Srirangam, also known as Thiruvarangam, is an island town in the district of Trichy or Tiruchi in South India. Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and the Kaveri distributary Kollidam (Coleroon) on the other side. Srirangam is home to a significant population of Vaishnavites (followers of Lord Vishnu, one of the triumvirate of Hindu Gods the other two being Lord Siva, the Destroyer and Lord Brahma, the Creator).
Srirangam is famous for its Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, a major pilgrimage destination for Hindus (especially Vaishnavites) and one of the largest temple complexes in India. Srirangam claims to be the biggest functioning temple, because Angkor Wat is the biggest but non-functioning Hindu temple in the world. The gopuram of the temple is called the Rajagopuram and is 236 feet (72 m) tall, the tallest in Asia. Myth has it that the coast of Sri Lanka can be seen from the top of the gopuram. The temple is constituted by seven prakaras (elevated enclosures) with gopurams articulating the axial path, the highest at the outermost prakara and the lowest at the innermost.
Srirangam is the foremost of the 108 Divya Desams (divine centers) mentioned in Nalaira Divya Prabhandham, composed by the Tamil saints known as Alwarss (also pronounced as Azhwars). It is also the foremost seat of the teachings of Ramanuja, who spread the doctrine of Visishtadvaita (qualified monism), considered to be one of the cornerstones of Hindu philosophy. Srirangam temple is the only temple praised in song by all the Azhwars and visited by all Acharyas (the major devotees who followed the Alwars). There are 247 pasurams (divine songs) about tiruvarangan in Nalaira Divya Prabandam. This temple is also noted in Ayyavazhi mythology.
