Ranganatharswamy temple

Ranganathaswamy Temple: The temple was built by Chieftain Thirumalaiah in 894 AD.

The temple is enormous and its architecture is a mix of Hoysala and Vijaynagara styles. Vishnu, enshrined as Lord Ranganatha (Ranganathaswamy), is shown reclining on the bed laid out by the serpent Aadi Sesha.

The temple also has shrines of Krishna, Ranganayaki Thaayaar, Goutama Muni, Alwars and Acharyas of the Vaishnava faith.

Srirangam, the premier Vaishnava temple in South India is the first and foremost among the 108 Vaishnava divyadesas.

All the Alvars have sung in praise of the deity enshrined in the huge temple in the center of the town.

During Ramanuja's time, far reaching reforms were introduced both in the religious and secular management.

Thus Srirangam has an eventful history, both secular and religious, as the great Vaishnava Acharyas made it the headquarters of the wider Vaishnava movement.

In the Vaishnava parlance, the term "Koil" signifies the Srirangam temple only. The temple is enormous in size.

This temple complex was built and added to by various dynasties including the Cheras, Pandyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagar Empire between 13th and 18th centuries.

Because of the generous financial support of the temple by numerous dynasties of ancient India, Srirangam has always been a haven for persons wishing to dedicate their lives to the practice of meditation and devotion.

Many of India's most loved saints and sages have spent time at Srirangam including the 11th century sage Ramanuja who lived and was buried in the temple grounds.

Ranganatha, the largest temple complex in Tamil Nadu, measures 950m X 816m (about a half-mile square) along its outer perimeter enclosure.

It consists of seven nested enclosures or Prakaras or enclosures or Tiru Veedhis, whose walls are pierced by towered gates (gopuras) along the four cardinal axes leading from the shrine.

Visitors approach from the south, and the shrine faces in this direction.

The temple's outer three enclosures contain an entire town, with streets, houses, and shops.

The inner four enclosures define the religious zone. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu Ranganatha (i.e., Vishnu sleeping on the cosmic serpent). INNER FOUR ENCLOSURES

The temple is enclosed by 7 concentric walls (termed prakarams (outer courtyard) or mathil suvar) with a total length of 32,592 feet or over six miles.

These temple has 21 gopurams (towers), 39 pavilions, fifty shrines, Ayiram kaal mandapam (a hall of 1000 pillars) and several small water bodies inside.

The space within the outer two prakarams (outer courtyard) is occupied by several shops, restaurants and flower stalls.

Non-Hindus are allowed up to the second prakaram (outer courtyard) but not inside the gold topped sanctum sanctorum

Vellai Gopura

The tall gopura, on a Vijayanagara-period base, straddles the fourth enclosure wall.

The base of most gopuras was constructed of hard stone for stability.

The superstructure, made of brick and plaster for lighter weight, could be added later, resources permitting, and either whitewashed (as here) or painted.

The Hall of 1000 pillars (actually 953) is a fine example of a planned theatre-like structure and opposite to it, "Sesha Mandap", with its intricacy in sculpture, is a delight.

The 1000-pillared hall made of granite was constructed in the Vijayanagara period (13361565) on the site of the old temple

Garuda Mandapa

The light and airy mandapa (17th century) fronts the south entrance to Enclosure 3, its aisles defined by piers with attached colonettes.

The roof is supported by corbeled bracketing.

Venugopala Shrine

This early 17th century shrine lies to the west of the main axis between the 4th and 3d enclosures.

Sculpture closeups: center, Krishna playing the flute; right, a maiden playing the vina; left, a maiden holding a parrot; and finally, a detail from the left corner of the cornice. These figures are ranked among the finest examples of Nayaka art.

There are 21 gopurams (tower gateways), among which the towering 236-feet Rajagopuram (shrine of the main gateway) is the second tallest temple tower in Asia.

South Gopura, Enclosure 3

This gopura displays what may be a model of a two-story palace in the center of its upper course.

The white and orange markings to the right and left of the entranceway are symbols of Vishnu .

South Gopura, Enclosure 4

The fourth enclosure marks the beginning of the sacred area of the temple.

Its decoration includes a wealth of subjects from myth and legend, such as Ravana fighting Jatayu .

In this story from the Ramayana, the vulture king Jatayu, an ally of Rama, tries valiantly but unsuccessfully to prevent the multi-armed Ravana from abducting Rama's wife Sita.

Looking east from a rooftop vantage point, this view gives some idea of the huge scale of the temple complex.

The tall white Vellai Gopura is centered in the east wall of enclosure 4.

The outermost southern gopura is visible in the distance

The temple compound contains 21 gopuras in total, although not all have been completed.

The 73m high 13- tiered rajagopuram was built in 1987 by Ahobila Mutt and dominates the landscape for miles around, while the remaining 20 gopurams were built between the 14th and 17th centuries.

The gopurams have pronounced projections in the middle of the long sides, generally with openings on each of the successive levels.

The Vellai gopura (white tower) on the east side of the fourth enclosure has a steep pyramidal superstructure that reaches a height of almost 44m.

South Gopura, Enclosure 5

Gopuras, like the temple towers themselves, symbolize sacred mountains, the habitations of the gods.

In the present series of gopuras, two types of roof decoration can be seen to alternate.

The south gopura of enclosure 5, like those of enclosures 7 and 3, seems to emphasise the vertical, with strong unelaborated columns predominating.

The even-enclosure south gopuras, by contrast, have a horizontal feel and are elaborately decorated.

South Gopura, Enclosure 6

The gopuras decrease in size as one approaches the central area of the temple. This one is from the second outer enclosure. Ranganatha temple was founded by the Cholas.

After an initial growth spurt, it was sacked in the early 1300s by invading Muslims from Delhi.

Restored by the Vijayanagara rulers, the temple enjoyed its greatest prosperity under the Nayakas in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Its gopuras date mostly from this period, although some (as on the previous page) were only started then, and completed later.

South Gopura, OuterEnclosure

It is outermost and largest gopura .

The tower is 72m (about 220 feet) in height, and dates from the 17th century, although it was completed only in 1987.

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