Pancharanga Kshetram's - Part 2 - Srirangam

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Srirangam (Tamil: ஸ்ரீரங்கம்), actual Tamil name is Thiruvarangam (Tamil: திருவரங்கம்), is an island and a zone in the city of Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), in South India.


Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River (also known as Cauvery river) on one side, and the Kaveri distributary Kollidam (Coleroon) on the other side. Srirangam is home to a significant population of Vaishnavites (followers of Lord Vishnu, one of the triumvirate of Hindu Gods the other two being Lord Siva, the Destroyer and Lord Brahma, the Creator).

According to the temple's website, Srirangam can be considered the biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world as it covers an area of about 6,31,000 m². (156 Acres) with a perimeter of 4 km (10,710 ft).[1] Srirangam claims to be the biggest functioning temple, because Angkor Wat is the biggest but non-functioning Hindu temple in the world.

The Srirangam temple complex is composed of 7 concentric walled sections and 21 gopurams.[2] The gopuram of the temple is called the Rajagopuram and is 236 feet (72 m) tall, the tallest in Asia.

Myth has it that the coast of Sri Lanka can be seen from the top of the gopuram. The temple is constituted by seven prakaras (elevated enclosures) with gopurams articulating the axial path, the highest at the outermost prakara and the lowest at the innermost.

To be continued...