New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli on Saturday during his visit to the holy shrine. Modi was clad in traditional Tamil attire where he wore 'veshti' (dhothi) and an angawastram (a shawl). Modi also took blessings from the temple elephant named 'Andal' on the premises who also played a mouth organ.
Upon Modi's arrival, the temple priests greeted him with welcome slogans written on the road in Sanskrit. Modi, who is the first prime minister to visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, was blessed with 'Sadari' (crown, symbolising Lord Vishnu's blessings) by temple priests.
He also prayed at 'sannadhis' (separate enclosures for deities), including those of Vaishnavite saint-guru Sri Ramanjuacharya and Sri Chakkarathazhwar, and listened to various scholars reciting verses from the Kamba Ramayanam in the temple.
Chief priest of temple Sundar Bhattar told news agency ANI, "All devotees of India are very happy that our PM is visiting Srirangam. Lord Ranganatha is also happy about the PM's visit. Our PM cares for everyone's welfare so is Ranganatha, so it's a blessed occasion for Srirangam. Before this, no prime minister came to Srirangam, this is the first time a PM is visiting here. We all are very proud of his visit."
The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is an ancient Vaishnavaite temple dedicated to Sri Ranganathar which has India's largest temple compound and one of the world's greatest religious complexes. The temple, situated in an island, at the confluence of Cauvery and Kollidam rivers, is believed to have been constructed during the Vijayanagara period.
The temple is also known as 'Boologa Vaikuntam' or ‘Vaikuntam on earth’, the eternal abode of Lord Vishnu.
Modi is on a visit to revered temples for a past few days including Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and Kothandaramaswamy Temple in Dhanushkodi. After Srirangam, PM Modi will reach Rameswaram at around 2pm and perform darshan and pooja in Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple.
The visit of PM Modi holds great significance ahead of 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya in January 22.
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