The Sacred Tank
Puṣkariṇī (Sanskrit: puṣkara = lotus / a sacred pond + iṇī = possessing; 'the lotus-tank' / 'the sacred pond') is the consecrated tank (tīrtha) within or near a major temple. These rectangular or stepped tanks are not merely decorative — they are theologically integral: their waters are sacred theertham, used in abhiṣeka and distributed to devotees.
Swāmi Puṣkariṇī
The most famous is the Swāmi Puṣkariṇī at Tirumalai (Tirupati) — the sacred tank associated with Veṅkaṭeśvara. Pilgrims bathe in it before ascending to the Lord's darśana, believing its waters to carry the accumulated merit of all who have bathed there across millennia. It is said to contain all the world's sacred rivers within it.
Kāverī at Śrī Raṅgam
Śrīraṅgam is an island between branches of the sacred Kāverī and also has temple tanks, most notably Candra Puṣkariṇī. The Kāverī is a sacred river and tīrtha, but it should not technically be identified as the temple’s puṣkariṇī.