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 Vibhishana, Brahma, Hanuman, Garuda, 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 Chakkarathazhwar, Narasimha, Rama, 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,
India. Ramanuja, 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):
For
brief details, please refer below link;
http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2016/04/ranganathaswamy-temple-srirangam_95.html
http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2016/04/ranganathaswamy-temple-srirangam_95.html