Apologies for the length delay in post.
Adiyean had always liked to visit Divyadesams that are less crowded and where we can have a darshan of Perumal whenever we felt like. Needless to say, Alwarthirunagari & Thirukurungudi come first. Tirumala Tirupathi, though being crowded is an exception as visiting the divine hill itself is an wonderful experience. Srirangam generally hadn’t been my first choice for a divyadesam trip owing to the heavy crowd and humid climate. How would Sriman Narayana let me not like His bhooloka vaiukndam? Of course He did make me understand why Srirangam is so endearing to Sri Vaishnavas. Recently adiyean had the opportunity to visit Srirangam and having visited Srirangam many times adiyean hadn’t expected any surprises, but it was not to be. Adiyean went through the Vellai Gopuram and took left to go to Thayar sannithi. Just near the mandapam, out of nowhere, there was a small and beautiful temple of Lord Sri Rama. Adiyean had visited Srirangam so many times but in all earlier visits adiyean hadn’t ever seen it. Seeing Lord Sri Rama always brings boundless joys, but an unexpected darshan brings even more joy. Adiyean’s Srirangam visit had begun well! Next adiyean had a darshan of Thayar and then proceeded to have a darshan of Lord Sri Ranganatha.
As usual there were lengthy queues for Ranganatha darshan, but somehow adiyean’s mother chanced upon to meet a local who took us inside the mandapam and once inside the mandapam there was another known person who got us a darshan of Sri Ranganatha Swamy for a good 2 -4 minutes. One thing adiyean had always felt when visiting temples is that, if we earn for a good darshan, the Lord always grants us with a wonderful darshan someway or the other. Having blessed with a good darshan adiyean had an entire evening to spend in Srirangam. After staying for sometime at the room, adiyean left to the temple at about 6. This time adiyean went through the main entrance. And to my sheer disbelief and joy, just after walking a few meters there was another temple of Lord Sri Rama to the left. All these days adiyean had known of the Pattabhisheka Ramaswamy temple with the beautiful and large deity of Sri Rama and another temple of Sri Rama just nearby, but nothing more. Adiyean was happy to see so many temples for Lord Sri Rama. Adiyean continued and visited all small sannathis that adiyean could find. Finally after visiting Ramanujar sannathi & Chakarathalwar sannathi adiyean sat for sometime in the large pathway between the two sannathis. The atmosphere was magical. A lot of devotees were moving around, children were playing and there was mild breeze. It was only then adiyean realised why Srirangam is so endearing. Srirangam can be enjoyed anyway we like. If we like to see utsavams, there is always something happening for most part of the year. If we like Divyaprabhandam recitals, it happens daily at the Ramanujar sannathi and of course the Pagal Pathu & Raa Pathu during Marghazhi month. If we like to enjoy Him with thousands of devotees we can do it too. And if we like to enjoy Him in serenity, there are lot of sannathis which not many devotees do not even know exist. Or we can just sit and be immersed in the atmosphere of the divyadesam. Our acharyas have written a lot about the greatness of Sri Rangam, but at a basic level for a not so enlightened soul like adiyean, this unique trait makes Srirangam so endearing.
Please share your Divyadesam experiences in Comments…
Sri Vaishnavam 
One must stay in Srirangam to enjoy the bliss of Lord Ranganatha, apart from visiting the deities inside the temple. That is so great. Srirangam is a wonderful divine retreat, much better than the hill resorts and lake views. Next time you visit Srirangam, please do stay here over night, when Vibheeshana visits to worship Sri Ranganatha every night.
