Pages

Friday, April 22, 2016

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam – Shrines

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam – Shrines
The vimanam (shrine over the sanctum sanctorum), the Ranga vimana is shaped like omkhara (Om symbol) and is plated with gold. Sri Ranganathar reclines on Adisesha, the coiled serpent. Images of VibhishanaBrahma, HanumanGaruda, the symbols of Vishnu – conch and discuss are seen inside the sanctum. Ranganayaki shrine is in the second precinct of the temple.



The common reference to the goddess is Padi Thaanda Pathini, 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 Ranganathar who visits Ranganayaki. There are three images of Ranganayaki within the sanctum. The complex houses shrines of dozens of forms of Vishnu including ChakkarathazhwarNarasimhaRama, Hayagriva & Gopalakrishna.



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 mandapam (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 hemispherical roof. The double-curved eaves of the entrance porch on the east side are concealed in a later columned hall.



The other deities of this temple are Nam Perumal (Utsavar), Ranganayaki, Sudharshana Alwar, Dhanvantri, Pattabhiramar, Venugopalan, Periya Piratti, Nava Narasimhar & Mettu Azhagiasingar. There are separate Sannadhi (separate sanctorum) for each of the deities are as follows Chakarathalwar, Ramanujar, Garudalwar, Dhanvanthari, Andal, Periyalwar, Kannapiran, Manavala Maamunigal, Nathamunigal, Alavandar, Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar, Thondaradipodi Alwar, Thiruppaan Alwar, Vedanta Desikar, Azhagiya Singar, Nammalvar.


There are more than fifty shrines located in this temple. Some of them are explained below;
Dhanvanthari Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Andal Shrines:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Hayagriva Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Azhwars Shrine:
A shrine for all the Azhwars is located few steps to the east of Chandrapushkarani, and across Sri Kodandaramar Sannidhi, is the Parama-pada-Nathan Sannidhi where all the Alvars are in ‘salokyam’ with Perumal.
Nammalvar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Sri Vedantha Desikar's shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Manavaala Maamunigal Shrine:
The fifth enclosure contains the Shrine of Manavala Maamunigal in the Chola Style. Manavala Maamunigal (1370–1443) was a Hindu Sri Vaishnava religious leader in Tamilnadu, with the help of his eight disciples helped spread Sri Vaishnavism. The disciples of Maamunigal established places of learning to teach Sri Vaishnavite Vishishtadvaita philosophy in Tamil Nadu.
Nathamunigal Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Dasamurthy Shrine:
Sri Dasamurthy Shrine is located on the south west corner of the third enclosure (Kulasekharan Thiruveedhi).
Saraswathi Devi Shrine:
Sri Saraswathi Devi Shrine is located on the south west corner of the third enclosure (Kulasekharan Thiruveedhi).
Senaimudaliyar Shrine:
Senaimudaliyar Shrine is located on the northern side of the third enclosure (Kulasekharan Thiruveedhi).
Thulukka Nachiyar Shrine:
Thulukka Nachiyar Shrine is located on the northern side of the third enclosure (Kulasekharan Thiruveedhi).
Yamunacharya Shrine:
Yamunacharya or Alavandar was a Vishistadvaita philosopher in Srirangam, Tamilnadu, IndiaRamanuja, One of the leaders of the Srivaishnavas School sought to be his disciple. He was born in early 10th century CE and was the grandson of Nathamuni. Nathamuni, was a famed yogi who collected the works of Tamil alvars. He grew up learning Vedic texts from Rama Misra also known as Manakkal Nambi and was skilled in mimansa. A shrine is dedicated to Yamunacharya in Ranganathaswamy Temple for his services to Vaishnavism.
Thiruppaan Alwar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Periyalwar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Garuda Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Chakkarathalwar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Dhanyalakshmi Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Lord Anna Perumal Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Sri Ramanujam Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Varadaraja Shrine:
Near Ramanujar Shrine, there is a sub shrine for Varadaraja with his two consorts.
Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar Shrine:
There is a shrine dedicated for Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar in this Temple.
Varaha Shrine:
To the opposite side of Ranga Nayaki shrine, the sub-shrine of Varaha is located.
Lakshmi Narasimha Shrine:
To the opposite side of Ranga Nayaki shrine, the sub-shrine Lakshmi Narasimha is located.
Krishna Shrine:
To the opposite side of Ranga Nayaki shrine, the sub-shrine of Krishna with Radha-Rukmini (not sure why it is Radha-Rukmini instead of Rukmini-Bama) and a small mandapa are located.
Venkatesa Perumal Shrine:
To the opposite side of Ranga Nayaki shrine, Venkatesa Perumal shrine with a mandapa full of pillars with sculptures is located.
Periyachan Shrine:
To the opposite side of Ranga Nayaki shrine, shrine for Periyachan is located.
Lakshmi Narayana Shrine:
The sub-shrine of Lakshmi Narayana is located very near to the Garuda shrine.
Tirukatchi Nambi Shrine:
The sub-shrine of Tirukatchi Nambi is located very near to the Garuda shrine.
Nava Narasimha Shrine:
Garuda Mandapam is again a popular area in this temple due to two pillars having the bas relief images of Narasimha is various postures; it is also called as Nava Narasimha shrine.
Venugopala Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Maha Lakshmi aka Kamalavalli Shrine:
The shrine of Maha Lakshmi aka Kamalavalli (a small idol) along with small idols of Hanuman and Yoga Narasimha is found on the right side of the main shrine. There are some good huge wall paintings and Go Shala found behind this small shrine
Vasudeva Perumal Shrine:
There is a big shrine where Vasudeva Perumal with four arms along with his two consorts, Periyalwar, Narasimha and few Utsava idols are found.
Mettu Azhagiya Singar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Attru Azhagiya Singar Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Kaatu Azhagiya Singar Temple:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Pillai Lokacharya Shrine:
There is another big shrine located near the Thousand Pillared mandapa - Pillai Lokacharya. The tower near this mandapa is a popular one - it is called as 'Vellai Gopuram' meaning the white colored tower.
Kothanda Ramar Shrine:
It is very rare to find such a huge idol of Rama as found in the Kothanda Ramar shrine of this temple. Rama, Lakshmana and Sita along with Hanuman are found in this magnificent sub-shrine.
Pattabisheka Ramar Shrine:
There is another shrine for Pattabhisheka Rama; here Rama and Sita are found in the Pattabhisheka posture; all the three brothers of Rama are too found here.
Srinivasa Shrine:
There is another shrine for Srinivasa located nearby Pattabisheka Ramar Shrine.
Bali Peetham:
The huge Bali Peetham is located behind Hanuman shrine; it can be reached only through steps. A long flag post is found near the Bali Peetham. On either sides of Bali Peetham few sub-shrines are located which include Koorath Alwar, Thondaradi Podi Alwar, Lakshmi Narasimha, Yoga Narasimha, Nadamuni and Lakshmi Narayana. The long mandapa here has beautiful carvings on the ceilings.
Hanuman Shrine:
Hanuman Shrine is located near the sides of Bali Peetham. The long mandapa here has beautiful carvings on the ceilings.
Koorathalwar Shrine:
Koorathalwar Shrine is located near the sides of Bali Peetham. The long mandapa here has beautiful carvings on the ceilings.
Thondaradi Podi Alwar Shrine:
Thondaradi Podi Alwar Shrine is located near the sides of Bali Peetham. The long mandapa here has beautiful carvings on the ceilings.
Ranganayaki Shrine:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Garba Griha (Ranganathar Shrine):