The preserved body of Guru Ramanujacharya has been enshrined inside the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli since 1137 CE.
Ramanuja's sacred burial shrine, known as the Thiruvarasu, is located within the temple. The preservation of his body is maintained using sandalwood paste and saffron, without the use of any chemical preservatives.
Twice a year, a mixture of camphor and saffron is applied, giving the body an ochre or orange tint—a tradition that has been followed for over 878 years.
Ramanuja was born in 1017 A.D. in Perumbudur, a village located about twenty-five miles west of Madras. His father, Kesava Somayaji, and mother, Kantimathi, were both devout individuals. Ramanuja, known by his Tamil name Ilaya Perumal, lost his father early in life.
He later moved to Kancheepuram to study the Vedas under Yadava Prakasa, a teacher of Advaita philosophy. Ramanuja also reinstalled the Govindaraja idol in Tirupati, which had been cast into the sea by Kulothunga Chola, a Saivite king. He passed away at the Lord Ranganatha temple in Srirangam, where his body has been preserved since. This is a unique instance where a human body has been preserved within a Hindu temple for centuries.
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