PM Modi prays in TN's Sri Rangam temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a scholarly recitation of the Ramayana known as "Kamba" on Saturday while worshipping at the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Sri Rangam, a historic shrine connected to the story. Wearing a pristine'veshti' and an angawastram. He was greeted ceremoniously as 'poorna kumbha' upon his arrival, with priests chanting Vedas before him.

Tiruchirappalli(Tamil Nadu):Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday worshipped in the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Sri Rangam here, an ancient shrine linked to the Ramayana, and listened to 'Kamba' Ramayana recitation by scholars. Modi, the first Prime Minister to visit the temple, wore a spotless 'veshti' (dhothi) and an angawastram (a shawl) and prayed with folded hands in the Lord Vishnu temple. On his arrival, he was accorded a ceremonial 'poorna kumbha' welcome amid Vedic chanting by priests.

Modi prayed to Sri Ranganathaswamy and he was blessed with 'Sadari' (Crown, symbolising Lord Vishnu's blessings) by temple priests. The PM prayed at several 'sannadhis' (separate enclosures for deities) including those dedicated to Vaishnavite saint-guru Sri Ramanjuacharya and Sri Chakkarathazhwar. He also took blessings from the temple elephant after feeding it. The presiding deity is popularly known in Tamil as Ranganathar.

The Srirangam temple has a religious and Tamil literary connect to the Ramayana. According to religious scholars, the idol of Sri Ranganathaswamy --a form of Vishnu-- at Srirangam was originally worshipped by Lord Ram and His ancestors. When Vibhishana sought a precious gift from Shri Ram, the God presented this idol to him and asked him to worship it. Under Vibhishana's watchful eyes, the Lord Ranganatha idol was installed at Sri Rangam temple in accordance with divine will.

In effect, Modi has sought the blessings from Ranganathaswamy, worshipped by Shri Ram for the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. At the temple, Modi listened to Kamba Ramayana verses, one of the very old versions of Ramayana. The Kamba Ramayana was composed by great Tamil poet Kambar in the 12th century.

The temple that PM visited has a deep link to the Kamba Ramayana. It was at the Sri Rangam temple that Kambar, hailed as 'Kavi chakravarthy,' first publicly presented his Ramayana and won the hearts of people. Even today, there is a 'mantapa' in the temple called 'Kamba Ramayana Mantapam' to commemorate that occasion.

Religious scholars say that Modi sat in that very place where poet Kambar first sang the Tamil Ramayana, reinforcing the deep connection between Tamil, Tamil Nadu and Shri Ram. 'Vastram,' shawl and clothes were presented to Modi, a traditional way of a temple acknowledging a devotee's devoutness.

Local officials said the clothes will be taken to the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, where the consecration of the grand temple will be held on Monday. The Srirangam temple is an ancient Vaishnavaite place of worship in Tamil Nadu and it dates back almost to the Sangam age with various dynasties pitching in, through the ages, to build and expand it. The early and later Cholas, Pandyas, the Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara empire have all contributed in the construction of the grand temple.

The Srirangam temple is situated in an island, at the confluence of Cauvery and Kollidam rivers. Regarded as the first out of the 108 'Divya desam,' shrines, the Sri Rangam temple is also known as 'Boologa Vaikuntam'or 'Vaikuntam on earth'. Vaikuntam is the eternal abode of Lord Vishnu. The Prime Minister arrived here on Saturday from Chennai and on his way to the temple, stood on the running board of his car and waved at the people and BJP workers who gathered at vantage points to greet him.

While he stood on the footstep, Modi balanced himself by placing one hand on the car's partially opened door and all along, folded his hands gesturing 'Vanakkam' while crowds chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' welcoming him.

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