Will be grateful if somebody can provide information about the following -
1) what is the relative position(distance and direction) of Chidambaram Periya kovil GangaikondaCholapuram Palayarai Srirangam Map or coordinates will be helpful.
2) Is the hometown of Thayar Srirangam? What are the other names of Srirangam(old names) 3) How was the island of Srirangam accessible from the mainland in olden days? 4) Is there any reference to Kallanai in Vaishanava's Tamil devotional literature? Any reference to Nalan-Killi? 5) What was the state of the Temple(physical) in 19th century - complete or incomplete. 6) Any rumour in connection with Lanka and the basis? 7) Any good reference on the Sthalapuranam? 8) Any puranam talking about the life of Thayar? 9) How do I search for inscriptions related to Srirangam - any keyword or is there a consolidated list somewhere.
I think these topics have been discussed on and off. Consolidated information will be helpful for me.
The small story heard about srirangam..I will tell that The story is related to ramayanam."After defeating ravanan,Vibheeshanan asked Rama to hold the lanka kingdom.But rama asked vibheeshanan to be a king for lanka.And Rama gave one small sculpture of SriRenganathar to vibheeshanan and asked him to don't keep the sculpture down in any place" But vibheeshanan in keep that near kaveri river to drink water.After that he cannot move the sculpture from that palce.So he built temple there for SriRenganathar"
I dont know this story is true or not. The another name of srirnagam is thiruvarangam.May be some other name is there,but i dont know.
In behind of Sorkavasal,there is a way to Thayar temple. In the path itself we can find three small hole with footpath in the floor. I asked about this to temple kurukal..he explained that in every vaikunda yahadhasi,when opening sorkavasal..Thayar sit in this place and watching perumal.
Im not sure whether this is also true.I think Srirangam is related to Lanka.B'coz in last kumbabhishekam i was in srirangam.At that time there is a problem in srilanka.So there people said that there is relation between srirangam and lanka.And also they said from the top of the gopuram,we can see srilanka island.
I have heard my Guru's (Sri Krishna Premi's aka Sri Sri Anna) discourse on this "Sri Ranga Mahathmiyam", which purely talks about from spiritual perspective, so I won't be able to give any proof/reference to inscriptions.
Sthalapuranam
Sri Ranganathar is suyambu. I don't remember the initial King, but Dasaratha brought from the initial king and worshiping and Sri Rama inherited. Once the battle was over and after the pattabishekam Vibeeshanan requested and Sri Rama gave Sri Ranganathar to him. Meanwhile a king turned sage (parallel history) was meditating to bring Sri Ranganathar near the pushkarani. (Cauveri surrounded Sri Rangam later). While carrying Sri Ranganathar, Vibeeshana got down to finish his evening prayer and kept Sri Ranganathar near the pushkarani. Due to this king's meditation/prayer, Vibeeshana couldn't take the Sri Ranganathar back to Sri Lanka and he was asked to come every night to have darshan by Lord (Even today in the temple they believe that Vibeeshana comes every night).
It seems that the whole main temple as well as the other prakaram's were there from the beginning, the names (Thirumangai sutru, etc.,) are just because they have renovated it in their time.
I would suggest to get the cassette/cd (available in Chennai) and hear it for yourself to get the full details, he even elaborates what happened when the Muslims captured the temple and travel details of Sri Ranganathar at that time.
Please send me a private email if you want further details.
somebody can provide information > > 1) what is the relative position(distance and direction) of > Chidambaram 248 km from chennai
> Periya kovil 50 km from kumbakonam(?) > GangaikondaCholapuram between chidambaram and kumbakonam > Palayarai near kumbakonam > Srirangam 314 kam from chennai( from cdm should be 150)
all these place distances are on different roads . so they dont make arithmetic sense.
> 5) What was the state of the Temple(physical) in 19th century - > complete or incomplete.
quite a few britisher paintings exist. searchthe net. there is a novel called moonstone whether its on srirangam or srirangapatna- not sure.
read thirvarangan ula which gives a description of the town befor turks destroyed it.
also check archieves for thuluka nachaiar, udaiyavar sannidhi and other trivia about the temple,
1. South Indian inscriptions has devoted an exclusive volume (think 24 or 27) for Srirangam inscriptions alone. Check in whatsindia.com
2. Puranically (Puranic :: Ancient - belief) Dasaratha hails from (Solar / Surya race - Chola's do claim same way :: ref Thiruvalngadu copper plates :: SI - 3) Iskwagu Dynasty, who worshipped Ranganathar. This was given as GRANT to Vibhishna at his request (b/o Ravana), when attended Ram - Seetha Pattabhishekam in Ayodhya who just rested between Cauvery & Kollidam and Ranganathar preferred to stay there for ever, instead going to Lanka. Since ANDAL married and sublimed with Lord Ranganathar, it is devinely quoted that Andal is worshippable even by Sita Devi / Lord Rama - and thus superior !
3. KOIL :: for Vaishnavites is Srirangam; for Saivites :: Chidambaram
4. Among 12 Azhwars, 11 hymed on Divyadesams. Madhurakavi hymned only on NAMMAZHWARa - his Guru - and none on Lord Vishnu. SRIRANGAM is the only Divyadesam hymned by allthe 11, follwd by Thirupathi 10.
(a) " Thaal sadayum - Neelmudiyum " hymn by Nammazhwar ( say 8th Century) on Thirupathi Lord - leading to various other speculations .. check archieves : Ezhumalayan (b) RRC / Rajendra inscriptions avl in Thirumala (c) The Hill is very very ancient - several Million years .. Visit Thirumala ASI Museum - (Natural) Stone Arch - for more details.
5. Thigumangai has hymned on maximum divyadesams. Likewise Gnanasambandar on Siva temples.
6. Parantaka I has got into Thulabaram / Hiranyagarbham in this Srirangam Temple. (Synopsis on inscriptions search SRIRANGAM )
7. ASI reported a 32rd year of RRC inscription in this temple in a stone (reportedly) lying near Madappalli which is found missing.
8. THIRUVARANGAN ULA by Shree Venugupalan (Uthappoo kann simitturgirathu Pushpathangathurai ) deals in detail re Muslim invasions. This book worth buying in the Book fair.
9. Udayavar (Sri Ramanugajar)'s physical body is embolmed and kept in worship here !