Srirangam Saptha prakara parikrama:

We came to know that every year Saptha prakara parikrama is organized by Mrs. Saraswathy and Mr. Sripathy in coordination with “Pejawar matt.”


This year it was on 22, 23 and 24th of October 2009. We availed this opportunity and joined them on 24th October for parikrama. They have arranged stay and food for everyone at “kodiyalayam chattram” at “Srirangam”. Anyone can join for parikrama, and food was arranged separately for Brahmin and others.


This is the contact number for details about saptha prakara parikrama 0431-2436502.



They arranged for sankalpam for cauvery snanam by a prohit, at 3Am and, thereafter every one of us went to River cauveryby van. 20Rs per head was charged for van. After the bath we came back to chattram, for changing our clothing. Then they guided us to starting place of Prakara parikrama.







Srirangam Ranganadhar temple has seven prakaram relating to saptha lokas.
1) Bhoolokam Full of houses and shops.

2) Bhuvarlokam Thiruvikraman Thiru veedhi.(street)

3) Suvarlokam Kili chozan or Agalangan Thirvedhi. (Street)

4) Maharlokam Thirumangaimannan street or Alinadan Thiruveedhi..

5) Janolokam Kulasekaran Thiru veedhi.

6) Thapolokam Rajamahendr chozan Thiru veedhi.

7) Sathyalokam (Garbha graham) Dharmavarma chozan Thiru veedhi.



Main deity Sriranganadhar facing south side, so the parikrama also starts from south entrance of 7th prakaram. Pandit was there along with us till the end of parikrama. He recited mantras which we were asked to repeat and do namaskaram before starting at that place.


We were asked to stop at all corners of four roads, and to the middle of all four roads in front of the gopurams in all seven prakarams which represent Ashtadikbalakars. He recited some namavali and we bowed at all the places.

There is lot of small sanctums, all along the parikrama rounds. We visited only few, but I am trying to give you some more which are important. This we can make it only if we go on our own and not with the group.

7th prakaram of Srirangam temple.


Our parikrama stared mid way of South Chittirai veedhi”,” Kattai gopuram” entrance. This is to mid way of the road. The road is full of shops. There is a mandapam in which there is a small sanctum in basement with deity known as padhala Kannan”.


We took a turn towards west and the street is known as chittrai thiru veedhi or Raja veedhi. We find houses to both sides of the roads. We enter to north Side Street known as Mela chittrai veedhi. Here we see a Hanuman temple in this street.


We enter east side road known as North chittrai veedhi. In the starting of the road we see “Hayagrivar and Desikar” sanctums, and the building looks like a matt.


Next we took a turn towards south and it is known as South chittirai veedhi. We find a ratham which looks like a pushpaka vimana known as Goratham“.

Now we enter into 6th prakaram, from south entrance of kattai gopuram. Sankam and Chakkram are kaval deivam of this gopuram. The street is named after choza raja, as Thiru Vikraman veedhi There are shops in these roads and it is a commercial business centre.


We took a turn towards west. The road is also known as “utthira veedhi”. We find a ratham here and archakar’s houses. Here the houses are to one side and to the other side of the road we find a big wall.


We took a turn to north side which is named as “Mela uttira veedhi”. Next we turned towards east side and the road is known as“North uttrai veedhi”. We find Sriranga Narayanar Jeeayar matt in this road.


We turned towards south side, road is known as Keezai uttirai veedhi”. We have darshan of Hanuman temple. At the end of the road we turn south and this is South uttira veedhi. There is a matt with Manavala Mamunigal sanctum. Half way of the road we reach Nanmugan kottai vassal
.

We started our 5th Prakaram

Two Devas Dharmathyakshar and Niyantha are kaval deviam, {security}. The street is also known as Agalanganin thiru chuttru”. Here we start from north side and we see a mandapam with four pillars. To one pillar we see Kavi arasar Kambar in standing posture. To left of this mandapam there is a sanctum for Nadha muni, his deciple Thiruvaranga perumalariarum, and Alavandhan grand son of Nadha muni.


We see Andal sanctum and we next come to Venuganan sanctum, which is very old one. We find Ranga vilas of Nayakar’s contribution which is full of beautiful sculptures. We take a turn to west and as we pass, we find Chakkratazwar sanndhi. At the back of the sanctum we see small ventilator through which we can have darshan of “Narashimar”.


We proceed towards north and we come across Vasantha mandapam Here we cross a grill gate and enter inside and we see Ranganayaki Thayar sanndhito left. We find Hanuman to a pillar near the entrance of the sanctum and we take a round and enter the temple.


The main deity is also known as padidanda pathini”, hence all the festivals concern to her are celebrated within the temple only. We see urchava vigram in the front and 2 main deity at the back.

