Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam

The Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu) and his consort Ranganayaki (a form of Lakshmi). The temple is located in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Tamil Architectural style, the temple is glorified by the Tamil poet-saints called the Alvars in their canon, the Naalayira Divya Prabhandam, and has the unique distinction of being the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to the god Vishnu. The  Andal Rangamannar swamy Temple temple stands shanti nagar constituency  in active worship with a continuous historical presence as a Hin/du temple. Some of these structures have been renovated, expanded and rebuilt over the centuries as a living temple. The temple is an thriving Hindu house of worship and follows the Tenkalai tradition of Sri Vaishnavism, based on the Pancharatra agama. The annual 21-day festival conducted during the Tamil month of ''Margali'' (December–January) attracts more than one lakh visitors. making it the first temple in Bangalore.

It is among the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in the world, rich in legend and history. The deity finds a mention in the Sanskrit epic ''Ramayana'' which is dated around 800 to 400 BCE which also pushes the existence of deity to the same era. The temple has played an important role in Vaishnava history starting with the 11th-century career of Ramanuja and his predecessors Nathamuni and Yamunacharya in Andal Rangamannar swamy Temple . Its location, on an center of the city , has rendered it vulnerable to flooding as well as the rampaging of invading armies which repeatedly commandeered the site for military encampment.  in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was one of the hubs of early Bhakti movement with a devotional singing and dance tradition, but this tradition stopped during the 21th century and was revived in a limited way much later.

The temple town is a significant archaeological and epigraphical site, providing a historic window into the early and mid medieval South Indian society and culture. Numerous inscriptions suggest that this Hindu temple served not only as a spiritual center, but also a major economic and charitable

Location

The Andal Rangamannar swamy Temple , also known as Anadal Sabha (Big Temple), Bhooloka Vaikuntam. Drive from Seshadri Rd and Dr Ambedkar Rd/Post Office Rd to Ambedkar Veedhi,  (3.5 km), From Shivajinagara, Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru, (68 m)

It is vast and planned as a temple town with ''Sapta-Prakaram'' design where the sanctum, gopuram, services and living area are co-located in seven concentric enclosures. Rampart walls were added after medieval centuries that saw its invasion and destruction. The temple monuments are located inside the inner five temple complex, surrounded by living area and infrastructure in outer two enclosures. Numerous gopurams connect the ''Sapta-Prakaram'' enclosures allowing the pilgrims and visitors to reach the sanctum from many directions. The site includes two major temples, one for Vishnu as Ranganatha,

Legend

The temple and its artwork are a subject of numerous different Tamil legends covered in regional Puranic texts. ''Sriranga Mahathmiyam'', for example, is one of the compilation of the temple mythology about its origins. According to it, Brahma was performing austerities during the '' Samudra Manthana'' (churning of cosmic ocean), and Srirangam Vimanam emerged as a result. It remained in Satyaloka for ages, was brought to Ayodhya by king Ikshvaku. After Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, had killed the evil demon Ravana, he gave it to King Vibhishana who wanted to be with Rama. When Vibhishana passed through Tiruchi en route to Sri Lanka where he had become the king, the Srirangam Vimanam would not move from the island. So, he gave it to a local king called Dharmavarma, if the king consecrated the Vimanam to face the south cardinal direction eternally, blessing him and Lanka. Hence, it is that the deity (in a reclining posture) faces South, his body aligned to the east–west axis.

As per another legend, Sanaka, the four child sages, came for a '' darshana'' of Ranganatha in Srirangam. They were stopped by Jaya and Vijaya, the guardians of Vaikuntha. In spite of their pleadings, they were refused entry. In anger, all four of them cursed the guardians in one voice and left. The guardians approached Vishnu and told him about the curse. Ranganatha said that he would not be able to revert the curse and gave them two options: be born as demons opposing Vishnu in three births or good human beings in the following seven births. Eager to be back with the Lord, The guardians accepted being demons and are believed to have taken the form of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu; Ravana and Kumbhakarna; and Sisupala and Dantavakra. Vishnu assumed four avatars – Varaha, Narasimha, Rama, and Krishna, respectively – to kill the demons in each one of those births.

