View of mahadwara and gopura from inside the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple complex at Srirangapatna

The Ranganathaswamy temple or Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in

Srirangapatna Srirangapatna or Srirangapattana is a town and headquarters of one of the seven Taluks of Mandya district, in the Indian State of Karnataka. It gets its name from the Ranganthaswamy temple consecrated around 984 CE. Later, under the Britis ...

, in the Mandya district of Karnataka state, India, is dedicated to the Hindu god

Ranganatha Ranganatha, also known as Ranganathar, Rangan, Aranganathar, Sri Ranga, and Thenarangathan, is a Hindu deity with his origin in South India, southern India, serving as the chief deity of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam. The deity is a re ...

(a manifestation of

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

). The temple is classified one among the ''108

Abhimana Kshethram Abhimana Kshethram or Abhimana Sthalam are a list of 108 sacred Vishnu temples apart from the other 108 Divya desams. ''Abhimana desams'' or close abodes, these temples are the most significant temples in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnavite tradition ...

'' of Vaishnavate tradition. It is one of the five important pilgrimage sites of Smarthas and

Sri Vaishnavism Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vi ...

along the river

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a Rivers of India, major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin i ...

for devotees of Ranganatha. These five sites are collectively known as ''

Pancharanga Kshetrams The Pancharanga Kshetrams () or Pancharangams is a group of five sacred Hindu temples, dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of the deity Vishnu, on the banks of the Kaveri River. The five Pancharanga Kshetrams in the order of their successive locations ...

'' in

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

. Since Srirangapatna is the first temple starting from upstream, the deity is known as ''Adi Ranga''.Dalal (2011), p. 339 The town of Srirangapatna, which derives its name from the temple, is located on an island in the river Kaveri.

History

According to the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...

(ASI), the temple is one of considerable antiquity. An inscription at the temple reveals it was constructed in 984 CE by a local chief called Tirumalaiah, a

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...

of the

Western Ganga dynasty Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 999 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, Eastern Gangas who in later centuries r ...

. Earlier mentions of the existence of the deity at Srirangapatna have been made, this indicates that a temple was likely built atop an already existing shrine of ''Raṅganāthaswāmi''. In the early 12th century,

Hoysala The Hoysala Kingdom was a kingdom originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India, Karnataka, parts of Tamilnadu and South-Western Telangana between the 11th and the 14th centuries Common Era, CE. The c ...

King

Vishnuvardhana Vishnuvardhana () was a king of the Hoysala Empire in what is today the state of Karnataka, India. He ascended the Hoysala throne after the death of his elder brother Veera Ballala I in 1108. Originally a follower of Jainism and known as ...

(r. 1108-1152 CE) granted the village of Srirangapatna to the

Vaishnava Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...

saint

Ramanujacharya Ramanuja ('; Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmānuja; 1077 – 1157), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavi ...

as an ''

agraharam An ''Agraharam'' (Sanskrit IAST: agrahāram) or ''Agrahara'' (Sanskrit IAST: agrahāra) was a grant of land and royal income from it, typically by a king or a noble family in India, for religious purposes, particularly to Brahmins to maint ...

'' (place of learning). An inscription of the great Hoysala King

Veera Ballala II Veera Ballala II (reigned 22 July 1173–1220) was the most notable king of the Hoysala Kingdom. His successes against the Yadavas of Devagiri, the Kalachuris of Kalyani, Southern Kalachuris, the Pandya Dynasty, Pandyas of Madurai and t ...

(1210 CE) confirms that additions and renovations were made to the temple at that time. The tower over the entrance bears features consistent with

Vijayanagara architecture Vijayanagara architecture of 1336–1565 CE was a notable building idiom that developed during the rule of the imperial Hindu Vijayanagara Empire. The empire ruled South India, from their regal capital at Vijayanagara, on the banks of the Tung ...

. According to historian George Michell, contributions were also made by the

Wodeyar The Wadiyar dynasty,() also referred to as the Wadiyars of Mysore (also spelt Wodeyer, Odeyer, and Wadeyar), is a late-medieval Indian royal family of former maharajas of Mysore from the Urs clan originally based in Mysore city. The Wadiya ...

kings of the

Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore was a geopolitical realm in southern India founded in around 1399 in the vicinity of the modern-day city of Mysore and prevailed until 1950. The territorial boundaries and the form of government transmuted substantially ...