Yes swami, staying in Srirangam is an unique experience. Can you please say more about Vibhheshana praying to Lord Ranganatha, adiyean would like to know more.
respected sir
thanks for the posting. i would like to place this before your goodself. in all the srivaishNava temples the sri garudazhvar will be either in veerasana posture or in standing posture. why in srirangaam alone sri garudazhwar is in sukhasanam. As i come from the shceduled caste, i am unable to ask this to any acharyas and the archakas of the temple. can you please kindly explain
Adiyean is not sure about the asanam of garudalwar in Srirangam. Adiyean will try to ask about it some learned people and try to post about this. But in Sri Vaisnavam, caste is not a matter of concern at all. Only the desire to surrender to Him is required. Our alwars themselves are from different castes, Kulasekara alwar was a Kshatriya, Thiruppaan Alwar was from Pannar community, Thirumalisai alwar was brought up by bamboo collectors and Lord Sri Krishna Himself was born as a humble Yadava. You may please feel free to raise your doubt to any archaic, they will be only happy to clarify.
Adiyean
Saprema Savinaya praNams
yes i understand that there is no inferior or superior in sri vaishNava community. there were three azhwars from brahmin community Sarva Sri 1. periyazhwar, thondar adippodi azhar and madura kavi azhwar.
sri periyazhwar says :
அண்டக் குலத்துக்கதிபதி யாகி அசுரரிராக்கதரை
இண்டைக் குலத்தை எடுத்துக் களைந்த இருடீகேசன்தனக்கு
தொண்டக் குலத்திலுள்ளீர்வந்தடிதொழுது ஆயிர நாமம்சொல்லி
பண்டைக் குலத்தைத் தவிர்ந்து பல்லாண்டு பல்லாயிரத் தாண்டென்மினே.
Sri Thondaradippodi Azhwar says
பழுதிலா ஒழுகலாற்று பலசதுப்பேதிமார்கள்
இழிகுலத்தவர்களேலும் எம்மடியார்களாகில்
தொழுமின் நீர் கொடுமின் கொண்மின் என்று நின்னோடும் ஒக்க
வழிபட அருளினாய்போல் மதில் திருவரங்கத்தானே”
Sri Madurakavi azhwar says
அன்னையாய் அத்தனாய் என்னை ஆண்டிடும்
தன்மையான் சடகோபன் என் நம்பியே
மேலும்
கண்டு கொண்டு என்னைக் காரிமாறப் பிரான்
பண்டை வல் வினை பாற்றி அருளினான்
எண் திசையும் அறிய இயம்புகேன்
ஒண் தமிழ்ச் சடகோபன் அருளையே
வேதமும் ” ஒருவனால் கேட்கப் பட்ட அல்லது பார்க்கப் பட்ட உலகில் உள்ள எல்லாவற்றிலும் நீக்கமற நிறைந்திருப்பவன் ஸ்ரீமந் நாராயணனே (யஸ்ச கிஞ்ஜித் ஜகத் ஸர்வம்………. வ்யாப்ய நாராயண ஸ்தித:) என்று கூறுவதை ஒட்டியே திருவள்ளுவரும் அந்தணர் ஒழுக்கம் பற்றிக் கூறுகையில் அந்தணர் என்போர் அறவோர் ….செந்தண்மை பூண்டொழுகலான் என்று கூறியதற்கு அடிப்படை. எல்லா உயிர்களின் உள்ளும் அந்தர்யாமியாக ஸ்ரீமந் நாராயணனே உறைகின்றான் என்ற உண்மையை அறிந்ததால் தானே.
ஆனால் அந்த அந்தணர்கள் இன்று பழிக்கப் பட்டு வருவது காலத்தின் கோலமே. அடியாளைப் போன்று கிராமத்திலும் சென்னையிலுமாக வாழ்ந்து வருபவர்களுக்கு கிராமங்களில் அக்ரஹாரங்கள் அழிந்து போனதன் நஷ்டங்கள் தெரியும்
i had to say about my caste only show my inability to approach any acharyas .
once again i place my humble pranams
regards
nandhitha
Apologies for the lengthy absence. But your concerns are very valid. In running after materialistic & worldly pleasures, we have forgotten our roots. It has been so long, but adiyean will ask regarding your query. Acharyas would be glad to help regardless of birth, please do no hesitate.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Next time I make it a point to visit all these places. It is very kind of you to share this information. Very useful
Please do take the time and visit the divyadesam in all the sannathis in Srirangam.
the experience of inventing gods inside the temples, as also happened to me. But I had a blessings of one of our elder most staff who is a native of srirangam taken me to that RAMA temple, who is so beautiful to have darshan. Still, THERE ARE SOME TEMPLES INSIDE THE SRIRANGAM’s TEMPLE
WHOM I HAD NO DARSHAN SO FAR. ALL HAPPEN ONLY WHEN GOD’S BLESSINGS WITH US.