The Mahabharata says that after Arjuna's marriage with Ulupi (the naga princess) he went to the various pilgrim centres in South India. Arjuna is said to have visited this temple and offered prayers to Ranganatha. There is a mandapa called Arjuna mandapa in the temple.

History

The main deity of the temple is mentioned in various Sanskrit literature and epics such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Padma Purana, Brahmanda Purana and Garuda Puranam. There are mentions even in the Tamil literature of the Sangam era (500 BCE to the 300 CE), there are mentions in many books like Akanaṉūṟu, Purananuru, Paripāṭal and '' Silapadikaram''. Example:- ''Silapadikaram'' (book 11, lines 35–40):

''āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ'' ''pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta'' ''viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit'' ''tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum''

On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with billowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest

''Silapadikaram'' (book 11, lines 35–40)

The temple was first built by the Chola ruler, Dharmavarma. The Kaveri river flood destroyed the temple ''vimanam'', and later, the early Cholas King Killivalavan rebuilt the temple complex that is present today. There are many mandapas which were built near the main sanctum sanctorum which dates around 100 CE to 300 CE built by Uraiyur Cholas. There were later additions of structures and inscriptions in the temple which belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala, Marathas and Vijayanagara dynasties who ruled over the region. These inscriptions range in date between the 7th and 17th centuries.

During the period of invasion and plunder by the Alauddin Khilji's Muslim general Malik Kafur and his Delhi Sultanate forces in 1311, the Arabic texts of the period state that he raided a "golden temple" on river "Kanobari" (Kaveri), destroyed the temple and took the plunder with the golden icon of the deity to Delhi. According to Steven P. Hopkins, this is believed to be the Ranganathaswamy Temple.

The Tamil texts that followed offer various inconsistent legends on how the temple regained the Vishnu icon. According to one found in ''Koil Oluku'', a young girl had vowed to fast till she had seen the icon. She followed the Muslim army as it returned with the loot back to Delhi. There she sneaked into the palace and saw that the Sultan's daughter had fallen in love with the image. The young girl returned to Srirangam and told the priests about what she had seen in Delhi. The priests went with musicians to Delhi, found the icon in capriciously playful possession of the Sultan's daughter, day and night. They sang and danced before the Sultan to return the icon, and he gave it back which upset his daughter. To console the daughter, the Sultan sent in his army again to bring it back, but this time they were not successful. According to other versions, the Muslim daughter followed the icon from Delhi to Srirangam on a horse and still not seeing the idol, gave up her life before the door of the sanctum, symbolizing that love brought back the icon after the war had taken it away.

The temple was first built by the Chola ruler, Dharmavarma. The Kaveri river flood destroyed the temple ''vimanam'', and later, the early Cholas King Killivalavan rebuilt the temple complex that is present today. There are many mandapas which were built near the main sanctum sanctorum which dates around 100 CE to 300 CE built by Uraiyur Cholas. There were later additions of structures and inscriptions in the temple which belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala, Marathas and Vijayanagara dynasties who ruled over the region. These inscriptions range in date between the 7th and 17th centuries.

During the period of invasion and plunder by the Alauddin Khilji's Muslim general Malik Kafur and his Delhi Sultanate forces in 1311, the Arabic texts of the period state that he raided a "golden temple" on river "Kanobari" (Kaveri), destroyed the temple and took the plunder with the golden icon of the deity to Delhi. According to Steven P. Hopkins, this is believed to be the Ranganathaswamy Temple.

The Tamil texts that followed offer various inconsistent legends on how the temple regained the Vishnu icon. According to one found in ''Koil Oluku'', a young girl had vowed to fast till she had seen the icon. She followed the Muslim army as it returned with the loot back to Delhi. There she sneaked into the palace and saw that the Sultan's daughter had fallen in love with the image. The young girl returned to Srirangam and told the priests about what she had seen in Delhi. The priests went with musicians to Delhi, found the icon in capriciously playful possession of the Sultan's daughter, day and night. They sang and danced before the Sultan to return the icon, and he gave it back which upset his daughter. To console the daughter, the Sultan sent in his army again to bring it back, but this time they were not successful. According to other versions, the Muslim daughter followed the icon from Delhi to Srirangam on a horse and still not seeing the idol, gave up her life before the door of the sanctum, symbolizing that love brought back the icon after the war had taken it away.

