If you have ever stood somewhere and felt the time to dissolve, then Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is a temple that deserves to be on your spiritual bucket list.
The temple is situated on a sacred island between the Kaveri and Coleroon rivers. This beautiful temple is not just the largest functioning temple in the world, but a living testament to the history as well.
Inside the temple, Lord Vishnu rests as Ranganath on the serpent Adishesha, who is surrounded by devotion, history and architectural excellence. From the chants of “Ranga Ranga” to the Rajagopuram, the tallest temple tower on Earth, showcases that every corner tells a story in a perfect way. As the first and most important site of the 108 Divya Desams, Srirangam is often called Bhooloka Vaikuntha.
What’s special about Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple?
The temple is definitely more than a place of worship. Located in the Tiruchirapalli region in Tamil Nadu, the place offers a multi-dimensional experience that spans over 1000 years of history, devotion and spirituality. The largest temple in the world spans 156 acres. This Vaishnavite temple houses 21 majestic towers, 81 shrines and a unique 1000-pillared mandapam that offers the intricately sculpted scenes from mythology. The gateway of the temples is so huge that even an elephant can pass through it.
The Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a reclining avatar of Lord Vishnu, and the temple draws millions of pilgrims every year. According to the legend, the deity was also gifted to the noble king Ikshvaku by Vishnu himself and later brought to Srirangam by Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana. This step also makes the first of the Divya Desams a group of Vishnu temples celebrated in the hymns of Alvars.
One of the iconic spots of the temple is the Rajagopuram, a 235-foot-tall tower that dominates the skyline. Completed in 1987, it’s the tallest temple tower in the world, which is visited by many tourists.
Festivals at the temple
Among the many festivals celebrated here at the temple, Vaikunta Ekadasi stands out as the grandest celebration. The festival is held annually in December or January. This 22-day celebration sees lakhs of devotees, and the highlight is the opening of the Sorga vasal (gateway to heaven), where pilgrims walk through.
Saints and inscriptions
Srirangam is also believed as the resting place of Ramanujacharya, one of the revered philosophers who is believed to be enshrined here. The temple contains more than 800 inscriptions in languages like Tamil, Sanskrit, and Telugu, which offer centuries of South Indian history under the Cholas, Pandyas and Vijayanagara kings.