Old moolavar was hidden under the Vilava tree during Muslim invasion. After the war, they were unable to locate and find out and new Thayar idol was installed. After sometime they found the old one and they installed it in the main sanctum. We take a round inside Thayar sannidhi and once again start with prakara parikrama.



We see a four pillared mandapam known as Kambar mandapam. In the year 885AD, Ramayana was inaugurated. There is a sanctum for Nigamantha Desikan” near the compound. “Narashigaperumal” sanctum is seen nearby.


From here we walk towards east side and we come across a grill gate, we enter and step inside thousand pillar mandapam. In the centre of thousand pillar mandapam we see “Thiru mamani mandapam”.



As we come out of this mandapam, we walk a while to reach a small mandapam known as Kanumandapam. As we proceed towards west side we see Sesharayar mandapam with beautiful sculptures related to Vijayanagara history.



Next to this we see pillai Lokacharayarsanctum, adjacent to it is kannan temple where main deity is in “Geethopadesa” posture. As we go around we come across Udayavar sannidhiWe find other sanctums like Thirupanazwar, Vittala Krishnan, Thondaradipodi azwar, and Kooratth Azwar sanctum is seen.


Here we enter to our 4th prakara parikrama

This Prakara parikrama is known as Thirumangai mannan chuttru” or “Aali nadan chuttru”. Two Devi’s Ganga and Yamuna are protecting this Gopuram. Here we enter into a big mandapam, in which we see huge Garuda with snakes as garland on him. As we walk out we see “Nammazwar” sanctum with Thirumangai mannan and “Madhura kavi azwar”.


As we go around to west side we come across “Mela Pattabhiraman” sanctum. Other deities in different sanctums are “Mudhalazwar, Teertha perumal” known as “Vasudevan”, and after climbing few steps “Danvanthry” Bagwan. We come across Chandra pushkarani and sthala vruksham “Punnai” tree.


When we go around the pushkarani we see “Santhana gopala Krishnan, Varaha perumal, varadharaja perumal, Sri Kodanda Ramar and Paramapadha nadhan Sriman Narayanar with Bhoodevi and Neeladevi”. We proceed the same way and reach Garuda mandapam. Here we see a sanctum for Thirukachhi Nambi and little further we come to an end of this prakaram and here we enter third prakaram.


The 3rd prakaram round is known as “Kulasekaran chuttru”.

The enterance is known as Aryabhatar vasal. Here “Garuda and Chakkra perumal” are Kaval deivam (security). As we enter we see Dwajasthambam covered with gold plated sheet.


As we go clockwise, we see Pavithrotsava mandapam to left. The mandapam was constructed by King Kulasekaran. “Saraswathy and Hayagrivar” are seen in this mandapam. We come across another mandapam constructed by Vijayaranga Chokkanadhar. They say Viraja River flows under this mandapam. To left side we see “Paramapadha vassal”.

We continue with our parikrama and we come across “Dolotsava mandapam or Uonjal Mandapam” and “Hanuman”. With this we come to an end of this prakaram.



The 2nd prakaram round is known as “Chozha mannan Rajamahendran chuttru”.


Front side of the main entrance, is taken care by “Badhran and Subadhran”, back side of the main entrance is taken care by “Sanganidhi and Padumanidhi”.

In this round we come across Sanctum for “Vishvaksenar, Hanuman and Vebeshanar” is seen. Near this place “Arjuna mandapam” is seen. To NW side of our round Nachiayar” sanctum is seen. We come across “Revathy mandapam”, “Kili Mandapam” {parrot}, “Chandana mandapam” {sandal}.



We take step to east side known “Yalzhisteps, and enter into the main sanctum round. There are 8 steps here known as “Ashtakshara” steps.


Entrance of 1st prakaram is known as “Thiru Anukan thiru vassal”.

This round is known as “Dharma varma chozan chuttru”. “Jaya Vijayan” is dwarabalakar here. The mandapam with 24 pillars known as “Gayatri mandapam or Ranga mandapam”, they say 24 pillars represent 24 letters of Gayatri mantra. There is lot of painted pictures depicting stories of Ramayana.


The main entrance leading inside is known as “Kulasekaran” steps. Here we have the darshan of Lord Sri Ranganadhar.



We thank Mrs.saraswathy and Mr. Sripathy for their wonderful arrangement and we feel happy for the great opportunity, to join them and enjoy. With all these strain and effort we put and enter into the temple, and buy a ticket of Rs 50, we are thrown out in no seconds from the sanctum. It is real painful thing by the time our vision gets adjusted we are forced to come out. This is only the grief of the public who come, there to have the darshan of Sri Ranganadhar. Many of us, came once again in the evening to have a darshan...