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Thiruchirapalli 5 - Ranganathar Temple, Sri Rangam

 

When we discussed about visiting Sri Rangam Ranganathar Temple, the hotel person suggested us to visit the temple in the early morning Viswaroopa darshan that is at 5 AM. Due to an exhaustive second day in Trichy we could only manage to wake up at 6 AM on the third day and hence decided to go to the temple after our breakfast. We took an auto for Rs.100 to reach the second gopuram from the outer most to leave our foot wear and then enter the temple. The first thing that encapsulates you is the 7 storey-ed colourful Rajagopuram. You can see Srilanka when you reach the top most story of this gopuram. Since Ranganathar came here through Vibishanan the Lord here is seen turned towards/giving darshan to Vibishanan in Srilanka.  Rajagopuram was built in the last century and opened in the later 1980s.

There are darshan timings and devotees have to wait in long queues to see the Lord. Being a Saturday the temple was thronged by devotees waiting for the 9 AM darshan to open up. On enquiring the temple premises we came to know about Managala darshan. For we have to pay Rs. 500 per head and we can the Lords's darshan as soon as the darshan opens up. We had to wait for this entry to public for around 30 mins. Once they let us in, we bought the tickets and were lead into be seated outside the inner sanctum to get the darshan as soon it is open. We had the privilege to catch up on the full mangala arthis to the urchavar. Once it was over we were allowed to get into the inner sanctum to get the darshan of the Lord Ranganathar in anantha sayanam and the urchavar. Once we come out we can go worship the Thayaar. We were given temple prasadam for this mangala darshan - a big murukku, laddu and a mysorepak. We worshipped the Golden vimanam before we headed to the Goddess's shrine.

Goddess Ranganayaki Thaayar is the Lords's consort. Her shrine was free to get a darshan. Coming out we see the Paramapada vaasal. From here moved on to workship Chakrathazhwar, Karudan, Dhanvantari, Ramanujar and walked towards the thousand pillar mandapam. We see see the white gopuram near the mandapam. Then we get to see the Sesharaya mandapam. Its a huge temple housing various shrines in its premises along with mandapams. Its just not possible to go around the temple in just one visit. Will need the whole day there. 

This temple is on a island as formed by the two main rivers of Trichy - Kaveri and Kollidam. The temple has undergone troubles during various time periods in history. Some parts of it are destroyed and rebuilt by the later dynasties. One could see Tamil & Telugu subscriptions in the temple stones. It is considered the first divya desam and equally popular to Thirupati.

End of it was walked away from the temple with a satisfied darshan and our long time wish to seek the blessings of Lord Ranganathar fulfilled.

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Location: Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India

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