Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Srirangam, India, is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world and one of the most famous temples in South India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, one of the three Hindu Gods. Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is one of the most popular of the 108 prominent Vishnu temples. 105 temples out of these 108 are located in India, one in Nepal and two are supposed to be located beyond Earthly realms.

The main entrance, known as the Rajagopuram (the royal temple tower), rises from the base area of around 13 cents (around 5720 sq ft) and goes up to 237 feet (72 m). The temple occupies an area of 156 acres (631,000 m²) with a perimeter of 4,116m (10,710 feet) making it the largest temple in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world.

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The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple has seven concentric prakaras or walls or enclosures. The total length of these thick walls that create these enclosures is 32,592 feet and run round the sanctum sanctorum. This makes it the only temple in India to have seven enclosures. Seven is regarded as an auspicious number by present day Vaishnava believers. According to them seven number either represents the seven centers of Yoga or the seven elements which make the human body with its center being occupied by the soul.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple has a hall of 953 pillars which is made of granite. Intricate sculptures are the most attractive part of the hall. The Hall was built during the Vijayanagara period (1336-1565). There are 21 tower gateways in the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. The shrine of the main gateway is 236 feet tall, thus making it the second tallest temple tower in Asia.

Hall of 953 pillars

It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India rich in legend and history. Its location, on an island in Cauvery river, has rendered it vulnerable to natural disasters as well as the rampaging of invading armies – Muslim and European – which repeatedly commandeered the site for military encampment.

The inscriptions in the temple belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala and Vijayanagar dynasites. They range in date between the 9th and 16th centuries AD and are registered by the ephigrahical society. The location where the Ranganathan idol was placed was later covered by an overgrowth of deep forests, due to disuse. After a very long time, a Chola king, chasing a parrot, accidentally found the idol. He then established the Ranganathaswamy temple as one of the largest temple complexes in the world.

According to historians, most dynasties that ruled the South Cholas, Pandiyas, Hoysalas, Nayakkas assisted with renovation and in the observance of the traditional customs. Even during periods of internal conflicts amongst these dynasties, utter importance was given to the safety and maintenance of these temples.