Heritage walk rekindles glory of Srirangam

The heritage walk organised by the Department of Tourism on the occasion of World Tourism Day at Srirangam received good response on Sunday.

Sub Collector (training) Rahul Raghavan flagged off the walk. A large number of volunteers, heritage enthusiasts, tour organisers, and others took part in the walk that began at Rajagopuram and culminated at Vellaigopuram.

The students of Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College walked along the streets in Srirangam.

It served as an opportunity to rekindle the heritage of the Chithirai Streets and the historic Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, the cultural nerve centre of the region. Participants, including students, history enthusiasts and tourists, were taken around the four Chithirai Streets that define the temple town’s unique urban planning.

Officials and resource persons briefed them on the significance of the temple, its prakarams, majestic gopurams, and architectural grandeur. To highlight Tamil tradition, folk arts, including dummy horse dance, were performed along the route, adding colour to the walk.

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is one of the largest functioning temple complexes in the world and an outstanding example of Dravidian architecture. The participants were briefed on the temple’s history that spans several centuries. They explained the history behind the 236-foot high Rajagopuram, the main entrance tower on the southern side. Many paid attention to the majestic look of the tower, which is considered one of the tallest towers in Asia. The organisers explained the history of Vellaigopuram.

While explaining the streets situated around the temple, the resource persons said that the temple town itself was a classic example of traditional town planning. The number of houses with wooden pillars and tiled roofs along Chithirai Streets, where the heritage walk was organised, had been standing as examples of heritage and tradition.

Officials said the walk was organised to create awareness among the younger generation about the need to preserve heritage and promote heritage tourism in Tiruchi district.