Divya Desam – Lord Vishnu | One of the Divya Desam Vishnu Sthalam |
Region | Chola Naadu |
Chola Naadu | 1st Vishnu Sthalam |
HISTORY:
Srirangam
temple Sri Raganatha swami is blessing in three different islands of the holy
river Cauvery. It flows from Karnataka to Tamilnadu. The first island is
Sriranga Patinam and it is called Aathirnagam (Origin of Rangam), located in
Mysore (125 km distance from Bangalore to Mysore route). The second island is
Sivanasha Samuthiram and it is called Mathiyarnagam (Middle of Rangam),
situated 70 km distance from Srirangapatinam. The third island is Thiru
navalantheevu and it is called Srirangam and also called Antharngam (last part
of Rangam - meaning of heaven) is situated in Tamilandu, Trichirappalli
district, India.
There
are 7 big walls found around this temple covering next to next each other. The
7 walls are referred to as the 7 worlds. The 7th wall is the outer wall which
can be seen and it is 3072 feet in length and 2521 feet in breadth. For 7
prakaarams, 7 thiruveedhi (streets) are found. 7th thiruveedhi is called
"Chitthirai Thiruveedhi" where bigh houses and bunglows are found.
Sixth Veedhi, which is found in Sixth prakaaram is called "Thiru vikraman
thiruveedhi" fifth veedhi om 5th prakaram is Agalangan Thiru veedhi".
Fourth veedhi in 4th prakaram is "Aalinaadan Thiruveedhi". Third
veedhi in 3rd prakaram is "Kulasekaran Thiruveedhi". Second veedhi in
2nd prakaram is "Raja Mahendran". And in the first prakaram,
Emperumaan Sri Ranganathan in Kidantha Kolam gives seva and this is called
"Dharma Varman Thiru chuttru (circle).
Total area of this temple is alomost 155 1/2 acres, and 6 miles in area.
There are total of 21 gopurams in this temple. The weight of the Gopuram is
24,880 tons and the entrance is 11 3/4 width and height is 24 3/4.
The
Gopuram of Sri Rangam is popularly called as "Raja Gopuram" and it is
the biggest gopuram in the Asian Sub - Continent. It took almost 7 years to
complete the Gopuram. When coming out of the 7th Veedhi, all the 4 entrances of
the Gopura Vaasal. The height of the Gopuram is 236 feet high with 13 Nilays.
12 Kalasams are kept on the top of the Gopuram.
Biggest
gopuram in Asia. All the 11 Alwars did Mangalasasanam here. Udayavar
(Ramanujar) guru periyanambigal, Buttar Vadakuthiruveethi pillai, Pillai
Lokachariyar - Birth Place. Kula sekara Alwar, Thondaradipodi Alwar,
Soodikodutha Naachi Aandal, Thuluka Naachiyaar, Udayavar (Ramanujar) Thirupaan
Alwar - Paramapatha Sthalam.
Srirangam Temple Ramanujar:
Motcha
(attaining the status of no re-birth by residing at the feet of Lord) Ramanujar
lived and worshipped Srirangam Perumal at Srirangam temple very long time.
After the end of his life he got Motcham. Then his student did mummification of
his body in the position of Badmasanam using ayurvedaha Muligai (herbal
plants). But mythology explains that his corpus arose out of the earth with no
human intervention. Aacharya Ramanuja is blessing in a separate sannadhi
(temple) in the srirangam temple of 3rd enclosure. No abishekam is conducted
for his body. The holy ceremony of applying saffron with Cinnamomum camphora on
the divine corpus of Aacharya Ramanuja is celebrated twice in a year at an
appropriate interval, in order to preserve the holy body of Sriramanuja, which
is fully immersed in the thoughts of Sri Narayana than nothing else.
Narasimar in Srirangam temple:
Kambar
(a prehistoric Tamil poet) was revealing (arangetram in Tamil) Ramayana in
Srirangam temple at Kambar Arangetra mandbam (literal: hall) for the first
time. On his Ramayana he wrote about Lord Narasimmar. But others did not accept
his opinion and criticised that he was blabbing. Kambar was frustrated and came
under stress. He prayed to Narasimmar. At the same moment Lord Narasimmar
appeared on the pillar and roared. Everyone regretted that, they had put
baseless blame on Kambar. Since Lord Narasimma appeared there for his devotee,
he is called Metalagiya Narasimmar.
Srirangam Temple Amutha Kalasa
Garudalvar:
Amudha
kalasa Garudalvar (meaning: King of birds) has a separate Sannathi (temple).
Swami Srirnganatha demolished Asuras (demons) and rescued back the Vedas from
them. He asked Garudalvar to keep the Vedas preserved. In order to execute the
order of Lord Vishnu, Garudalvaar preserves Vedas in Kalasam (small pot) on his
hand. His statue is made up of Salak wood. Here special pooja is made for
Garudalvar with jasmine and turmeric. Garudalvaar relieves those who are
suffering from nightmares and hallucinations. Those who are affected by the
radiations and the transitions of the planets Uranus and Neptune will be
safeguarded by Garudalvaar. Garudalvaar open His wings (whose width and height
are immeasurable), covers His devotees and preserves them from all sorts of
harmful causes.
