The Holy Island in the Kaveri: a Hagiotopography

Mentioned already in the ancient Tamil epic the Cilappatikaram, Srirangam is a sacred site of preeminent status in South Indian religious geography. This book, the fruit of long collaboration between the two authors, presents a critical edition of the Srirangahatmya, a Sanskrit eulogy of this hallowed place, along with an English translation, the first translation into a European language. Its most important temple is dedicated to the self-manifest (svayamvyakta) form of Visnu as Ranganatha, lying upon his serpent bed on an island formed by the Kaveri and Kollidam rivers. But the text relates that this was not always its location. It describes the vimana, narrates how it came to be established on the island, and gives an account of the various sacred water-bodies in the vicinity, principal among which is the Candrapuskarini