Skip to main content

RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE - SRIRANGAM

SRI RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE - THIRUVARANGAM


 Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Thiruvarangam is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in a reclining form, built in the island of Srirangam in between Kollidam & Ponni(Kaveri) rivers.

It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temple in South India.
The temple has been a place,from where Vaishnavism has flourished and many vaishnava saints have associated themselves with this temple including 11th-century saint Ramanjacharya and his predecessors Nathamuni and Yamunacharya.
The temple was looted and destroyed by the Delhi Sultanate armies in early 14th century.In 1311m the golden image of the Lord was taken to delhi, inconsistent theories suggest the idol was brought back by the sultans daughter, who is enshrined as Thuluka Nachiar & in 1323 the second sultanate invasion could not lay their hand on the Idol as it was taken away from srirangam.The temple was rebuilt in late 14th century(1371), the site fortified and expanded with many more gopurams in the 16th and 17th centuries
The temple is constructed over an area of 155 acres with 50 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions and 9 water tanks & a 1000 pillared hall(953) integrated into the complex making it the world's largest functioning Hindu temple & the largest temple compound in india. It is the 2nd largest temple, next only to Angkor wat. The latest addition is the outer tower that is 220 ft tall, completed in 1987.The temple has seven Praharams out of which five praharams enshrine the monument. The sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ranganath is round on a raised square platform.
A temple at Srirangam is mentioned in Tamil literature of the Sangam era (1st to the 4th century AD), The current temple as per archaeological evidence such as inscriptions refer to this temple, belonging to the Chola, Pandya,Hoysala,& Vijayanagara dynasties who ruled over the region. between the 9th and 16th centuries.
Legend has it that the Sriranga Vimana was a gift of Lord Ram to Vibhishana,as a token of appreciation for helping him in killing the evil Ravana. On the way to srilanka the Sriranga Vimana, would not budge from srirangam and hence the same was established there.
Some of the primary shrines are Chakrathuazhwar( Sudarshana with lord narasimha on the rear side),Rama, Hayagreeva, Dhanavantri, Venugopal & shri Ramanujacharya.
The Sanctum for Lord Ranganatha in the innermost courtyard has a golden Vimana or tower. It is shaped like the Tamil om symbol, has an etching of Ramanuja. Inside,the sanctum is the (20 ft) idol of Sri Rangantha reclining on Adishesha the serpent, which has five hoods and is coiled as a bed, three and a half times. Vishnu's head rests on a small cylindrical pillow and his right palm which faces upwards rests next to his head. Lakshmi (in the form of sridevi and bhudevi) & Bramha coming out of the Lords Navel are conspicuously missing.
Ranganayaki (Lakshmi) shrine is in the second precinct of the temple. The shrine has three idols of Ranganayaki, Sridevi & Bhudevi. During the festival it is Ranganather who visits ranganayaki in a processions, and not the other way round.
Inscriptions at the Temple are in six languages: Tamil, Sanskrit,Kannada, Telugu, Marathi and Odiya.
The temple also has Shaivaite and Shakthi sculptures, even in the sanctum precinct, lord Ganesh and Durga adorn the walls. Near the Dhwaja Sthamba is a Peetham with the image of Nataraja.Peethams are generally associated with shiva or parvathi.
Things to see :
1.Sri Ranganathar in a round sanctum & gold Vimana.
2.Goddes Ranganayaki shrine. Three idols ( sridevi, bhudevi & ranganayaki)
3.Swarga Vasal ( Doors to Heaven).
4. Two golden Palli’s( Lizard)
5.Dhanavantri shine.
6.Paintings on the ceiling on the Ranganayaki shrine.
7.Chakrathuazhwar sannidhi with Narasimha on the rear side.
8.Venu gopal Shrine.
9.1000(953)pillared & Shreyas mandapam.
10. Hayagriva Shrine.
11.Sri Ramanujar samdhi(The idol is his preserved body in sitting posture).
12.Vellayi the devadasi gopuram or white Gopuram.
13. The Shakthi Peetham before the dhwajasthamba, with the inscription of Lord Nataraja on it.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THYAGARAJASWAMY TEMPLE - TIRUVOTRIYUR

  THIRUVOTRIYUR THYAGARAJASWAMY TEMPLE....! The Adipurishwarar and Thyagarajaswamy Thiagarajaswamy Temple in Tiruvotriyur is more famously known as Vadivudai Amman Temple. The huge temple complex stands majestically in this bustling commercial and industrial area on the outskirts of Chennai. The temple was originally built by the Pallavas and later rebuilt by the great king, Rajendra Chola I.The Chola kings, who were reigning in Thondainadu (this area), patronized the worship of Shiva. King Rajendra Chola rebuilt the central shrine of Adipureeswarar and a vimanam (dome) of black stone was added.... The uniqueness of this temple is that devotees from six sects of Hinduism perform poojas here. Followers of Shiva, Vishnu and Shakthi andUchavar, AdiSaivites and Namboodris (from Kerala) come to this temple and worship the manifestations of Shiva and Shakthi....! Thiruvotriyur is about 10 kms from Chennai,the capital of Tamil Nadu. This temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam, a holy place prai...
Post a Comment
Read more

VAIKUNTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE OR THIRU PARAMESHWARA VINNAGARAM KANCHIPURAM

  THIRU PARAMESHWARA VINNAGARAM OR VAIKUNTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE KANCHIPURAM Thiru Parameswara (The greatest Lord) Vinnagaram (temple) or Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu & his concert Vaikundavalli located in Kanchipuram. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple finds mention in the Divya Prabhanda the early medieval tamil literature of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one among the 108 temples dedicated to Vishnu. The temple is considered the second oldest extant temples in Kanchipuram after the Kailasanathar temple & is in a straight line facing each other, though seperated by 3.5 KMs. The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallava king Nandivarman (720-796 CE), with later contributions from Chola's and Vijayanagara Kings. The temple is surrounded by a granite wall enclosing all the shrines and a pond of the temple. The outer walls of the inner praharam is full of Kalakrithis related to the lord....
Post a Comment
Read more

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 15 - FINAL - ICONOGRAPHY OF ELEPHANTA CAVES - GHARAPURI

GHARAPURI - ELEPHANTA CAVES 15 - FINAL ICONOGRAPHY OF ELEPHANTA CAVES MAHESHAMURTHY  NOT TRIMURTHY The Gharapuri or Elephanta Caves must have been built between the 5th and 6th century C.E., the five  Hindu and two Buddhist caves collectively known as the Elephanta Caves have survived through centuries of habitation, invasion and neglect. The island and its resident caves received the name ‘Elefanta Ishle’ from Portuguese invaders after the discovery of a black stone sculpture of an elephant on the island, now housed outside Mumbai’s  Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum . VAMADEVA The excavations of cave temples in this region are divided into three classes according to the sects to which they belong, namely Buddhist, Brahmanical Hindu, and Jains. The earliest known architecture are the Buddhist around 3 rd century BC, Brahmanical caves whether connected to Shiva or Vishnu came next around the 4 th century to 8 th century Current Era and can be termed...
Post a Comment
Read more