Which is the largest temple in India?

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Thiruvarangam (Sri Rangam)

The Largest Temple - 156 acres (Deity- Vishnu)

The Tallest Gopuram - 240 feet

No of Entrances or Temple Towers- 21

No of Shrines - over 50

No of Enclosures or Prakaras - 7

Length of Concentric Walls- 32592 feet

Sect - Sri Vaishnavism

Divya Desam- First among 108 (Boologa Vaikundam)

Deity - Self Manifested

Sacrifices- over 13000 Vaishnavites

Reconstruction - 1336 to 1565 (over 200 years)

Tallest Raja Gopuram of 240 feet - 1987 (completed by 200 shilpis continuously working for 8 years after 400 years of Halt in 1542 due to Vijayanagara Empire Achuta Deva Raya’s death)

Politics - Former CM J Jeyalalitha Represented the constituency.

Unique Facts about **Thiruvarangam (Sri Rangam):**

1.The biggest functioning temple of the world is Ranganathaswamy Temple in Sri Rangam Island (Thiruvarangam), and a part of Tiruchirappally, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

2. It is a Vishnu Temple. spread over 156 acres.

3.The temple was built by Chola Empires Dharma Cholan and continued by Killivalavan- Shrine, basic foundations and main bulidings.

4.But the life is not easy. Like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Sri Rangam was also affected by invasions. But the help came from Tirupati Venkateswara to restore and excel.

5.When Malik Kafur invaded Sri Rangam in 1323. The temple was defended and according to the Tamil tradition some 13,000 Sri Vaishnava devotees of Srirangam, died in the fierce battle. Hoysalas try to liberate Madurai but their king Ballala was killed in a battle. Finally Vijayanagara Emperors liberated, Kanchi, Sri Rangam and Madurai.

6. It took over 200 years (1335 till 1565) to rebuild the temple by Vijayanagara Kings, Madurai Naickers and Thanjavur Naickers.(Bukkaraya, Kumara Kampanna…Lakka Naicker, Chevvappa Naicker………Krishna Devaraya, Achuta Raya) The list is endless.

Additinal tit bits:

7. It is the largest functioning Hindu Temple in the world covering 156 acres.

8. It has seven concentric wall structures called praharms and 21 temple towers and over 50 shrines.

The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple has seven concentric prakaras or walls or enclosures. The total length of these thick walls that create these enclosures is 32,592 feet and run round the sanctum sanctorum. This makes it the only temple in India to have seven enclosures. Seven is regarded as an auspicious number by present day Vaishnava believers. According to them seven number either represents the seven centers of Yoga or the seven elements which make the human body with its center being occupied by the soul.

9.Its RajaGopuram is 240 feet tall is the tallest in Asia. There are 21 gateways to enter.

10. It is also one of the self manifested shrines of Sri Vishnu.

11. It is the major pilgrimage destination of Sri Vaishnavites.

12. It is the first among the 108 Divyadesams of Lord Vishnu.

105 temples out of these 108 are located in India, one in Nepal and two are supposed to be located beyond Earthly realms - Thriupparkadal and Vaikundam.

Sri Rangam is considered as Boologa Vaikundam.

13. Sri Rangam is famous for Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple. (Antya Ranga)

14.There are three Ranganathaswamy temples - Adi Ranga in Sri Ranga Pattinam -Madhya Ranga in ShivanaSamudra].

15.· Non-hindus are not allowed to enter the gold topped sanctum sanctorum and their entry is restricted to the second prakaram.

16.Tipu, Son of Hyder Ali attacked again, demanding 1 lakh gold coin. This time 500 vaishnavites specially trained to defend averted the attack and Tipu was forced to withdraw forces without any success.

Biggest Temple of the World is existing for over 8 centuries or more not due to kings who loved art, construction, architect. The temple’s Gopurams had a tough time to stand Tall pointing to the sky because of over 13000 vaishnavites who sacrified their lives, devotees who carried Ranganathar to Tirupati, the kings who constructed the temple over 230 years of continuity and the forces who defended Tipu and the British.