Srirangam Archives - Tirumala Tirupati Yatra

Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Srirangam

There are several famous Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temples in India. Among them, Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple located in Srirangam is one of the most famous and ancient historical temples. Srirangam is the foremost of eight swayam vyakta (Self-manifested) kshetrams of Sri Maha Vishnu.

Srirangam – Location

It is the first and most important of 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Sri Mahavishnu. Srirangam is at a distance of 12 kilometres from Tiruchunapalli town and 325 Kilometers from Chennai, the State Capital of Tamil Nadu.

Srirangam is on the banks of river Kavery. It is an island bounded by the rivers Kavery and Kalladam. As the deity is Sri Ranganatha Swamy, this place came to be known as Srirangam. Srirangam is also known as Thiruvaranga Tirupati, Periyakovil, Bhooloka Vaikuntam and Bhogamandapam.

Click here for the temple’s location on Google Maps

Sthalapurana / Legend

There is an interesting Sthalapurana about the temple and God. The details of this kshetram are found in the Srirangamahatmyam. As per it, Sri Ranganatha Swamy is Swayambhu and the moorthy was brought to Bhooloka by Garudalwar from Vaikuntam when Lord Brahma did penance.

After some time, Brahma gave the Moorthy to Ikshwaku Maharaja. In Trethayuga, after the battle between Rama and Ravana and after Sri Rama was coronated Sri Rama gave the deity to Vibhishana. As Vibhishana was on the way to Lanka, he placed the deity at the present place where the temple is now located. After some time he was not able to lift the deity from that place and thus Vibhishana pray God with despair.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy was pleased with his prayer and blessed Vibhishana saying, “I am pleased with your devotion; I will see Southside at all time and bless you and you could be able to have my Darshan every day” Lord Sri Ranganatha Swamy stayed here.

Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple Structure

Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple is very big having 156 acres in extent with Seven prakarams and 21 Gopurams. The Rajagopuram is built in 12 tiers with 236 feet total height and 12 kalasas. The Seventh Prakaram is like a fort wall having 3072 feet in length and 2321 feet in width.

The Seven prakarams have separate names and various structures.

The Seventh prakaram is named as Chittarai Veedhi. We can see Sri Krishna Mandir in the east and Sri Andal Sannidhi in the southwest.
The Sixth prakaram is Thiru vikraman veedhi.
The Fifth prakaram is Agalangan Thiruveedhi. In this prakaram Sri Ranganayaki Ammavari Sannidhi is there along with many other upasannidhis.
Aatinandan Thiruveedhi is Fouth prakaram.
The Third Prakaram is called as Kulasekhara Thiruveedhi.
The Second prakaram is Rajamahendran Thiruveedhi.
The First and important prakaram is Dharmavaran Thiruveedhi. The main temple is located in this prakaram.

Gayathri mandapam

In the main Garbhalayam we find Lord Sri Ranganatha Swamy reclining on Adisesha of seven hoods. In front of Garbhalayam there is 24 pillared mandapa called as Gayathri mandapam. Each of the pillars represents each of the 24 letters of the Gayathri Mantra.

The main Garbhalayam has a Golden Vimanam. It is shaped like the Tamil OM symbol. Along with the main Sannidhis, there are 53 upasannidhis.

History of the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple

It is known from the historical pieces of evidence that, the Temple was constructed during the 6th and 7th Century AD. The kings of Chola, Pallava, Pandya and Vijayanagara empires built various parts of the temple.

During the Delhi Sultan’s invasion in the 14th Century, the Mulaviraattu was kept underground and the idols of the Utsava deities were kept in the Tirumala temple. The temple was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara Kings in the 15th Century. The Glory of the temple begins in 1571 AD.

Among 12 Alwars 11 wrote 241 Pasurams on Sri Ranganatha Swamy of Srirangam.

Sevas

Annual Brahmotsavams will be celebrated in the month of Dhanurmasam for twenty days in a grand style. Various vahana sevas and Rathotsavam and kalyanam will be performed to the Lord during Brahmotsavams grandly.

In March / April 10 days, Brahmotsavams will be celebrated. Along with this, special poojas will also be performed on festival days.

Accommodation and Travel Facilities

Accommodation facilities are available at Yatri Nivas run by the temple and other Mutts and in Private Lodges too. There are Bus and Train Facilities from various towns and cities of Tamil Nadu. Tiruchirapalli is well connected with Road, Rail and Air routes.

A Visit to the temple of Lord Sri Ranganatha Swamy in Srirangam gives peace and joy to the devotees.

Srirangam is an island with the Kaveri River on the south and the Kollidam distributary on the north. The Kaveri River divides into two west of the island and combines east of the island. The temple is in the midst of the island and the newly built Raja Gopuram can be seen from miles away as one approaches.

The Lord is ‘Ranganatha’ resting on Adi Sesha; the Mother Goddess is ‘Ranganayaki Thayar’. The vimana is Pranavakruthi Vimana with ‘Chandra Pushkarani’ as the temple pond.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple

Sri Ranganatha Swamy – Location

The town of Srirangam is about 10 km due north of Tiruchirappalli railway junction in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu on the National highway 320 km south of Chennai. It can be reached by air (Trichy airport), by train (Srirangam and Tiruchirappalli junction) and by road using the National Highway (NH).