————————————————————————————————————————————
MY PERSONAL THINKING:
I HAD A DIVYADESAM TEMPLE DARSHAN NEARLY 60% DURING MY EARLY DAYS. I had also
visited so many northern temples also. I had also visited northern states famous places wherein we have been blessed by oneway or other with GUIDES WITH ABUNDANT KNOWLEDGE who explains
in full. LIKEWISE, WHY SRIRANGAMs TEMPLE ADMINSTRATOR OR SOME PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS OR THOSE WHO KNOW A LOT ABOUT SRIRANGAM TEMPLE, ORGANISE
TEMPLE GUIDE INSIDE TEMPLE WITH OR WITHOUT NOMINAL FEES, SO AS TO ENABLE
PEOPLE LIKE US KNOW ALL ABOUT SRIRANGAM TEMPLE. BY THIS WAY ALSO RICH CULTURE
RICH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SRIRANGAM ENRICHED IN FUTURE ALSO.
g purushothama gupta, tindivanam
Your suggestions are very appropriate. A lot more work can be done in all our divyadesams. Adiyean had always thought that a small board or leaflets before all sannathis explaining the Vaibhavam of that particular alwar / acharya / perumal can be put up in 3 – 4 languages. Schedules of functions in all divyadesams can be put up in a comprehensive website with contact details also. The list is quite lengthy…
But the current renovation work in Srirangam where all brick walls constructed in the recent past are demolished is very laudable. Again TVS is doing a phenomenal work. And TVS are also now renovating the wonderful Thirukurungudi temple. Let TVS inspire all Sri Vaishnavas to do kainkaryams in whatever way possible.
Adiyean.
Thanks for mentioning Thirukurungudi. I felt like being in Thirumala (I think Thirumala should be like this place 50-60 years ago).
Somehow Thirukurungudi & Alwarthirunagari are always special for adiyean. Like going back home!
It is a blessing to visit Sri Rangam but the way crowd is managed is not efficient. Everyone is equal and should wait the qeue to get the darshan of Ranganathan like in Guruvayoor where the qeue is managed much better. Adiyaen’s opinion is never use influence or money to jump the queue in any temple. Remember other bhaktas who are doing the right thing and waiting their turn in the queue.
Valid suggestion. It starts with every single one of us. Hopefully the administration takes the required steps too.
ஸ்ரீமதே ராமானுஜாய நம: முற்றிலும் உண்மை. தங்கள் கூற்றை முழுமையாக ஆதரிக்கிறேன். பதிவிட்டமைக்கு உளமார்ந்த நன்றி
Besides Garudazhwar Nachimars, Thaayaar are all seated in Srirangam. Periya Perumal is determined not to get up from His sesha sayanam until the last jeevan is granted moksham. As we can imagine this will take several janmams…long, long time. Hence Periya Garudan wants to rest.
Dr. K. P. Sarathy
There are several Ramar sannidhis in Srirangam for obvious reason. The one you are referring to is in SeshaRaayar mandapam opposit to 1000 pillar mandapam. The purpose of this Ramar sannidhi inthat location is for Namperumal, who was Rama’s kula daivam, gives direct darshan to Rama, during Margazhi Iraappathu utsavam when Ranganathan is seated in Thirumaamani mandapam inside 1000 pillar hall. Perumal (Raman) and Periya Perumal (Ranganathan) enjoy each other.