Sri Raṅgam

The idol as we see it today is said to have originated from the milky oceans of Shri Vaikuṇṭham. Lord Brahmā then took the idol to worship, and for many eons, was worshipped by Lord Brahmā in Satyalokam. A time came when the great king Ikshvaku approached Lord Brahmā and asked him to install the idol of the Lord in Bhūlokam. Considering the king’s request, Lord Brahmā obliged and installed the idol of the Lord along with the Praṇavākāra Vimānam at Ayodhyā, along the banks of the river Saryu.

The Lord then remained in Ayodhyā even till Lord Rāma was the king of Ayodhyā. After the battle with Rāvaṇa, the Lord returned to Ayodhyā to be coronated formally. Here, he gifted all his army generals with something unique and meaningful. When Vibhīshaṇa’s turn came during the distribution of divine gifts after Lord Rāma’s victory over Rāvaṇa, he humbly requested Lord Rāma to give him the idol of Shri Raṅganāthar so that he could take it back to Lanka for worship.

Lord Rāma, recognizing Vibhīshaṇa's unwavering devotion and righteousness, agreed without hesitation. Thus, the divine idol, along with the Pranavakara Vimānam—a sanctified structure shaped in the form of the sacred syllable Praṇavam (a-u-m)—was entrusted to Vibhīshaṇa, who then began his journey southward aboard the Pushpaka Vimānam. As Vibhīshaṇa reached the sacred banks of the river Kāvēri, it was the auspicious month of Pankuni.

According to the ancient traditions upheld by Lord Rāma and his Ikshvaku lineage, this period marked the celebration of the grand Brahmotsavam festival. In reverence to this dharmic custom, Vibhīshaṇa paused his journey and conducted a nine-day festival in honor of the Lord on the riverbank. During the course of these festivities, the idol and the Pranavakara Vimānam were placed at a site later known as Shesha Peetam, near the sacred tank Chandrapushkarani.

As the nine days drew to a close and Vibhīshaṇa made ready to resume his journey, a Chōḷa king named Dharmavarman fell at his feet and begged him to leave the Lord there on the banks of the Kāvēri. Vibhīshaṇa then asked the Lord Himself whether He wished to continue on to Lanka or to remain on the banks of the Kāvēri. But when Vibhīshaṇa attempted to resume his journey, he found the Vimānam immovable—it had firmly anchored itself to the earth.

Overcome with grief and confusion, Vibhīshaṇa was then graced with a divine vision of Lord Vishṇu, who appeared before him. The Lord consoled His devotee, declaring that He had chosen this very spot to be His eternal abode. He assured Vibhīshaṇa that although He would remain in Bharata Varsha, He would face southward toward Lanka as a mark of blessing and everlasting connection. Touched by this revelation, Vibhīshaṇa accepted the divine will with devotion and humility.

It is believed that to this day, Vibhīshaṇa comes at midnight to offer his prayers to Lord Raṅganāthar in an invisible, celestial form. Thus, the reclining Lord of Shrīraṅgam, ensconced in the Pranavakara Vimānam that embodies the essence of the Praṇavam (a-u-m), took His place on the banks of the Kāvēri by His own will. This sacred event established Shrīraṅgam as the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams—a sanctum where divine grace, eternal dharma, and boundless devotion converge.

This temple is enormous in size and is the largest temple complex, spanning 156 acres, surrounded by seven concentric walls (the outermost wall has a perimeter of over 3 km) and 21 gopurams. It has seven Prakarams or Tiru Veedhis surrounding the sanctum, with a total length of approximately 9 km. The 236-foot-high, thirteen-tiered Rajagopuram, built at the southern rampart, is a notable recent addition. It is significant that Rāmānuja completely overhauled the administrative system in this temple.

The physical remains of Rāmānuja, who lived for nearly 120 years, are still preserved in a sitting posture in the sannidhi dedicated to him on the southwest corner of the fifth prakaram. Furthermore, Arayar Sevai, an ancient art form that involves rendering and expressing the Naalaayira Divya Prabandham through dance, originated at this kshethram under the auspices of Nāthamuni.

Periya Āzhwār: 35 Pāsurams

Sri Āṇḍāl: 10 Pāsurams

Kulashekara Āzhwār: 31 Pāsurams

Tirumazhisai Āzhwār: 14 Pāsurams

Toṇḍaraḍippoḍi Āzhwār: 55 Pāsurams

Tiruppāṇ Āzhwār: 10 Pāsurams

Tirumangai Āzhwār: 73 Pāsurams

Poigai Āzhwār: 1 pāsuram

Bhūtath Āzhwār: 4 Pāsurams

Pey Āzhwār: 2 Pāsurams

Nam Āzhwār: 12 Pāsurams

Total: 247 Pāsurams