Click here for Google Maps Location

Sri Ranganatha Swamy – Sthalapuranam

Maharishi Valmiki in his Adi kavya, Ramayana, clearly states in the 128th sarga in Yudhdha kanda that Lord Rama gifted the titular deity of the Ikshvaku clan (earlier said to be worshipped by Lord Brahma in Satyaloka) to King Vibheeshana. This very same idol was received by King Ikshvaku (ancestor of Rama) from Brahma at his request after severe tapas.

The King of Lanka carried the idol south from Ayodhya and paused to rest on Kaveri River Island and set the idol down. Liking the locale, the Lord decided to stay there and told the Lankan king that he will face south towards Lanka. Thus, came into existence the temple and later the town of Srirangam.

This idol in the temple is associated with Rama Avatara of Vishnu and there are references to this idol in Silapadhikaram which is 2000 or more years old.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy – Special features

It is said that Goddess Lakshmi comes to the temple daily to worship. Vibheeshana also visits regularly to worship the Lord. Kamba Ramayana was launched first in the four-pillared mandapam near the Ranganayaki Thayar’s shrine. Alavandar spent many years of his life in Srirangam and was instrumental in bringing Ramanuja to life in Srirangam.

Ramanuja resided in Srirangam for a major part of his life and completely systematized the procedure of temple management and worship here. It still bears his stamp today.

Part of his codification of temple rituals led to the preservation of Divya Prabhandams. He wrote the three Gadyams here in Srirangam and sang them in the presence of the Divine couple. Some say that the Lord and His Consort were in open conversation with Ramanuja during the recital of the Gadya Traya.

There is a legend that his sareera is still preserved in the Vasantha mandapam where it was laid to rest after Ramanuja ascended to Srivaikuntam at the end of his mortal existence. The Arayar seva where the hymns (pasurams) are set to music and dance is a very famous feature of this temple and can be witnessed even today.

The Paduka sahasram was compiled by Vedanta Desika in Srirangam in one night. If one goes for a walk around the many concentric streets, it is easy to spot the residences of these Acharyas or preceptors even today. Among the kings and dynasties who supported this temple with gifts of buildings, jewelry, and money were the kings of Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagar, Hoysala, Ganga, and the Nayak dynasties just a few who can be readily named.

The chariot festivals and golden and silver Garuda Vahanam festivals are justly famous in January and April. The horse vahanam and the popular highspeed dash (vayyalli) are eagerly watched by all devotees. The opening of Paramapada Vasal in December- January of every year is very well known.

The grace of Ranganatha and Ranganayaki is so all-encompassing that anything a devotee prays for is granted by them.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy – Mangalasasanam

All but one of the Alwars have sung in praise of the Lord. All the alwars at one time or the other during their lifetime visited Srirangam and many lived there. Kulasekhara Alwar opens his Perumal Thirumozhi by saying that the gentle waves of river Kaveri caress his divine feet as the gem of a divine form rests on Adisesha.

Andal who started her life in Srivilliputtur finally realized her heart’s desire by merging with Lord Ranganatha making her father Perialwar the Lord’s father-in-law. Perialwar summarises Lord Ranganatha best when he says that the Lord is resting head to the west, feet to the east, back to north and facing South. Seeing Him, Alwar helplessly melts out of love and surrenders.

Perialwar was addressed as the father-in-law and was told by the Lord to return to Srivilliputtur after his daughter Andal merged with Ranganatha at the end of her wedding. Thondaradipodi Alwar maintained a garden to supply flowers to the temple.

This Alwar sang the pasuram (called Thirupalliezhuchi) which is used to awaken the Lord not only in Srirangam but also in all the Vishnu temples. He also wrote the pasuram that said “Your form is like an emerald mountain, your lips choral red, your eyes like lotus and said even if I get the chance to be the king of celestials, I would not want it when compared to the pleasure of seeing you and singing about you Oh Lord of Srirangam.”

Thiruppaan Alwar sang ten pasurams (Amalan-adhi-piran) describing the Lord from thiru-adi to his thiru-mudi upon seeing Lord Ranganatha for the first and final time as he merged with the Lord at the end of the tenth pasuram.

The wall surrounding the temple was built by Thirumangai Alwar who resorted to any means to fund the building. There are many legends narrating these incidents of fund collection. One of these events (Vedupari) is celebrated as a festival in December-January every year.

Thirumangai Alwar says that one look at Ranganatha and his sins evaporate like water on hot iron (Thiruvezhukutrirukkai)!

There are 247 Pasurams about Sri Ranganatha with direct reference and many more referring to the Lord indirectly. It is ‘The Temple’ (Peria Kovil), Ranganatha is ‘The Lord’ (Peria Perumal) and Ranganayaki is ‘The Universal Mother’ for all the bhaktas.

108 Divya Desams – Home Page

Tag: Srirangam

Rajagopuram of Srirangam