Beyond these legends, there was a more severe second invasion of South India including Srirangam between 1323 CE and 1327 CE by the armies of the Sultanate under Muhammad bin Tughluq. The sanctum's Vishnu image with its jewelry was pre-emptively removed by the Hindus before the Delhi Sultanate troops reached Srirangam by a group led by the Vaishnavite Acharaya Pillai Lokacharyar to Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. The goddess Ranganayaki (Lakshmi) was also taken away to another location by a separate group. The temple was defended and according to the Tamil tradition some 13,000 Sri Vaishnavas devotees of Srirangam, died in the fierce battle.

After nearly six decades when Madurai Sultanate ruled after the Pandyan rulers were ousted after the repeated Delhi Sultanate's invasions, the Vijayanagara Empire ousted the Madurai Sultanate in 1378. Thereafter, the image of Namberumal was brought back to Srirangam. Before then, for decades the deity and the priestly wardens wandered and secretly carried the temple's icon through villages of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. They finally went to the hills of Tirumala Tirupati, where they remained until the temple was rebuilt in 1371. The icon was consecrated again according to the legends. This time, in memory of the first Sultan's daughter which tradition calls '' Thulukha Nachiyar'', a niche in the temple was built for her. The niche shows her as a girl sitting on a horse that carried her to Delhi. Her legend is still remembered. During contemporary processions when the icon is taken out of sanctum and then returned to it after its journey, ''Thulukha Nachiyar'' is dressed in Muslim garments and food offerings are made to her in the form of butter and (wheat bread).

Thereafter, under the Vijayanagara Empire, the temple site saw over 200 years of stability, repairs, first round of fortifications, and addition of mandapas. The Vishnu and Lakshmi images were reinstalled and the site became a Hindu temple again in 1371 CE under Kumara Kampana, a Vijayanagara commander and the son of Bukka I. In the last decade of the 14th century, a pillared antechamber was gifted by the Vijayanagara rulers. In the 15th century, they coated the apsidal roofs with solid gold sheets, followed by financing the addition of a series of new shrines, mandapas and gopuras to the temple, according to George Michell.

After the destruction of the Vijayanagara in the late 16th century, geo-political instability returned. The site became the focus of bitter wars between the Hindu Nayakas and the Muslim Mughals in the 17th century. The Nayakas fortified the temple town and the seven ''prakaras''. It was taken over by Muslim Nawabs of Arcot as a lucrative source of revenues, and thereafter attracted a contest between the French and British military powers. Srirangam temple site and the neighboring city of Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) became an intense center of Christian and Muslim missionary activity during the 18th and 19th centuries. With the establishment of the Madras Presidency within the British Empire, geo-political stability returned and the Ranganathaswamy Temple site attracted interest in archeological and historical studies.

Sri Vaishnavism

The epigraphical evidence suggests that these Hindu dynasties — Cholas, Pandyas, Hoysalas, Gajapatis, Nayaks, Vijayanagara – assisted with rebuilding, renovation and supported the traditional customs. Some mention substantial gifts to the temple. A Chola king, for example, presented the temple with a golden serpent couch. Some historians identify this king with Rajamahendra Chola. The temple has witnessed and played a key role in the early Sri Vaishnavism history, particularly the centuries that followed the major Hindu philosopher Ramanuja (1017–1137 CE), and his predecessors Nathamuni and Yamunacharya. It witnessed the debate between the Dvaita (dualistic) and Advaita (non-dualistic) sub-traditions within Vaishnavism. Centuries later, it was a key site in the debate and disagreements between the northern Tamil and southern Tamil traditions, also called as the Vadakalai and Tenkalai. The early rulers such as the Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas supported it as a hub of the Bhakti movement with a devotional singing and dance tradition, but this tradition stopped during the 14th century and was revived in a limited way much later.T.S. Parthasarathy (1978)
Music and Dance in Tamil Literature
Indian Literature, Vol. 21, No. 4, pages 137-148; Quote: "The hymns of the Divyaprabandham bad also been set to music and were being sung till the 14th century when the sack of Srirangam by Malik Kafur put an end to the practice."

