The Living Record
Kōyilolugu (Tamil: Kōyil = the Temple, conventionally Śrīraṅgam in Śrī Vaiṣṇava usage + olugu = conduct, procedure, chronicle) is the traditional chronicle of the Śrīraṅgam temple. It records: the temple's founding mythology, the list of Ācāryas and trustees who served it, the details of land grants and endowments, the prescribed schedule of daily worship, the procedure for each festival, and significant historical events.
The Śrīraṅgam Chronicle
The title Kōyilolugu properly refers to this Śrīraṅgam chronicle, compiled and expanded over many centuries. It is an invaluable source for understanding the liturgical life of the temple, the history of the Śrī Vaiṣṇava community, and the specific ritual procedures (niyamas) that govern worship at Śrī Raṅgam.
Significance
The kōyilolugu serves not only as a historical document but as the living authority for temple procedure — when disputes arise about the proper manner of worship, the kōyilolugu is the reference. It preserves the remembered continuity of Śrīraṅgam’s institutions and ritual life. Other temples may possess their own records and procedural traditions, but they should not all be generically renamed Kōyilolugu.