Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Situated in the temple village of Sri Rangam, which is located near the city of Thiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, The Ranganathaswamy Temple is said to be the first of the 108 Divya Desams that are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is the abode of Lord Ranganatha, who is a reclining form of Lord Vishnu. The Sri Rangam temple is considered the largest functioning Hindu Temple in the world as it covers an area of 156 acres. The Rajagopuram is 237 feet high and consists of eleven tiers. The temple is rich in both art and history. In the 12^th Century, when Malik Kafur’s troops were on their way to invade Sri Rangam, The priests and people of Sri Rangam, built a brick wall in front of the Lord’s idol inside the Sanctum Sanctorum. They took the smaller idol of the deity (called utsavar) and travelled to the Thirumala to the abode of Lord Venkateswara and took refuge till 1371. Six centuries later, the wall was brought down by the locals and the priests and Sri Rangam was restored back to its full glory. It is said that 13,000 vaishnavites died to keep Malik Kafur’s army away from the temple until the deity could leave city safely. It is considered the most sacred temples for vaishnavites.