Ranganayaki | |
---|---|
Goddess of Srirangam | |
Affiliation | Sri Vaishnavism |
Abode | Vaikuntha |
Mount | Elephant |
Texts | Naalayira Divya Prabandham |
Festivals | Vaikuntha Ekadashi |
Consort | Ranganatha |
Ranganayaki (Tamil: ரங்கநாயகி, Sanskrit: रङ्गनायकी, romanized: Raṅganāyakī, lit. 'Wife of Ranganatha'), also known by her epithet Tayar,[1] (Tamil: தாயார், romanized: Tāyār, lit. 'Mother') is a Hindu goddess. She is the presiding goddess of the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam.[2] She is the chief consort of Ranganatha, the tutelary deity of Srirangam. The goddess is regarded as a manifestation of Mahalakshmi, while Ranganatha is considered as a manifestation of Vishnu.[3] She is also called Ranganayaki Nachiyar and Periya Piratti.
Ranganayaki is venerated by the people of Srirangam and by Vaishnavas, the adherents of Vishnu. According to Sri Vaishnava tradition, she is regarded co-equal to Ranganatha himself, considered to be both the means and the end of worship to the divine couple.