Srirangam Temple Thaniya laksmi
anna perumal:
Thaniya
laksmi (Goddess) anna perumal sannidhanam (sub temple) is in the 2nd enclosure,
by blessing us with Sri Krishna on Her right hand side and with Narasimar on
Her left hand side. It's an amazing and unique position among the Hindu
vaisnava temples. Thaniya lakshmi shelters those who are affected by the planet
Venus (Sukran). Those who trust Her, will not feel the pinch of hunger. In
Srirangam temple at special poojas silks and white been seed are used. Thaniya
laksmi is the direct Avataram of Sri Ranganathar and she looks with thanyam
(literal: spices and maize) and kalasam (a small pot). On every bramochavam
Sriranganathar gives Thaniyam (spices and maizes) to Annalaxmi with his wife
Ranganachiyar, in order to allay hunger of all the organisms of the universe.
Dhoti for Srirangam Temple
Garudalvar-30 meters:
Srirangam
temple Garudalvar Sanathi is situated opposite to the Ranganathar Sannathi and
it is in the second enclosure of the temple. This Garudalvar is 25 feet in
height and he is wearing Asta Nagabaranam (literal: Snakes as cloth). He looks
like in the position of worshiping Lord Renganathar, and wearing 30 meters
dhoti. Here no abishegam (holy bath) is made to Him. Garudalvar is worshipped
by the devotees with Kolukattai (rice based food famous in south india) on
every Thursday. Here Sukrivan and Angathan stand on the left and right sides of
Garudalvaar like Thuvarabalaga (guards) respectively. Every year Margazhi
(December) the days belong to star Thiruvadarai are famous for Garudalvar
festivals.
Every
year on the day of Karthigai visaga yegathesi at the time of valarpirai
(growing moon period) in the night Lord Srirnaganathar keeps wearing 365
different types of blankets until the day dawn.
Srirangam Temple Dhanvandri (God of
Medicine):
God
of Medicine looks after the health of all the organisms. He has separate
sannidhanam (temple) at srirangam temple near Thayar sannadhi. He has Amirtha
(the holy liquid for immortal life) kalasam. On his hand millipede is there
(the scientific reason beyond this is, Millipede can suck blood. So the God of
Medicine has millipede, in order to suck the infected blood of patient)
Mahalaxmi devi dwells at his heart. Those who are sick, who cannot be cured
even after they have undergone treatment, should trust Him. Castor oil lamp
pooja is the famous festival in this Sannithanam at Srirangam temple.
Three thayars (Goddesses) in one place:
In
the Srirangam temple Boomadevi, Sridevei and Utchava Ranga nachyar dwell in the
same sanithanam and it becomes the holiest vaishnava temple in India.
Shrines:
The
vimanam (shrine over the sanctum sanctorum), the Ranga vimana is shaped like
omkara (om symbol) and is plated with gold. Sri Ranganthar reclines on
Adisesha, the coiled serpent, and at his feet sits Ranganayaki. Images of
Vibhishana, Brahma, Hanuman, Garuda, the symbols of Vishnu – conch and discuss
are seen inside the sanctum. Ranganayaki shrine is in the second precint of the
temple. The common reference to the goddess is padi thaanda pathni, meaning
lady who doesn't cross the boundaries of ethics. Literally, the festival deity
of Ranganayaki also does not come out of the shrine and it is Ranganthar who
visits Ranganayaki. There are three images of Ranganayaki within the sanctum.
The
complex houses shrines of dozens of forms of Vishnu including Chakkarathazhwar,
Narasimha, Rama, Hayagreeva and Gopala Krishna. There are separate shrines for
Ranganayaki and the major saints in the Vaishnava tradition, including
Ramanuja. The Venugopala shrine in the south-west corner of the fourth
enclosure of the temple is the work of Chokkanatha Nayak. An inscription of
1674 specifies this Nayak king as the patron. The exterior of the vimana and attached
mandap (hall) have finely worked pilasters with fluted shafts, double capitals
and pendant lotus brackets. Sculptures are placed in the niches of three sides
of the sanctuary walls; maidens enhance the walls in between. The elevation is
punctuated with secondary set of pilasters that support shallow eaves at
different levels to cap larger and smaller recesses. The sanctuary is crowned
in the traditional fashion with a hemisphrical roof. The double-curved eaves of
the entrance porch on the east side are concealed in a later columned hall.
Dhanvantari, a great physician of ancient India is considered to be an
incarnation of Vishnu – there is a separate shrine of Dhanvantari within the
temple.
