Divya Darshan 360
Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple
Photo: RUPESH MAURYA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Famous temples · Tamil Nadu

Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple

The foremost of the 108 Divya Desams, on an island between two rivers

Checked 19 Oct 2026 with 4 sources2 min read

Getting there

  • By air

    Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ) is near the temple site.

  • By road

    Tiruchirappalli city, about 12 km south of the temple, is linked daily to other major cities by Indian Railways, Tamil Nadu buses and Highway 38.

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Why devotees come here

Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple is the foremost of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. It stands on an island between the Kaveri and Kollidam rivers, near Tiruchirappalli. Its sanctum has a golden vimanam, and the complex is described as the largest in Asia by area.

Among the 108 Divya Desams, the shrines dedicated to Vishnu, this one ranks first. The main deity is Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu, with his consort Ranganayaki, a form of Lakshmi. Devotees believe Ranganatha has seven consorts, with Ranganayaki the first and chief. Srirangam is called Bhuloka Vaikuntam, the earthly abode of Vishnu. Ranganatha and Ranganayaki are seen together only once a year, during Serthi Sevai on Panguni Uthiram.

The temple was first built by the Chola ruler Dharmavarma. The Vishnu and Lakshmi images were reinstalled in 1371 CE under Kumara Kampana, when the site became a Hindu temple again. After a 28-year gap, the fully renovated temple was consecrated.

The sanctum has a golden vimanam, the tower over the sanctum sanctorum. The temple has 17 major gopurams, the gateway towers, and 21 towers in total, along with 39 pavilions and 50 shrines. Its 1000-pillared hall is made of granite and dates to the Vijayanagara period, from 1336 to 1565.

Festivals

  • December to JanuaryMargazhi festival

    A 21-day festival in the Tamil month of Margazhi that draws about one million visitors.

  • Thai (January to February)Rathothsavam

    The annual temple chariot festival.

  • Panguni Uthiram (March to April)Serthi Sevai

    The only day of the year that Ranganatha and Ranganayaki are seen together.

Tips for your visit

  • Srirangam is one of three Ranganatha temples, with Adi Ranga and Madhya Ranga, that devotees visit in one day from dawn to dusk during Dhanur Maasa.
  • About one million visitors come during the 21-day Margazhi festival, in December and January.

Darshan at home

Not in the app yet

Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple is not in the Divya Darshan 360 app yet. These Famous temples temples are, with darshan videos you can watch at home:

The app is free, Android only. For darshan as if you are standing there, see the VR box (₹899, or ₹949 cash on delivery).

Questions people ask

Why is Srirangam called Bhuloka Vaikuntam?

It is called the earthly abode of Vishnu. The temple is dedicated to Ranganathar, a form of Vishnu.

Are there other Ranganatha temples to visit?

Yes. Adi Ranga and Madhya Ranga are the other two Tri Ranga temples. The Triranga Yatra covers all three in one day during Dhanur Maasa.

How far is Srirangam from Chennai?

The temple is about 325 km southwest of Chennai. It is about 12 km north of Tiruchirappalli city.

Can I see Ranganatha and Ranganayaki together?

Yes, but only once a year, on Panguni Uthiram, in the rite called Serthi Sevai.

How we checked this page

On 19 Oct 2026 we checked every fact on this page against these sources, official ones first. Anything we could not confirm is left out.

  1. Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. Srirangam temple consecration after 28 years, The Hindu thehindu.com
  3. Glory of Srirangam, The Hindu thehindu.com
  4. The Triranga Yatra is thrice as nice, Deccan Herald deccanherald.com

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