PM Modi offers prayers at Sri Rangam temple

Tiruchirappalli, Jan 20 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday worshipped in the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Sri Rangam here, while clad in traditional Tamil attire.

During his visit to this ancient shrine of Tamil Nadu, Modi wore a spotless 'veshti' (dhothi) and an angawastram (a shawl) and prayed with folded hands in the Lord Vishnu temple. He took blessings from the temple elephant after feeding it.

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.

The presiding deity is popularly known in Tamil as Ranganathar.

The Srirangam temple is an ancient Vaishnavaite temple of Tamil Nadu and it dates back 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.

The 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.

He will later pray at the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram. PTI