. The temple is just 400 metres away from Tipu palace.Michell (1995), p71 The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance. According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Ranganatha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have a systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities as seen in this temple along with the

Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple or Thirupper Nagar, is a Perumal temple located in Koviladi, a village from Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the '' Divya Desams''the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in N ...

at Koviladi,

Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple is an ancient temple located in Thirukoshtiyur, a village in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in ...

at Thirukoshtiyur, Veeraraghava Perumal Temple at

Thiruevvul Veeraraghava Swamy Temple (or Veeraraghavaswamy Temple) is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, located in Tiruvallur, Chennai Metropolitan City, an area and headquarters in Tiruvallur district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. ...

and Rajagopalaswamy temple at

Mannargudi Mannargudi () is a Municipality in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mannargudi Taluk, Mannargudi taluk. The town is located at a distance of from the district headquarters Thiruvarur, 12 ...

Temple plan

The temple has an imposing tower over the entrance gate (''

gopura A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' (Tamil language, Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu language, Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Malayalam language, Malayalam: ഗോപുരം) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate ...

'') and two large concentric rectangular enclosures (''

prakara A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. ...

'') around its perimeter. The entrance to the inner sanctum (''

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' () is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples, often referred to as the "holy of holies" or " sanctum sanctorum". The term ''garbhagriha'' (literally, "womb chamber") comes from the Sanskrit words ''garbha'' for ...

'') is through multiple columned halls (''

mantapa A ''mandapa'' or ''mantapa'' () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture and Jain temple architecture. ''Mandapas'' are described as "open" or "closed" dependin ...

''). A vestibule (''sukhanasi''), hall (''navaranga'' or just ''mantapa'') and a front hall (''mukhamantapa'') are the other main structures in the temple. The roof of the ''mukhamantapa'' is decorated with a "garland" ("hara") of miniature decorative towers (called "

kudu The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus '' Tragelaphus'': * Lesser kudu, ''Tragelaphus imberbis'', of eastern Africa * Greater kudu, ''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'', of eastern and southern Africa The two species look similar, th ...

" and "sala" ''

shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...

s'') whose niches contain

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

images of the god Vishnu. In the sanctum, the image of Vishnu reclines on the coils of the snake

Adisesha Shesha (), also known by his epithets Sheshanaga () and Adishesha (), is a serpentine demigod ( naga) and king of the serpents (Nagaraja), as well as a primordial being of creation in Hinduism. In the Puranas, Shesha is said to hold all the p ...

, under a canopy formed by the snake's seven hoods, with his consort

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...

at his feet. Flanking Vishnu are other deities from the Hindu pantheon; Sridevi,

Bhudevi Bhumi (Sanskrit: भूमि, romanized: Bhūmi), also known as Bhudevi, Dharani, and Vasundhara, is a significant goddess in Hinduism, personifying the Earth. Her earliest form is reflected in the Vedic goddess Prithvi, though their roles and de ...

(goddess of earth) and

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

(the creator). There are other smaller shrines within the complex dedicated to

Narasimha Narasimha (, , or , ), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has th ...

(an ''

avatar Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...

'' of Vishnu), Gopalakrishna,

Srinivasa Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. His consorts, Padmavati and Bhud ...

(manifestation of Vishnu),

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

Garuda Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...

and the

Alwar Alwar ( Rajasthani Pronunciation: �lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region (NCR) and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km ...

saints. The Three sacred sites for Smartha -BaboorKamme & Sri Vaishnava Sects of South India, Both Adi Shankara and Ramanujacharya has visited and glorified the deities in their Hymns. The following temples are considered the five sacred sites of worship of the god Ranganatha and are together called Pancharanga Kshetram (''Pancha''-"five", ''ranga''-"Ranganatha", ''Kshetram''-"sites").

Gallery

File:Gopura and prakara of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple on the island of Srirangapatna near Mysore in India.jpg, A profile of the ''

gopuram A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of th ...

'' (tower) over entrance in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Outer Wall SW Ranganatha Swamy Temple Srirangapatna Jan24 A7C 08954.jpg, Prakaram (outer wall) viewed from south-west File:Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna Karnataka India including Rama and Krishna.jpg, A view of the entrance into the main temple hall (''mukhamantapa'') with Vishnu avatars such as Narasimha, Vamana, Rama and Krishna on top File:Inner courtyard with lathe turned pillars in Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna.jpg, Lathe turned pillars, a

addition to the temple, in the inner open ''mantapa'' (hall) in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Srirangaswamy Temple, Srirangapatana 15.jpg, A view of the ''prakara'' (bounding wall) in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Decorative stone pot for pradakshina (circumambulation) in Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna.jpg, A relief sculpture on a minor shrine on a pedastal in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Srirangapatnam14.JPG, A relief sculpture on a minor shrine on a pedestal in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Minor mantapa facing a small kalyani (temple tank) in Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna.jpg, An open ''mantapa'' (hall) inside the complex in the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna File:Chariot at Srirangapatna.jpg, Chariot at Sri Ranganathaswamy temple

Notes

References

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External links