Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam)

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam Temple Gopuram
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Proper name	Thiruvarangam
Geography
Coordinates	10°51′45″N 78°41′23″E / 10.86250°N 78.68972°E / 10.86250; 78.68972Coordinates: 10°51′45″N 78°41′23″E / 10.86250°N 78.68972°E / 10.86250; 78.68972
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tiruchirapalli
Location	Srirangam
Culture
Primary deity	Aranganathar (Vishnu)
Consort	Aranganayagi (Lakshmi)
Poets	Periyalvar Aandaal Kulasekara Alvar Thirumalisai Alvar Thondaradippodi Alvar Thiruppaan Alvar Thirumangai Alvar Poigai Alvar Bhoothathalvar Peyalvar Nammalvar
Appeared for	Alwars and Ramanujar
Important festivals	Vaikunda Ekadesi Uriyadi Jeeyarpuram
Architecture
Architectural styles	Tamil architecture
History and governance
Website	http://www.srirangam.org/

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Thiruvarangam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of the Hindu deity Vishnu, located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India . Constructed in the Tamil style of architecture, this temple is glorified in the Thiviya Pirabandham, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries AD and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The temple follows Thenkalai tradition of worship.

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 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 239.501 feet (73.000 m), moving up in eleven progressively smaller tiers. The annual 21-day festival conducted during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January) attracts 1 million visitors. Srirangam temple is often listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, the still larger Angkor Wat being the largest existing temple. 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.

Sriranga Mahathmiyam is the compilation of religious accounts of the temple which detail the origins of its greatness. According to it, Lord Rama, an Avatar of Vishnu, worshiped the idol for a long time, and when he returned victoriously from Lanka after killing Ravana, he gave it to King Vibhishana as a token of appreciation for supporting him against Vibhishana's own brother, Ravana. When Vibhishana was going via Trichy en route to Sri Lanka, the deity wanted to stay in Srirangam. Ranganatha, captivated by the devotion of a King called Dharma Varma, who was doing penance to have Lord Ranganatha permanently stay in Srirangam, stayed put, promising to cast his benign glance eternally on Lanka. Hence it is that the deity (in a reclining posture) faces South.