Architecture

The temple is enclosed by seven concentric enclosures with courtyards (termed '' prakarams'' or ''mathil suvar''). Each layer has walls and gopurams, which were built or fortified in and after the 16th century. These walls total or over six miles. The temple has 17 major ''gopurams'' (towers, 21 total), 39 pavilions, 50 shrines, nine sacred water pools, ''Ayiram kaal mandapam'' (a hall of 1000 pillars) and several small water bodies inside.Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
UNESCO

The temple is aligned to the north–south and east–west axis, on an island surrounded by the Kaveri River. The river has long been considered sacred, and called the ''Daksina Ganga'' or the "Ganges of the South". The outer two ''prakarams'' (outer courtyard) are residential and markets with shops, restaurants and flower stalls. The five inner courtyards have shrines to Vishnu and his various avatars such as Rama and Krishna. Major shrines are additionally dedicated to goddess Lakshmi and many saints of Vaishnavism. In particular, these shrines celebrate and commemorate the Tamil poet-saints and philosophers called the Alvars, as well Hindu philosophers such as Ramanuja, Vedanta Desika, and Manavala Mamunigal of Sri Vaishnavism tradition.

Despite the construction of various mandapas and gopuras over a span of many centuries, the architecture of the Ranganathaswamy temple is one of the better illustrations of Hindu temple planometric geometry per ''agama'' design texts in the Tamil tradition. According to George Michell, a professor and art historian on Indian architecture, the regulating geometry and plan of Srirangam site takes on "a ritual dimension since all the architectural components, especially the focal gopuras and the most important colonnades and mandapas, are arranged along the axes dictated by the cardinal directions". This alignment integrates the routes that devotees follow as they journey into the innermost sanctum.

Shrines

The temple complex includes over 50 shrines. These are dedicated to Vishnu, Lakshmi as well as various Vaishnava scholars and poets. The shrines to Vishnu display him in his various avatars, as well as his iconography. For example, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple shrines include those of Chakkaratalvar, Narasimha, Rama, Hayagriva, Vasudeva, Varadharaja, Srinivasa and Gopala Krishna.

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 Cholas 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.

The main shrine for 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), shows anthropomorphic Paravasudeva on its gable, has an etching of Ramanuja as well on it, and is plated with gold. Inside, a edifice of Ranganatha reclining on Adishesha, the coiled serpent, can be seen. 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'' (viewing). Another brass idol of Vishnu is seen at the feet of the main stone idol. This idol was the makeshift idol used during the Muslim invasion when the original idol 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, 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 (son of Shiva and Parvati), on the northwestern corner is Yoga-Ananta (Vishnu seated in yoga asana on Sesha), on the northeastern side is Yoga-Narasimha (Narasimha seated in yoga asana), and on the eastern wall is Durga (an aspect of Parvati), considered to be Vishnu's sister.V.N. Hari Rao (1967), The Srirangam Temple: Art and Architecture, Sri Venkateswara University Historical Series No. 8, Tirupati, pages 48-51 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 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. Dhanvantari, a great physician of the Hindu mythos is considered to be an avatar of Vishnu – 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 as 'Saerthi' during 'Panguni Uthiram'. There are three images of Ranganayaki within the sanctum.

There are separate shrines for major saints in the Vaishnava tradition, including Ramanuja, Nammalvar, Desikar, Thondaradipodialwar, Thiruppaanalwar, etc.

