards the east, showing his back towards the south direction, which looks like a very beautiful Vishnu idol.
History
Once upon a time, when Lord Brahma asked for a Vishnu Idol to worship in his Brahma Lokam, Lord Vishnu accepted his request and created a water bubble from the River Viraja, which is located in Vaikuntha, and the Ranganatha Swamy appeared with Pranavaakaara Vimaanam (shape of Om!). Lord Brahma took this Idol to his house and worshipped it for many years.
In the period of Krutha Yugam, King Ikshvaaku (King of Ayodhya) went to Brahma Lokam and met Lord Brahma and noticed Lord Ranganatha Swamy and requested Brahma to give it to him. Brahma allowed him to take Lord with King Ikshvaaku, and he built a Temple near the River Sarayu. They worshipped for many years till the period of Lord Rama, who also worshipped Lord Ranganatha Swamy. After killing Ravana in the war and returning to Ayodhya, he gifted Lord Ranganatha to Vibhishana and asked him to carry it to Sri Lanka.
Vibhishana carried Lord Ranganatha on his head and moved towards Sri Lanka in the air. In the evening, Vibhishana decided to do Sandhyavandhanam. At that time, he was at Srirangam, which is near the River Kaveri. He kept Lord Ranganatha’s idol near the Riverbank and completed sandhyavandhanam in Srirangam and got ready to fly towards Sri Lanka, but Lord Ranganatha said that He loved this place and people and so he wished to stay there. King Dharma Varma requested Vibhishana to keep the Lord Ranganatha in that place itself.
One of the famous festivals in Srirangam is Vaikuntha Ekadashi, which comes as the 11th day of ThiruAdhyayana Utsavam. Namperumal opens the Vaikuntha Vasal and comes across the doors. Srirangam Namperumal got poems from 11 Alwars and many Aacharyas, including Sri Ramanuja, who lived in Srirangam and worshipped Lord Ranganatha and surrendered his life to him. Till now in Srirangam, Sri Ramanuja’s administration system is followed by the temple.
There is a belief that taking a bath in the River Kaveri in the month Ippasi (Oct – Nov) is equal to taking a bath in all holy rivers in the world!! Srirangam Temple is surrounded by 13 Pushkarini (Ponds). One of the main Pushkarini is Chandra Pushkarini, which is located inside the Temple.
Sri Namperumal is famous for his style of gait on the occasion of purappadu. He walks like Simha (Lion), Gaja (Elephant), Vyaghra (Tiger), Vrishabha (Bull) and Sarpa (Snake). Srirangam Temple has faced many wars. One of the biggest wars was during the Mughal Empire period; Sri Namperumal had gone out of Srirangam for approx. 48 Years because of brutal kings who destroyed the temple for treasure, and Namperumal wandered around Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra and Perumal also stayed in Ranga Mandapam of Tirumala.
Srirangam temple is Periya Kovil because the kovil is so big, the Perumal is Periya Perumal, the Thayar is Periyapiraatiyaar, the food offered to Perumal is Periya Avasaram, the bell rung in the temple is Periya mani and the main festival celebrated in the temple is known as Periya Thirunaal. Visit this temple and be blessed.
