Srirangam

D1

Srirangam (Tamil: ஸ்ரீரங்கம் Srīraṅkam [ sɾi ɾaŋɡʌm ː ]; rare Tiruvarangam or Thiruvarangam, Tamil: திருவரங்கம் Tiruvaraṅkam [ tiɾɯʋaɾʌŋɡʌm ] ) is a temple town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on a river island between the Kaveri River and its tributary Kollidam. Administratively, the city is part of the city of Tiruchirappalli, whose center six kilometers south lies on the other side of the Kaveri River. The main attraction is the Srirangams Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, the most important vishnuistische sanctuary of Tamil Nadu and one of the finest examples of Dravidian style of Hindu Tempelbauarchitektur.

Location

Srirangam is located 320 km south west of Chennai (Madras ) in the district of Tiruchirappalli in Central Tamil Nadu on a river of the same island between Tamil Nadu 's most important current Kaveri in the south and its tributary Kollidam in the north. The elongated island is about 30 kilometers long and at its widest point approximately 2.5 kilometers wide. The branch of the Kaveri at Srirangam marks the beginning of the Kaveri delta. The town of Srirangam is situated in the central part of the island, the rest of the island is used for agriculture and is characterized by fields and palm groves.

Administratively, Srirangam is part of the big city Tiruchirappalli, whose city center is located on the southern side of the Kaveri. From Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam for Rockfort in the center of the old town Tiruchirappallis is about four kilometers, the distance to Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station in the new town ( Cantonment ) is about nine kilometers. Two road and a Eisenbahnhbrücke lead over Kaveri and Kollidam. There are numerous bus links into the center Tiruchirappallis. The National Highway 45 ( Grand Southern Trunk Road), the main north - south route in Tamil Nadu leads east past Srirangam. Furthermore, Srirangam has a railway station on the main line from Tiruchirappalli to Chennai.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

The main attraction is the Srirangams Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, also one of the most outstanding examples of the South Indian Dravidian style of Hindu Tempelbauarchitektur. As is characteristic of this architectural style, the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple has a rectangular plan and is designed according to geometric principles. The main temple at the center of the sprawling complex is surrounded by seven concentric circular walls with 21 gopurams ( gate towers ). The entire complex covers an area of ​​960 × 825 meters. The actual temple complex located in the area between the four innermost wall rings. Here you will find a verwinkeltes ensemble of different shrines, pillared halls and corridors. The outer portions of the temple complex form a mainly inhabited by Brahmins neighborhood with streets, houses and shops. This provides Srirangam is a " temple city " in the truest sense of the word and can be regarded as a prime example of Dravidian temple architectural style.

The oldest parts of the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple date from the reign of the Chola king Parantaka I. ( 907-955 ). Among the succeeding dynasties of the Hoysala and Pandya in the 13th century, the Vijayanagar kings of the temple from the 14th century and the Nayaks in the 16th century has been successively extended. The Rajagopuram ( Main Gopuram ) at the south entrance of the temple complex, with 72 meters height of the largest and most imposing of the temple towers, was even completed until 1987.

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the deity of Ranganatha, a manifestation of Vishnu consecrated. Srirangam so that is a center of Vaishnavism in the otherwise heavily influenced shivaitisch Tamil Nadu. The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the largest Vishnu shrine in the state and is considered the most important of the 108 Divya Desams ( holy places of Tamil Vaishnavism ). Therefore, it is an important pilgrimage destination, which attracts devotees from different parts of Tamil Nadu. In addition, the Vaishnavite Brahmin scholarship has a strong presence in Srirangam traditional. In the 12th century the famous Vaishnavite philosopher Ramanuja appeared in Srirangam. The " southern school" ( Tenkalai ), one of two subdivisions of the popular in South India Srivaishnava direction of Vaishnavism, centered in Srirangam, while the " Northern School" is located in Kanchipuram. The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam is one of three temples on the Kaveri river islands, which are dedicated to Vishnu in his form as Ranganatha. The other two are located in Srirangapattana and to the Shivanasamudra Falls on the upper reaches of the Kaveri in the state of Karnataka.

Sri Jambukeshwara Temple

The Sri Jambukeshwara temple on the eastern edge Srirangams is largely in the shadow of the more famous Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, but is also of great religious and architectural importance. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his manifestation as Jambukeshwara. Here Shiva is manifest in the element of water. Thus the Sri Jambukeshwara Temple is one of the " Five Elements temples " ( Pancha Bhuta Sthalangal ), in which one Shiva worshiped as a manifestation of the elements of fire, earth, water, wind and ether.

The sanctuary is mentioned between the 7th and 9th century by the Nayanmar ( Shivaite anthem poets ). The oldest parts of the temple can be dated to the 10th century. As the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and the Sri Jambukeshwara temple was expanded under the Pandya, Hoysala, Vijayanagar and Nayak period. Today it comprises a complex with five concentric walls and seven gopurams rings.