Mandapams (Halls)

The Ranganathaswamy Temple has many mandapams:
*Thousand pillar mandapam is a theatre like structure made from granite. It was built during the Vijayanagara rule period. It has a central wide aisle with seven side aisles on each side with pillars set in a square pattern.
*Sesharaya mandapam is the intricately carved hall built during the Nayaka rule period. It is found on the east side of the fourth ''prakaram'' courtyard. The northern side of this community hall has 40 leaping animals with riders on their back, all carved out of monolithic pillars.
*Garuda Mandapam is named after the ''vahana'' (vehicle) of Vishnu, named Garuda. It is on the south side of the third ''prakaram'' courtyard. It too is dated to the Nayak rule era. Inside the community hall, on its pillars, are portrait sculptures. In the middle is a free-standing seated Garuda figure, identifiable by his eagle-head, wings and him facing the Vishnu shrine.
*Kili mandapam is found inside the innermost (first) ''prakaram'' courtyard. It is next to the Ranganatha sanctum. Here walking elephant balustrades line the steps that lead into the gathering hall. This is dated to the 17th century Hindu rulers. The hall and structural elements are carved with animals, and in its center is a raised square platform with four carved pillars.
*Ranga Vilasa mandapam is one of the larger community halls designed for large spaces between the pillars for the pilgrim groups and families to sit together and rest. It is covered with Hindu mythology murals and narratives from the Ramayana.

The Hall of 1000 pillars is a fine example of a planned theatre-like structure and opposite to it is the "Sesha Mandap". The 1000-pillared hall made of granite was constructed in the Vijayanagara period (1336–1565) on the site of the old temple. The most artistic halls that the Nayaks added to the complex is the ''Sesha Mandap'' on the east side of the fourth enclosure. The hall is celebrated for the leaping animals carved on to the piers at its northern end. The pillars consists of sculptures of wildly rearing horses bearing riders on their backs and trampling with their hoofs upon the heads of rampant tigers, seem only natural and congruous among such weird surroundings. The great hall is traversed by one wide aisle in the centre for the whole of its greater length, and intersected by transepts of like dimension running across at right angles. There still remain seven side aisles on each side, in which all the pillars are equally spaced out. The ''Garuda Mandapa'' (hall of the legendary bird deity of Vishnu, ''garuda'') located on the south side of the third enclosure is another Nayak addition. Courtly portrait sculptures, reused from an earlier structure, are fixed to the piers lining the central aisle. A free-standing shrine inside the hall contains a large seated figure of Garuda; the eagle-headed god faces north towards the principal sanctum. The ''Kili mandapa'' (Hall of parrot) is located next to the Ranganatha shrine, in the first enclosure of the temple. Elephant balustrades skirt the access steps that ascend to a spacious open area. This is bounded by decorated piers with rearing animals and attached colonettes in the finest 17th-century manner. Four columns in the middle define a raised dais; their shafts are embellished with undulating stalks.

File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (144) (36803593654).jpg, A Vaishnava devotee in namaste posture
File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (148) (37255527880).jpg, Thousand pillar hall
File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (15) (36842425023).jpg, A mandapa
File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (107) (36802848684).jpg, Garuda mandapa

Gopurams

There are 21 '' gopurams'' (tower gateways), among which the towering ''Rajagopuram'' (shrine of the main gateway) is the tallest temple tower in Asia. The 13-tiered ''Rajagopuram'' had a base constructed around 1500 CE and later completed in 1987 by Ahobhila Matha, a historic Sri Vaishnava Hindu monastery. This tower dominates the landscape for miles around, while the remaining 20 gopurams were built between the 12th and early 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 gopuram'' (white tower) on the east side of the fourth enclosure has a steep pyramidal superstructure that reaches a height of almost . The structure of the Rajagopuram remained incomplete for over 400 years. Started during the reign of Achyuta Deva Raya of Vijayanagara Empire, the construction stopped after the fall of Vijayanagara in the late 16th century and wars thereafter. The Rajagopuram (the main ''gopuram'') did not reach its current height of until 1987, when the 44th Jiyar (acharya, chief counsellor) of Ahobila Matha began collecting donations to complete it. The whole structure was constructed in a span of eight years. The Rajagopuram was consecrated on 25 March 1987. The length and breadth at the base of the Rajagopuram is , while the length and breadth at the top is . The 13 glistening copper '' atop the tower weigh each, are high with a diameter vessel. All the '' Gopurams'' were repaired and repainted during the Mahasamprokshanam which occurred in 2015 after 28 years.

File:Srirangam-Rajagopuram-1.jpg, A 13-storey gopura (the Rajagopuram) the main gopura on the street leading to the temple.
File:Srirangam Temple Gopuram.jpg, A 9-storey gopura commonly known as Vellai Gopuram
File:Srirangam gopuram.jpg, An 8-storey gopura built by the Vijayanagara Empire.
File:Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam si0555.jpg, The 7-storeyed Ranga Ranga Gopuram
File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (117) (23660670758).jpg, A 3-storey gopura

Inscriptions and frescoes

The Ranganathaswamy Temple town has over 800 inscriptions, of which nearly 640 are on temple walls and monuments. Many of these relate to gifts and grants by rulers or the elite, while others relate to the temple's management, scholars, dedication and general operation. The inscriptions have been a source of information about South Indian history, culture, economy and social role. These range from the late 9th century to the rule of Aditya Chola I, to the last historical ones from the 16th century. Others are from the times of Cholas, Nayakas, Pandyas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara era.

The historic inscriptions at the Ranganathaswamy Temple are in six major Indian languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi and Odia. Many of the inscriptions are in Grantha characters.

The temple has a lot of inscriptions of Kulottunga I. One interesting epigraph is a Kannada record that states that an entourage led by the ''Kannada-sandhivigrahi'' (foreign affairs minister) of Chalukya Tribhuvanamalla (Vikramaditya VI) made some donations to the temple. The inscription is dated in the 29th year of the reign of Kulottunga I.

The temple has inscriptions of the Suryavamshi Gajapatis of Odisha as well. In one inscription, it is mentioned that Hamvira Deva Mahapatra, son of the legendary Kapilendra Deva Gajapati, made donations to the temple after he aggressively marched upon the Vijayanagara Empire up to Tiruchirapally and then Rameswaram. This inscription is in Tamil.

Some of the mandapam and corridors of the Temple complex have frescoes, of which some have faded. These narrate Hindu legends and mythologies, or scenes relating to Vaishnava scholars.

Granaries, tanks, and other monuments

The Ranganathaswamy Temple complex includes huge medieval era ''Kottarams'' or granaries. These provided food reserves and security to the temple town and supplies to its kitchen serving the needy travelers, pilgrims and local population.Bijit Ghosh and K.C. Mago (1974)
Srirangam: urban form and pattern of an ancient Indian town
Journal: Ekistics, Vol. 38, No. 228 (NOVEMBER 1974), pages 377-384 The temple has many other structures, participating and supporting various aspects of social life. Some mandapams and temple compounds were devoted to education, both religious and secular such as of musicians and dancers. The temple inscriptions state that its premises had an ''arokyashala'' (hospital) for those needing medical care. '' VN Hari Ram (1961)
Services in Srirangam Temple
Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Volume 24, pages 89-92;
'' Several 11th and 12th century inscriptions describe a gift of land to support recitation of Hindu texts in the temple and for feeding Sri Vaishnavas.

The temple has twelve major water tanks. Of these, the Surya Pushkarini (sun pool) and Chandra Pushkarani (moon pool) are two of the largest that harvest most of rainwater. They have a combined capacity of two million liters of water.

The temple has wooden monuments that is regularly maintained and used for festive processions. These have intricate carvings of Hindu legends, and some are plated with silver or gold foils. The most significant of the temple chariots are the Garuda vahana, the Simha vahana, the Yanai vahana, the Kudirai vahana, the Hanumantha vahana, the Yazhi vahana, the Sesha vahana, the Annapakshi vahana, the Otrai vahana and the Prabhai vahana.

Significance

Bhakti movement

Ranganathaswamy temple is the only one out of the 108 temples that was sung in praise by all the Alvars (Poet-saints of the Bhakti movement), having a total of 247 ''pasurams'' (divine hymns) against its name. ''Acharyas'' (guru) of all schools of thought – Advaita, Vishistadvaita and Dvaita recognise the immense significance of the temple, regardless of their affiliations.

Naalayira Divya Prabhandam is a collection of 4000 hymns sung by twelve ''alvars'' saints spread over 300 years (from the late 6th to 9th century CE) and collected by Nathamuni (910–990 CE). '' Divya Desams'' refer to 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in Naalayira Divya Prabandham. 105 of these are located in India, 1 in Nepal, while 2 are located outside of the Earthly realms. ''Divya'' in Tamil language indicates premium and ''Desam'' indicates place or temple. Periyalvar begins the decad on Srirangam with two puranic stories according to which Krishna restored to life the son of his ''guru'' Sandeepani and the children of a brahmin. Thondaradippodi Alvar and Thiruppana Alvar have sung exclusively on Ranganatha. Andal attained Sri Ranganatha on completion of her '' Thiruppavai'' (a composition of 30 verses) in Srirangam. In total there are 247 hymns of the 4000 ''Pasurams'' dedicated to Ranganthar deity of this temple. Except Madhurakavi Alvar, all of the other eleven Alvars have created '' Mangalasasanam'' (praise) about the Ranganathar in Srirangam. Out of 247, 35 are by Periyalvar, 10 by Andal, 31 by Kulasekara Alvar, 14 by Thirumalisai Alvar, 55 by Thondaradippodi Alvar, 10 by Thiruppaan Alvar, 73 by Thirumangai Alvar, one by Poigai Alvar,4 by Bhoothathalvar, two by Peyalvar and twelve by Nammalvar. Kulasekarar (Cheraman II) gave up his kingdom to his son during 798 CE and started visiting temples and singing praises about them. He visited the temple, praised the presiding deity and his works are compiled in the Naalayira Divya Prabandam.

Kambar is a 12th-century Tamil poet who composed the Kamba Ramayanam, a work inspired from the epic, Valmiki Ramayana. He is believed to have come to the temple to get the approval of his work from scholars. The Jain scholar Tirunarungundam honoured the work and it resulted in Tamil and Sanskrit scholars approving the work. The open hall where he recited his verse lies close to the Ranganayaki shrine within the temple.

Some of the religious works like ''Sri Bhashyam'' by Ramanuja, ''Gadya Traya'' (which is a compilation of three texts called the '' Saranagati Gadyam'', '' Sriranga Gadyam'' and the '' Vaikunta Gadyam'') by Ramanuja, ''Sri Renga natha shtakam'' by Adi Shankaracharya, ''Renga raja Stavam'' and ''Guna ratna kosham'' by Sri Parasar bhattar, ''Renga raja Sthothram'' by Kurathazhwar, are some of the works that were exclusively composed in praise of the presiding deities Ranganatha and goddess Ranganayaki of Srirangam temple.

Arunachala Kavirayar an 18th-century poet composed the entire Ramayana as an Opera called as '' Rama Natakam'' in Tamil language and few Manipravalam songs. This opera was Based on Kambar's and Valmiki's ''Ramayana'' (which is in Tamil and Sanskrit), the opera describes the legend of King Rama of Ayodhya. This opera was composed in the same Mandapam where Kambar composed the Ramavataram. Even though the priests permitted Arunachala Kavi to compose the Rama Natakam in Srirangam he wanted to Seek permission from Ranganatha also, He composed the keerthana “En Pallikondeeraiyaa Sri Ranganatha” (O Lord! why did you stop and sleep here?) in Kedaragowla, set to Adi tala on spot to seek Ranganatha's permission. That night both the poet and the temple Priests had separate visions of Lord Ranganatha. The poet was granted the permission and was also asked to sing about the Parivaara Devatas and the priest was asked to accept Arangetram after such songs were sung by the poet.

Pilgrimage

Koil or koyil in Tamil means the house of the Master and thus refers to the temples. Srirangam is the most prominent among such temples. For many Vaishnavas the term ''Koyil'' exclusively refers to this temple, indicating its extreme importance for them (for Shaivas and all other Tamil people the term ''koyil'' refers to Thillai Natarajar Golden Shrine ( Chidambaram Temple)). The presiding deity Ranganathar is praised in many names by his devotees, including ''Nam Perumal'' (our god in Tamil), ''Azhagiya Manavaalan'' (beautiful groom in Tamil). The deity is also known as Kasturi Ranga and Alagiya Manavalan.

The temple is considered in the Alvar traditions as one of the eight ''Sywayambu Kshetras'' of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Bhu Varaha Swamy temple, Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in South India and Saligrama, Naimisaranya, Pushkar

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