108 Divya Desams !! Thiruvarangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Koil !!

Jai Sriman Narayana!!



Mattrondrum Vendam Manamey ! Mathilarangar
Katrinam Meitha Kazhalinai Kizh
Utra Thirumaalai Padum sheer Thondaradi podi Em Perumaney
Eppozhuthum pesu
 
Vedha nool pirayiram nooru ! Manisar tham puguvarelum
padhiyum urangi pokum nindrathil Padhinaiyandum
podhai palakan adhagum
Pini, Pasi, Mooppu, Thumbam
Adhalal Piravi Venden Arangama Nagarullaney!!
 
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Sri Rangam is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Mahavishnu.  It is also known as Swayam Vyaktha Kshetram/ Thiruvaranga Thirupathi, Booloka Vaikundham, Periya Koil etc... It is a several thousand years old Temple.  The temple is enormous in size, has got seven Praharas.  There are twenty one magnificent towers in all Praharas.  The temple Gopuram is called 'Raja Gopuram' it is 236 ft (72 m) height, one of the tallest temple Gopuram in Asia.   The number of devotees visiting the temple will be massive during the festival of Vaikunda Ekadhashi Day.  There is a shrine for Ranganayaki Thayar in the fourth Praharam.
 
Presiding Diety - Sri Rangathar (Reclining Posture) / Azhagiya Manavalan/ Nam Perumal/ Periya Perumal with his consort Ranganayaki Thayar
 
Sannidhis-  Sri Chakrathalwar, Sri Ramanujar, Sri Garudalwar, Sri Dhanwanthari, Sri Andal, Sri Periyalwar, Kannapiran, Sri Manavala Mamunikal, Sri Nathamunikal, Sri Alavanthar, Sri Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar, Thondaradipodi Alwar, Thiruppana Alwar, Sri Vedanta Desikar, Azhakiya Singar, Sri Nammalvar
 
Theertham - Chandra Pushkarani - Cauvery, Kollidam, Vedachurangam
 
Pratyaksham to – Vibheeshanan, Lord Chandra, Dharmavarman and Ravi Dharman
 
 
Vimanam – Pranava Vimanam/Para Vasudeva Vimanam
 
 
Mangalasasanam – This sacred land is also known as Alwar Thirunagari. All the Alwars were visited this temple and sung praising the glory of Lord Ranganatha except Madhurakavi Alwar.  Periyalwar sung 31 Pasuram, Sri Andal – 10 Pasuram, Kulasekhara Alwar – 31 Pasuram, Thirumazhisai Alwar – 14 pasuram, Thondaradipodi Alwar – 55 pasuram, Thirupana alwar – 10 pasuram, Thirumangai Alwar – 72 pasuram, Poikai Alwar – 1 pasuram, Boothathalwar – 4 Pasuram, Peyalwar – 2 pasurams and Nammalwar – 22 pasurams respectively.
 
 
Festivals – Vaikundha Ekadashi, Pavithrostavam, Sri Krishna Jayanthi, Dolotsavam, Kaisika Ekadashi, Chithirai Car Festival, Ankurarpanam, Nagarasodhanai Utsavam, Vansanthostavam, Araiyar Sevai - Rendering of Divya Prabandham - The Tamil Veda
 
 
 
Chithirai Car Festival/Viruppan Thirunal is one of the famous carnival performed regularly for more than 1000 years. During these days Lord Ranganatha with Ubhaya Nachiyars will be taken out for a procession on their different celestial vehicles in the morning and evening.
 
 
The significance of this sacred temple is that Mahakavi Kamban’s Kamba Ramayanam Premiered in Sri Rangam.  This is the birth place of Periyanambikal – who was the Guru of Udayavar Ramanujar and Pillai Lokachariyar.  It is also known as the Paramapadha Sthalam of Soodikodutha Sudar Kodi – Andal Nachiyar, Thulakka Nachiyar, Udayavar Ramanujar, Sri Kulasekhara Alwar, Thiruppana Alwar.
 
 
The sactum Sanctorum of the temple enshrines Sri Ranganathar in reclining posture crowned with Pranava Vimanam or Paravasudeva Vimanam.  Namperumal with Thayars (Sri Boodevi and Sri Devi Nachiyars) can be seen just before main deity Sri Ranganathar. 
 
 
The Thousand pillared mandapam was the contribution of Chola dynasty. The Vijaya Nagara rulers also have made lot of contribution to this temple.    Adhyana Utsavam (chanting of Divya Prabhandam) will be held in the fourth Praharam  .   The Garuda Mandapam - (Nithya Suri's ), Chandra Pushkarani and Surya Pushkarani tanks are located on the third Praharam.
 
 
The legend has that the Lord Sri Ranganathar idol was worshipped by the clan of Ikshwaku and it was also worshipped by Lord Sri Rama.  During the Sri Rama Pattabishekam (crowning ceremony), Sri Rama presented the idol to King Vibheeshana - brother of Rakshasa King Ravana.   King Vibheeshana was on his way to his Kingdom (Lanka) had to stop in Sri Rangam to perform his ablutions.  The Chola King DharmaVarman - who was the ruler, had the deepest desire to install the Thiruaranga Vimanam in his kingdom.  King Vibheeshana assigned the job of safeguarding the idol to Lord Ganesha, but Lord Ganesha could not perform the task for long had to keep it on the ground.  Once fixed on the ground, the idol was turned out irremovable from its place.  Thus Sri Rangathar enshrined this temple with Sri Sridevi and Sri Boo Devi Thayar.  This made Vibheeshana upset.   Sri Rama - The Bakthavalsalan - promised Vibheeshana that He will be facing south - Lanka and shower His blessings all the time.  In this way He cheered Vibheeshana. 
 
Kudadhisai  Mudiyai Vaithu
Kunadhisai Paadham Neeti
Vadadhisai Pinpu Katti
Then Dhisai Ilangai Noki
Kadal nirakadavul enthai Aravanai thuyiluma Kandu
Udal enakkurugu malo En seigen Ulagatheerey!!
 
There is an interesting story about the Rivery Cauvery and why Lord Ranganatha preferred to be on the riverside of Cauvery.  The four holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathy and Cauvery got in to a heated argument about who was superior and closer to Lord Sriman Narayana.  The argument continued for some time, Yamuna and Sarawathy withdrawn from the dispute.  But Ganga and Cauvery continued their disagreement for long time.  They both decided to resolve the issue and get the justification from Lord Narayana.  Ganga replied to Narayana that she was the superior among the rivers because her origin reveals to a great extent that she was closer to Lord Narayan.  She was originated from the Feet of Lord Sriman Narayana.  Sriman Narayana had to agree to the fact.  In order to save Cauvery from her disappointment Lord Narayana promised her that a day will be there soon in the history to recognize her importance too.  As promised to river Cauvery Lord Ranganatha occupied His place close to river Cauvery.
 
 
Sri Ranganathawamy temple is one of the Pancha Ranga Kshetram along the river side of Cauvery and others are Sri Rangapatinam in Karnataka, Koyiladi, Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai. 
 
Orrilen Kani Illai Uravu matrouvar Illai
Paril nin Paadhamoolam Patrilen Parama Moorthy
Karoli Varnnaney Yen Kannaney Katharugindren
Aar Ular Kalaikan Amma ! Arangama Nagarullaney ||
 
 
Contact details : Sri Murali Bhattachariyar Swamin - 9443183939
14, North Chitra Street, Sri Rangam.
 
Sri Parasara Lakshmi Narasimha Bhattar Swamin -9443648696, 0431 - 2432165
230, South Uttara Street, Sri Rangam.
.
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!

No comments: