Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam – Temple Speciality

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam – Temple Speciality

The temple is built on lands of 100s of acres with huge number of beautiful statues speaking volumes of the excellent sculptural skills of Tamilnadu having many halls, tanks and shrines. There are 21towers and inner rounds, the 4th being very popular and important. The main tower, Rajagopuram is the tallest in India. This is one of the biggest temples in India. The procession deity is Namperumal, Azhagiya Manavaalan, Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. There are 8 holy springs including Chandrapushkarani and Suryapushkarani.

Srirangam Temple constitutes of 24 Acres including the 5th enclosure and a total of 156 Acres including the 6th and 7th enclosures. Towards the South direction of the Srirangam temple stands the Rajagopuram (literal: royal tower) which had been started to get constructed by the Nayakar Kings 400 years ago and it was completed in part. The Ahobila Mutt (cult of Vaishnavas) concerned of Rajagopuram and they built with 236 feet height, 13 tired and 13 Copper buds (Kalasam) and carried out the Kumbabishekam in year 1987. Srirangam has attained the status of Asia's first biggest tower.

Srirangam Temple keeps following Sukla yajure vedha inner division Vagineye Ganva for its daily worshipping practise.

Moksha Ramanujar:

Moksha (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 Moksham. Then his student did mummification of his body in the position of Badmasanam using ayurvedaha Mooligai (herbal plants). But mythology explains that his corpus arose out of the earth with no human intervention. Acharya 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 Acharya Ramanuja is celebrated twice in a year at an appropriate interval, in order to preserve the holy body of Sri Ramanuja, which is fully immersed in the thoughts of Sri Narayana than nothing else.

Cauvery Water Abishegam:

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 (Abishegam) will be spilled out on him. On this day only his golden costumes will be unrobed. 

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 mandapam. 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.

Narasimhar in Srirangam Temple:

Kambar was revealing (Arangettram in Tamil) Ramayana in Srirangam temple at Kambar Arangettram mandapam (literal: hall) for the first time. On his Ramayana he wrote about Lord Narasimmar. But others did not accept his opinion and criticized that he was blabbering. 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.

Amutha Kalasa Garudalwar:

Amudha kalasa Garudalwar (meaning: King of birds) has a separate Sannathi (temple). Swami Sriranganathar demolished Asuras (demons) and rescued back the Vedas from them. He asked Garudalwar to keep the Vedas preserved. In order to execute the order of Lord Vishnu, Garudalwar preserves Vedas in Kalasam (small pot) on his hand. His statue is made up of Salak wood.

Here special pooja is made for Garudalwar with jasmine and turmeric. Garudalwar 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 Garudalwar. Garudalwar open his wings (whose width and height are immeasurable), covers his devotees and preserves them from all sorts of harmful causes.

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 Narasimhar on her left hand side. It's an amazing and unique position among the Hindu Vaishnava temples.  Thaniya Lakshmi shelters those who are affected by the planet Venus (Shukran). Those who trust Her will not feel the pinch of hunger.

In Srirangam temple at special poojas silks and white bean 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 Brahmorchavam Sriranganathar gives Thaniyam (spices and maizes) to Annalaxmi with his wife Ranganachiyar, in order to allay hunger of all the organisms of the universe.

Three Brahmorchavam:

Every year three Brahmorchavam are celebrated in the months of Thai (January), Panguni (March) and Chithirai (April). First Brahmorchavam is in the month of Panguni. This festival is celebrated by Brahmma (God of creation) and it is called Aadhi Brahmorchavam. During this festival Sri Ranganatha swami will be giving blessings to his devotees along with his wife Sri Ranganachiyar on the star Uthra Natchathiram.

The second Brahmorchavam 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 Brahmorchavam is in the month of Thai. Ramar had celebrated a festival in Ayodhya for remembering Sriranganathar. This festival is called Bhoopathi festival. The wife of Sriranganathar is also called Bhoomadevi. 

In Tamil ‘Pathi ‘means "Husband" Bhooma + Pathi becomes Bhoopathi festival.

Dhoti for Garudalwar - 30 meters:

Srirangam temple Garudalwar Sannathi is situated opposite to the Ranganathar Sannathi and it is in the second enclosure of the temple. This Garudalwar is 25 feet in height and he is wearing Ashta Nagabaranam (literal: Snakes as cloth). He looks like in the position of worshiping Lord Ranganathar, and wearing 30 meters dhoti. Here no Abishegam (holy bath) is made to him. Garudalwar 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 Garudalwar like Thuvarabalaga (guards) respectively. Every year Margazhi (December) the days belong to star Thiruvadirai are famous for Garudalwar festivals.

Every year on the day of Karthigai Visaga egathashi at the time of valarpirai (growing moon period) in the night Lord Sriranganathar keeps wearing 365 different types of blankets until the day dawn.

Dhanvantri (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) Magalaxmi 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 Sannidhanam at Srirangam temple.

Three Thaayar’s (Goddesses) in one place:

In the Srirangam temple Bhoomadevi, Sridevi and Urchava Ranga Nachiyar dwell in the same sannidhanam and it becomes the holiest Vaishnava temple in India.

Some Additional Information:

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 Chandra pushkarani (pool) is a remedy offering place for known and unknown committed sins.

As Thiruppanalvaar (who was an affectionate devotee of Sri Ranganathar) 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 Ekadesi swami will be wearing Lungi (Islamic cultural dress) to remember the daughter. She possesses a separate temple near Sriranganathar temple and people worship her. She is called "Thulukka Nachiyar".

Divya Desam Temple:

Divya Desam Temples are those temples where 11 of the 12 Azhvaars have glorified the Vaishnava temples and its presiding deity in their pasurams. These pasurams numbering an over 4000 have been compiled into a book called Naalayira Dhivya Prabandham. These 12 Azhvar poet-saints lived during the 6th to 9th centuries have visited 108 Vaishnava temples and worshipped Lord Vishnu in pasurams.

Swayambu Kshetrams:

Sri Ranganathar Temple, one of the 8 Swayambu Kshetrams of Vishnu
The temple is considered in the Alvar traditions as one of the eight Swayambu Kshetrams of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Bhu Varaha Swamy temple, Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in South India and Saligrama, Naimisaranya, Pushkar and Badrinath Temple in North India.

Pancharanga Kshetrams:

Sri Ranganathar Temple, one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams. Pancharanga Kshetrams or Pancharangams mean a group of 5 temples of Lord Ranganathar dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The 5 group of temples of Ranganathar which form into Pancharangams lie on the banks of Kaveri River.

The five Pancharanga Kshetrams in the order of their successive locations on the banks of the Kaveri River are: 1) The Srirangapatnam called the Adi Ranga, the first one on the banks of the Kaveri River from the upstream side; 2) Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam known as Adya Ranga (the last temple); 3) Appalarangam or Koviladi at Thirupper Nagar; 4) Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple or Mayuram at Indalur; 5) Mayiladuthurai and Vatarangam at Sirkazhi. The Sarangapani temple at Kumbakonam is mentioned in place of Vatarangam in some references.