Halls:
The
Hall of 1000 pillars (actually 953) is a fine example of a planned theatre-like
structure and opposite to it, "Sesha Mandap", with its intricacy in
sculpture, is a delight. The 1000-pillared hall made of granite was constructed
in the Vijayanagara period (1336–1565) on the site of the old temple. The pillars
consists of sculptures of wildly rearing horses bearing riders on their backs
and trampling with their hoofs upon the heads of rampant tigers, seem only
natural and congruous among such weird surroundings. The great hall is
traversed by one wide aisle in the centre for the whole of its greater length,
and intersected by transepts of like dimension running across at right angles.
There still remain seven side aisles on each side, in which all the pillars are
equally spaced out. The Garuda Madapa (hall of the legendary bird deity of
Vishnu, garuda) located on the south side of the third enclosure is another
Nayak addition. Courtly portrait sculptures, reused from an earlier structure,
are fixed to the piers lining the central aisle. A free-standing shrine inside
the hall contains a large seated figure of garuda; the eagle-headed god faces
north towards the principal sanctum. The Kili mandapa (Hall of parrot) is
located next to the Ranganatha shrine, in the first enclosure of the temple.
Elephant balustrades skirt the access steps that ascend to a spacious open
area. This is bounded by decorated piers with rearing animals and attached
colonettes in the finest 17th-century manner. Four columns in the middle define
a raised dais; their shafts are embellished with undulating stalks. The most
artistically interesting[according to whom?] of the halls that the Nayaks added
to the complex is the Sesha Mandap on the east side of the fourth enclosure.
The hall is celebrated for the leaping animals carved on to the piers at its
northern end.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri Sriranganathar, Sri Namperumal, Sri
Periyaperumal, Sri Azhakiya Manavalan. |
|
Ambal |
Sri Ranganayaki |
|
Theertham |
Chandra Pushkarini, Kaveri, Kollidam, Vedasrugam
Theertham |
BELIEF:
Srirangam
temple Swami Sri Ranganatha is lying in the milk ocean (parkadal) and He
blesses all the organisms. It is believed that in the early morning Brama (God
of creation) worships Sri Ranganatha. Srirangam temple Chandar pushkarani
(pool) is a remedy offering place for known and unknown committed sins. As
Thiruppanalvaar (who was an affectionate devotee of Sri Renganathar) was
injured by a stone, which was thrown on to him by someone; the immediate moment
Lord sriranganathar got bleeding on his head.
Daughter of former Delhi Sultan was fall in love with Lord Sri Ranganatha, so
that every Yegadesi swami will be wearing Lungi (Islamic cultural dress) to
remember the daughter. She possesses a separate temple near Srirenganathar
temple and people worship Her. She is called "Thulukka Nachiyar".
Cauvery water Abishekham:
In
the Tamil month of Aani (month of July) on the day of the star
"Keytayam" Srirangam temple Swami Ranganathar will be coated with
"herbal fragrance oil"(Thailabisegam), and on the same day 22pots of
Holy Cauvery water (Abisegam) will be spilled out on Him. On this day only His
golden costumes will be unrobed.
Srirangam Temple Adiperukku
festival:
Sriranganathar
at Srirangam temple swami will be getting Jostabisegam from the 48th day of
Adiperukku urchavam. People celebrate the festival on Aadi 28th or Aadi 18th
(in the end of July) at Srirangam Amma mandpam. On that day Swami Ranganathar
will give blessing to his devotees and people give saris, kungumam (vermillion
powder - a holy thing of Hinduism), Katholai, Karugamani (Pam tree leaf ring
for years and black coloured artificial Pearl) as a present to mother Cauvery.
These gifts are taken from the temple by the temple elephant called Aandal and
then let float on the river Cauvery.
Srirangam Temple - Three
Bramorchavam:
Every
year three Bramorchavams are celebrated in the months of Thai (January),
Panguni (March) and Chithirai (April). First Bramorchavam is in the month of
Panguni. This festival is celebrated by Bramma (God of creation) and it is
called Aadhi Bramorchavam. During this festival Sri Ranganatha swami will be
giving blessings to his devotees along with his wife Sri Ranganachyar on the
star utra Natchahiram. The second Bramochavam is during the “car festival” (to
lead the life peacefully) is celebrated every year in the month of April/May
(Tamil month: Chithirai). This is called Chithirai festival. The third
Bramochavam is in the month of Thai. Ramar had celebrated a festival in Ayodhi
for remembering Sriranganathar. This festival is called Boopathi festival. The
wife of Srirenganathar is also called Boomadevi.
In Tamil ‘Pathi ‘means "Husband" Booma + pathi becomes Boopathi
festival.
HOW
TO REACH:
Sriranagm
temple is 7 km away from the Trichirappalli Junction (in the south 321 km from
Chennai and in the north east 200 km from Madurai approximately). Srirangam can
be reached by bus and train (International airport is also available in
Trichy).
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Ranganathar Swamy
Temple
Srirangam,
Trichy,
Tamil Nadu – 620006.
LOCATION:
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