Srirangam, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Lead me from the unreal to the Real . . . from darkness unto Light . . . from death to Immortality.
—Gayatri Mantra
One of the largest Hindu temple complexes in the world is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a reclining form of the Hindu deity Vishnu, sustainer of the universe. The stone carvings, bas-reliefs (or carved images that are slightly raised from the surface from which they are carved), and friezes, the horizontal bands that run across doorways and windows, adorn, embellish, and dramatize this colorful temple.
Whether you seek a spiritual awakening or transcendental states of consciousness, or love sacred Indian temple architecture, visit this two-thousand-year-old temple where devotees believe that the Lord is ever-present. It is situated on Srirangam Island in the Kavery River, roughly 10.5 miles north of Trichy, and less than a mile from the Rangam railway station. The nearest airport is in Bangalore. Buses are available from major Indian cities; take a taxi or rental car, purchase a coach tour, or hire a car and driver from one of the hotels.
Come during the dry season (October through May), but start by 7:00 a.m. to avoid the crowds and the heat. Guides are available at the shoe depository. Photography is prohibited.
Buy a flower, remove your shoes, and perform a namaskar (bow with hands folded in prayer) before the deity. Sit in meditation, inviting Divine inspiration to fill and sustain you. If you are a non-Hindu, visit the temple as a tourist; incorporate regular periods of silence in your spiritual practice; meditate on God as the Sustainer of All.
Millions of Hindus visit each year. The complex encompasses 156 acres and is the holy site of the enlightenment of Ramanujacharya, a preeminent Vaishnava scholar.