Ranganathaswamy Temples

Lord Sri Ranganathaswamy, Srirangam Trichy, Tamil Nadu

 ||Sri Ranganatha Gayathri Mantra||
 Om SriRanganathaya Vidmahe  Sri RangaVasime Dhimahi
  Tanno Vishnu Prachodayat

               Sri Ranganathaswamy is the resting form of Lord Sri Vishnu. Lord RanganathaSwamy and His consort Sri Ranganayaki Thayar ( Mother Sri Lakshmi ) is worshipped as Chief deities in Sri Vaishnava community and well known Hindu deities in South India. 

                Lord Sri Ranganathaswamy is seen in a resting form (Sayana Thirukolam or Kidantha Thirukolam) on the serpent god Adisesha, along with Goddess Sri Devi and Bhoodevi Thayars as Lord Vishnu is reclining on Adisesha in ThiruParkadal ( The Ocean of Milk). In very few temples Lord RanganathaSwamy is also seen in Standing form (Nindra ThriuKolam) also, which is considered very rare.

                Sri RanganathaSwamy is also known as Thiru Aranganathar who is worshipped along with Goddess Ranga Nachiyar (Goddes Sri Ranganayaki Thayar) as the main deity in SriRangam (Thiruvarangam) in Tiruchirappalli or Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Thiruvarangam or Srirangam is also referred as Koil by Sri Vaishnavites and is considered as the first of all the Vishnu temples and 108 Divya Desams (108 Holy Shrines of Lord Sri Vishnu where Azhwars have done mangalasasanam).

                In Tretha yugam Lord Sri Rama has performed pooja to this Sri RanganathaSwamy idol which is later established in SriRangam. Eleven Azhwars and many Acharyas have sung the Grace of  Lord Sri RanganathaSwamy and Thayar in this temple.

The list of Ranganathar swamy Temples in South India

1. Pancha Ranga Kshetrams
2. Ranganathaswamy temples in Tamil Nadu
3. Ranganathaswamy temples in Karnataka