Kodandaramaswamy temple

Kodandaramaswamy Perumal Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Salem
Deity	Ramaswamy Perumal (Vishnu) Seethalakshmi Thayar (Lakshmi)
Location
Location	Ayothiapattinam
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
Shown within Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	11°39′29″N 78°14′37″E
Architecture
Type	Dravidian
Creator	Pandyan and Vijayanagara Empire
Inscriptions	Tamil

Kodandaramaswamy temple is a Hindu temple located in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple is glorified by Maharishi Bharadwaja, Valmiki and classified as one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavate tradition. The town of Ayothiapattinam is located at a distance of 12 kilometres from Salem . This temple is said to be a particular location mentioned in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana.

Etymology

The village has received the name Ayothiapattinam, which means Ayodhya (the place where Rama was born and where he ruled the people). This temple is also called as Dakshina Ayodhya which means Ayodhya of south as Rama stayed here while coming back from Sri Lanka and his coronation was taken place here. Lord Rama gave Dharshanam to Sage Bharadwaja as King of Ayodhya, giving the town its name.

Legend

After Rāma and Sītā got married, an elderly Daśaratha expresses his desire to crown Rāma, to which the Kosala assembly and his subjects express their support. Kaikeyī was very happy that Rama was going to become the king, but was later on provoked by Mantharā, a wicked maidservant, to claim two boons that Daśaratha had long ago granted her. Kaikeyī demands Rāma to be exiled into the wilderness for fourteen years, while the succession passes to her son Bharata. Rama, Sita and Lakshmana leave Ayodhya and move to various places. After Rama departure from Ayodhya to take on the forest life as Pithurvakya Paripalana (obeying the command of father), Sri Rama visited the hermitage of Sage Bharadvaja on his way. When the sage offered him a feast, Sri Rama respectfully declined the offer as he was on a mission and Rama promised to accept it on his return to Ayodhya.

Later they move towards the south and arrive at the forest called Panchavati. At the Panchavati forest they are visited by a rakshasi named Shurpanakha, sister of Ravana. She tries to seduce the brothers and, after failing, attempts to kill Sita. Lakshmana stops her by cutting off her nose and ears. Hearing of this, her brothers Khara and Dushan organize an attack against the princes. Rama defeats Khara and his Rakshasas. When the news of these events reaches Ravana, he resolves to destroy Rama by capturing Sita with the aid of the Rakshasa Maricha. Maricha, assuming the form of a golden deer, captivates Sita's attention. Entranced by the beauty of the deer, Sita pleads with Rama to capture it. Rama, aware that this is the ploy of the demons, cannot dissuade Sita from her desire and chases the deer into the forest, leaving Sita under Lakshmana's guard. After some time, Sita hears Rama calling out to her; afraid for his life, she insists that Lakshmana rush to his aid. Lakshmana tries to assure her that Rama cannot be hurt that easily and that it is best if he continues to follow Rama's orders to protect her. On the verge of hysterics, Sita insists that it is not she but Rama who needs Lakshman's help. He obeys her wish, but stipulates that she is not to leave the cottage or entertain any stranger. He then draws a line that no demon could cross and leaves to help Rama. With the coast finally clear, Ravana appears in the guise of an ascetic requesting Sita's hospitality. Unaware of her guest's plan, Sita is tricked and is then forcibly carried away by Ravana.

view of the Artha mandapam

Rama and Lakshmana discover the kidnapping, worry about Sita's safety, despair at the loss and their lack of resources to take on Ravana. Their struggles now reach new heights. They travel south, meet Sugriva, marshall an army of monkeys, and attract dedicated commanders such as Hanuman who was a minister of Sugriva. Meanwhile, Ravana harasses Sita to be his wife, queen or goddess. Sita refuses him. Ravana gets enraged after knowing Rama came to fight and ultimately, fights in a war that has many ups and downs, but ultimately Rama prevails, kills Ravana and forces of evil, and rescues his wife Sita. On his return to Ayodhya after the killing of Ravana, the Pushpaka Vimana (the divine aircraft) landed at the sage's ashram. When sage Bharadvaja offered the dinner, Sri Rama accepted the feast. Here Rama gave darshan to the sage in Patabishaka Srikolam form (with crown – Mudi in Tamil) at this place, even before the official coronation at Ayodhya later. Hence, the place came to be known as Ayothiapattinam "The place where Rama lived and ruled". Rama in this temple is also known as Pattabhiramar and is in seated position on a throne with Seethalakshmi Devi.

Valmiki Ramayana directly refers to the Lord Rama's landing at this town referred as the Bharadvaja's Ashrama. As a living proof, the village is still inhabited by direct descendants of Sage Bharadvaja.

पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे पञ्चम्यां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः | भरद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्य ववन्दे नियतो मुनिम् || ६-१२४-१

History and Architecture

File:Kodandaramaswamy2.j.png

Sculpted pillars of the temples Artha mandapam.

It is said that the idol was sculpted by the Vishwakarma Brahmins on the order of Maharishi Bharadvaja and the idol was consecrated by Bharadvaja and worshiped by his descendants. The temple is later built by Athiyamān Nedumān Añci the king of Dharmapuri and later renovated by Tirumala Nayaka. The temple has beautifully carved Mandapas. The temple has 2 Mandapams out of those the Artha Mandapam has 27 beautiful sculptured pillars. Out of the 28 pillars, there are 12 pillars which are sculpted in a manner which can produce musical notes when struck. Tamil poet says that the pillars here are a combination of the Shruti Gana Laya types. The Mandapam has beautiful architectural representations of various forms of Vishnu and few scenes of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Srimad Bhagavatham. There are separate shrines for Sudarshana Perumal, Alvars, Hanuman, Garuda and Andal.

Religious significance

Generally Rama showers his divine grace to his devotees in standing form, but here due to the coronation rama showers his blessings in seated form. The temple has 5 moolavars Sage Bharadvaja, Hanuman Lakshmana, Sita and Rama in His coronation form. The theertha tank is present next to the Andal Shrine. The temple is believed to have come into being even before the times of Alwars. Rama has no bow and arrow as his cornation ceremony was taking place and there are even foot prints of Lord Rama. There are separate shrines for Garuda, Alvars, Sudarshana Chakra and Andal. The temple is glorified by Maharishi Valmiki, Vaishnavate Acharyas and classified as one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavate tradition.

References

Works cited

• Goldman, Robert P. (1996). The Ramayan of Valmiki. New Jersey, United States: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-06662-2.