108 Divya-deshams: Sri Rangam, Part 4

BY: SUN STAFF

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
The Paramapada vaasal opens only during the 10 day festival of Vaikuntha Ekadasi
[ Photos: Wiki CC ]

Dec 05, 2023 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

The Sri Rangam temple complex includes over 50 shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lakshmi Devi, and various Vaishnava scholars and poets. The shrines to Vishnu display His various avatars and iconography. For example, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple shrines include those of Gopala Krishna, Narasimha, Rama, Hayagriva, and Chakkaratalvar.

The Mahabharata says that after Arjuna's marriage with Ulupi (the naga princess) he went to various pilgrim centres present in the South. Arjuna is said to have visited the glorious temple of Sri Rangam and offered prayers to Lord Ranganatha. Arjuna mandapa resides in the temple.

The Chakratalvar shrine is in the east facing on the south side of Akalanka. The sanctum is approached through a Mukamandapa (six rows of pillars) built during the Chola era and a Mahamandapa with six rows of eight pillars built during the period of Vijayanagar Empire. There is a circumambulation passage around the sanctum. The image of Chakratalvar is sculpted with Narasimha on the rear side and can be viewed from the passage around the sanctum. The Venugopala shrine, one of the most elaborately carved, is in the south-west corner of the fourth enclosure of the temple was rebuilt by Chokkanatha Nayak, according to an inscription dated 1674.

Sculpture of Gandaberunda slaying Sharabha and Hiranyakashipu at Srirangam Ranganathsvami Temple

The main shrine for Lord Ranganatha is in the innermost courtyard. The sanctum has a golden vimanam (crown tower over the sanctum sanctorum). It is shaped like the Tamil omkara (om symbol) and shows anthropomorphic Paravasudeva on its gable. It has an etching of Ramanuja as well on it, and is plated with gold. Inside, a 6-metre (20 ft) edifice of Ranganatha reclining on Adisesha, the coiled serpent. Adisesha has five hoods and is coiled into three and a half rounds. Vishnu's head rests on a small cylindrical pillow and his right palm which faces upwards rests next to his head. A pendant containing Lakshmi's image is placed on Ranganatha's chest.

Ranganatha's crown, hands and feet are plated with gold. Neither Sridevi (goddess Lakshmi) nor Bhudevi (goddess Earth) are depicted near his feet, as is found in late medieval era paintings. The sanctum does not show Brahma coming out of or connected to His navel either. However, the procession images of Sridevi, Bhudevi and Ranganathar, otherwise known as Azhagiyamanavalan and Namperumal, reside within the sanctum in different places to ease their darshana.

Another brass idol of Vishnu is seen at the feet of the main stone deity. This was the makeshift idol used during the Muslim invasion when the original was stolen. Both the original and the makeshift idols are worshipped and brought out in processions in a grand manner during the Serthi Seva and Tirumanjanam ceremonies. The only source of illumination is from two ghee lamps, one hanging from the ceiling and another placed on the ground, both positioned near the feet of Ranganatha.

The sanctum can be entered through the south gateway, the one the reclining Vishnu is facing. The doorway as one enters from the mukhamandapam, also called the Gayatri mantapa, is flanked by Jaya and Vijaya, the guardians of Vaikuntha. The sanctum chamber is round, even though the vimana above is an oval projection. The circumambulation path (pradakshina-patha) is set in a square, to journey clockwise.

This garbha-griha is surrounded by a raised square Tiruvunnali, encircling pillars and another inner square. As the visitor completes the circumambulation around the resting Vishnu, one sees four additional images. On the western wall inside the core sanctum is Ganesha, on the northwestern corner is Yoga-Ananta, on the northeastern side is Yoga-Narasimha, and on the eastern wall is Durga, considered to be Vishnu's sister. On the eastern wall are the carvings of Ranganatha's footprints and footwear, which can be seen through a small glass panel on the southern wall next to the sanctum's doorway. The golden Vimana over the sanctum at Srirangam amidst its gopurams is a gable with Paravasudeva image.

The exterior of the vimana and attached mandapam (hall) have intricately carved pilasters with fluted shafts, double capitals, and pendant lotus brackets. Sculptures are placed in the niches of three sides of the sanctuary walls; maidens enhance the walls in between. The elevation is punctuated with a secondary set of pilasters that support shallow eaves at different levels to cap larger and smaller recesses. The sanctuary is crowned in the traditional fashion with a hemispherical roof. The double-curved eaves of the entrance porch on the east side are concealed in a later columned hall. There is a separate shrine of Dhanvantari within the temple.

The shrine of Ranganatha's consort, Ranganayaki (Lakshmi) is in the second precinct of the temple with 2 main idols (moola mortis) and 1 procession idol (utsava murti). During the festival processions, Ranganayaki does not visit Ranganatha, but it is He who visits Her. Ranganatha visiting Ranganayaki and being with Her is called 'Saerthi' during 'Panguni Uthiram'. There are three images of Ranganayaki within the sanctum.

There are also separate shrines for major saints in the Vaishnava tradition, including Ramanuja.

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