Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Hindu temple in Srirangam, India.
Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, India, covering 156 acres and enclosed by seven concentric walls with 21 towers. Inside the walls, smaller shrines, pillared halls, and water tanks surround the main sanctum dedicated to Vishnu.
Inscriptions and remains point to activity from the first century CE, while later dynasties expanded the walls and towers over many centuries. The tallest gopuram was completed only in 1987, marking the end of a long building phase.
The name Ranganathaswamy comes from Ranganatha, a reclining form of Vishnu resting on the cosmic serpent, central to Tamil devotion. Worshipers walk through the concentric walls in a prescribed sequence, while daily offerings and chanted mantras fill the inner courtyards.
The complex lies near Tiruchirappalli International Airport and is reached by a bridge from the city. Dress codes apply for the inner areas, and most courtyards are open during daylight, with certain shrines closing at set times.
The southern Rajagopuram rises 73 metres (240 ft) in 13 tiers topped by 13 kalasas, finished in 1987 after eight years of work begun in 1979 under the 44th head of the Ahobila Mutt. Its construction used 1.7 crore bricks, 20,000 tonnes of sand and 1,000 tonnes of granite, and the tower weighs 128,000 tonnes.
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