You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Dec 2003

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00082 Dec 2003

 
Dec 2003 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Renganathar Temple,Srirangam 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Description  
This is the foremost of the 108 shrines glorified by
the Alwars; all of the Alwars with the exception of
Madhurakavi Alwar have sung of its glory. It is the
one of the greatest centers of the Sri Vaishnava
religion and among the most visited pilgrimage centers
in India.

Undoubtedly the largest temple in India, and one among
the grandest, it is a treasure house of art  freezing
various architectural styles over a period of time. It
boasts of the tallest temple tower in India. Referred
to as heaven on earth it is an ancient  center of
worship - vibrant with tradition and festivals. The
Pancharanga Kshetrams along the course of the Kaveri
are Srirangapatnam (Karnataka), Srirangam, Koyiladi
(Anbil) and Kumbhakonam and Indalur (Mayiladuturai).

   

Srirangam is very closely associated with
Ramanujacharya, the beacon of the Sri Vaishnava
tradition of Hinduism. Tiruvanaikka or Jambukeswaram,
one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams (associated with the
primary element water) of Shiva, is located in the
vicinity. Srirangam is located near Tiruchirappalli in
Tamilnadu.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Deities  
Ranganathar is enshrined in a reclining posture
(facing the South); while Namperumaal the festival
deity in a standing posture is also housed in the main
sanctum. There is a shrine in the fourth prakaram,
housing Ranganayaki Taayaar.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Traditions Araiyar Sevai, one of the ancient
devotional art traditions of Tamilnadu, involving the
expressive recitation of the Divya Prabandams, using
movement, music originated here under the auspices of
Nadamuni (10th century CE). Araiyar sevai is performed
also at Srivilliputtur, Alwar Tirunagari and Melkote
(Karnataka). The famous tamil literary work Kamba
Ramayanam premiered here at Srirangam.  

  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
The Temple This temple enshrines Ranganathar in the
central sanctum, crowned with a gold plated Pranava
Vimanam or Paravasudeva Vimanam. A total of 7
concentric prakarams surround this shrine, housing
several mandapams, tanks and shrines. The area
enclosed by the outermost wall is over a hundred ares.
Gopurams on the south and east of the 4th prakaram are
the most impressive. A total of 21 towers adorn the
temple.

 

The Srirangam temple tradition is an ancient one. The
Silappadikaaram of the Sangam period refers to
Srirangam. All of the Alwars (with the exception of
Madhurakavi) have sung in praise of Srirangam. The
first (surviving ) stone inscription dates back to the
period of Parantaka Chola (924 CE).



The pillars here go back to the Chola period (13th
century CE). The 1000 pillared hall is also the
product of the late chola period, and is also in the
4th prakaram; its entrance is in the south. It is here
where the adhyayanotsavam (involving the recitation of
the Tamil Prabandam hymns)  is held. At the southern
edge of the huge open courtyard, the Vijayanagara
rulers added the hall with 8 pillars with huge horses.
The Krishna Venugopala shrine on the southern side is
also of great beauty.  The Garuda mandapam s located  
in the third prakaram.. Its pillars go back to the
Nayaks of 17th century Madurai. The Chandra and Surya
Pushkarini tanks are located in the 3rd prakaram.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Legends Legend has it that the image of Ranganatha
worshipped here, was originally worshipped by the clan
of the Ishwakus, and it passed on to Rama. Rama upon
his victorious return from Lanka, handed over this
image to Vibhishana, who proceded to Lanka with the
image. Circumstances caused him to place this image on
the banks of the Kaveri, where Srirangam now is. (see
Ucchi Pillaiyaar Koyil ) A disappointed Vibhishana
returned to SriLanka with the consolation that the
image of Ranganatha at SriRangam would face South - in
the direction of Lanka. A Chola monarch by name
Dharmavaraman is said to have created a temple here.


 

Legend also has it that the original temple was
flooded by the Kaveri and was rediscovered by a later
Chola emperor.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
History Temple life at Srirangam evolved after
Nadamuni (923 - 1023 CE) compiled the hymns of the
Alwars and gave them a musical form. During Ramanuja?s
time (12th century CE), Srirangam was a well
established institution. The Pandya rulers, from the
13th century onwards gave the temple, immeasurable
support; the gold plating of the vimanam being first
of their endowments. The Hoysala kings, who set up a
military base outside Srirangam also made
contributions. The temple was desecrated by the Delhi
armies in 1313, and was closed for 60 years. From the
end of the 14th century, the temple came back to life,
and much of what is seen today is a result of  the
rebuilding activity which heppened during the time of
the Vijayanagar rulers.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Festivals An elaborate protocol of worship services is
offered here throughout the day. On about 120 days,
the Utsavamurthy is taken out in procession out of the
inner sanctum. Aadi bhrammotsavam is celebrated in
Panguni. The grand Adhyayanotsavam is celebrated in
the month of Margazhi, involving the recitation of the
Prabandham hymns or Alwar Pasurams in the thousand
pillared hall.

 Also in Srirangam is the Dasavataram temple, the only
one of its kind, enshrining the ten incarnations of
Vishnu along with Lakshmi Narasimhar and Vishwaksenar.
This temple was built by Tirumangaialwar and is now
under the administration of the Ahobila Mutt.. The
Tirumangaimannan festival is celebrated here. 

 
 


________________________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" 
your friends today! Download Messenger Now 
http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Srirangasri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxx

 

Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
 http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list