Unveiling Srirangam

Five long years of studying architecture did open up before me imageries that I wold have failed to fathom otherwise. The role urban design studio had in making us see the larger part of the picture is inevitable.A group of  budding architects wandered to unlock and unleash the history and future trails of the temple town of Srirangam .We did get stuck in our path many times,to plod on was never an easy job but at the end we knew we did do justice to solving that jigsaw puzzle !We all did even publish our work !!! 'Tathva-Essence of design,Temple town of srirangam.

  Here is the crux of what got imprinted deep into me ! Do read to know about this largest functioning temple complex!!

      PC : Bella 

Srirangam, located in Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu ,has its identity rooted in the sacredness of a temple town. Bounded by the Kaveri and its distributor Kollidam , Srirangam is an islet that houses the famous Ranganatha swamy temple.The history of Srirangam unveils the interwoven pattern of culture ,traditions, society that all has their basic thread derived from the heart of a temple city. Though this temple town has undergone transformations over the years, its soul still remains the same. Srirangam has a large population of Vaishnavities and an economy which has a significant share from the the pilgrimage and tourism sector.

Like other Indian temple towns, Srirangam has its own history of its mythological evolution, but what sets apart this temple town, is the crowing attire of being the largest functioning temple complex in the world. History unfolds the story of how srirangam came to being and this is synonymous with the upcoming and gradual flourishing of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple. It is said that the vimana of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple came out of ocean of milk with the powers of Brahma deva . This was then was gifted to Vibishana by Sri Rama as token of his love and was to be taken to Srilanka. Vibishna was asked not to keep the idol on earth and if he happen to that it would set itself permanently there, but it so happened that he kept the idol near Kaveri and the lord then refused to move, but lord promised to bless Vibishana by facing south towards the direction of Srilanka . This story also explains the unusual positioning of the temple of Ranganathaswamy towards south .Slowly over time chola kings and the dynasties after that paved way to futher expanding and architectural prosperity of the temple and one can find the settlement pattern also growing interlinked with it.

Ranganathaswamy temple is considered the first one among the eight self manifested shrines of lord Vishnu. It is also regarded as the most important one among the 108 Vishnu temples and is referred to as “Bhooloka vaikunda”. The temple complex has 7 prakaras and 21 gopurams of which Rajagopuram is the tallest in Asia with a height of 72m. Apart from the famous Ranganathaswamy temple, Jambukeshwara temple also has its own share of prominence in Srirangam. River Kaveri has a deep impact on the life and rituals of this temple town. The festivals, traditions all have their bond of intimacy with both Kaveri and Kollidam that lavioushly pamper Srirangam. the year around festivals and celebrations add all the glory and colours to this town. The life and activities are much related to the economic aspects that feed or cater to the temple area and allied tourism sectors.

Images that lasted

Anyone who visits this town will have their set of personal imageries that was forged through the parts and pieces of the town that revealed just for them. Our first glimpses of Srirangam was when the shades of black were adorned around, the yellow lights seemed to reveal the night phase of the town in its true grandeur. Srirangam seemed to be in a drowsy nap but all set to be awakened to the ringing of temple bells. Walking through the streets which were set in 7 prakaras one could experience the transcending into the paths which takes you closer to the divine. The towering gopurams engraves in you the silent but everlasting and empowering presence of the serinitity  of the place. A town which has held onto the age old histories of the place, in whose soil one can still feel the myths thriving and the true reflection of the sanctity of a temple town.

Streets of Srirangam has the subtle lines of demarcation of commercial and residential zones that are so woven that the patterns themselves have their tales to spill. As one traverses from the outermost prakara to inner, the way of life and their status of living takes a massive shift. From the settlements in outermost street where houses seem to be closely stacked with people, blurring the  street boundaries and extending life throughout, to the inner core of agraharams which reflect the reserved  and structured characters of the Brahmanical communities. The aspect that unifies all the varied hues that are spread here is the gravity that the central nuclei or the temple core exerts.

Perhaps to trace out what exactly makes this temple town the subject of an interesting study is indeed a daunting task as there are so many elements of specialties that makes one hold on to Srirangam. The streets which seem to whisper the hymns, the walkways which smelled of brewing coffee, the evergreen presence of cycles and rickshaws, the sound of ringing temple bells, the life and rituals that set them apart,the changing attires that are slowly getting cladded around but above all, it is the legacy of the town  that demands its unique position. Srirangam thus has myriads of expression to feast upon and countless reasons to be loved. By deciphering the elements of this town, exploring into every component that brings in life to Srirangam the study progresses to uncover the bhooloka vaikundam .

This divine town has no parallels and deciphering it, set me through a beautiful journey of understanding Urban design and devouring from the abstract ,the inner meaning that did lay hidden.