.svg)
Sri Kalyana Ramaswamy temple
  Thank you for being part of the Bharatpedia family! 0% transparency: ₹0 raised out of ₹100,000 (0 supporter) |
| Kalyana Ramaswamy Perumal Temple | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Dharmapuri |
| Deity | Ramaswamy Perumal (Vishnu) Seethalakshmi Thayar (Lakshmi) |
| Location | |
| Location | Ramaiyampatti, Thenkaraikottai |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 12°04′N 78°10′E / 12.07°N 78.16°ECoordinates: 12°04′N 78°10′E / 12.07°N 78.16°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian |
| Creator | Pandyan and Vijayanagara Empire |
| Inscriptions | Tamil |
Sri Kalyana Ramaswamy temple or Kalyana Ramar Temple is located in Thenkaraikottai near the main village Ramaiyampati in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Rama (An avatar of Maha Vishnu). It is located 15 km from Harur and 40 km from Dharmapuri . The temple is constructed in the Dravidian architecture, the temple is a storehouse of Nayak architecture. Sri Kalyana Ramaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Sri Rama and Sita as the main deity of the temple, there are 10 deitys in the same Garabhagriha. The statues of the gods are arranged in the form of Sri Rama Pattabishekam and the temple is governed and maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple is not open every day it is open only during Saturdays and only in morning times. The temple is an example of architectural marvel. The temple follows the traditions of the Tenkalai sect of the Vaishnava tradition and follows the Vaikhanasa tradition. The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a Saturday basis only. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnava community, from the Brahmin class.
Legend[edit]
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.
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.[1]
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.[2] Meanwhile, Ravana harasses Sita to be his wife, queen or goddess.[3] 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. They return to Ayodhya.[4]
The return of Rama to Ayodhya was celebrated with his coronation. It is called Sri Rama pattabhishekam, and his rule itself as Rama rajya described to be a just and fair rule.[5][6] It is believed by many that when Rama returned, people celebrated their happiness with diyas (lamps), and the festival of Diwali is connected with Rama's return.[7]
The Pandyas who ruled Namakkal and Salem around 8th century[8] had come to this place for checking the wellness of the people. Once when they stayed here, they got a dream of Sri Rama with Seetha devi in Pattabishekam Srikolam and Rama told to build a temple for him here. The Garbhagriha built by the Pandyas were damaged and by Muslim Emperors and the idols were hidden by the people safely. After 900 years When Damarla Chennapa Nayaka came here to collect his tax from the people. Rama came in his dreams and showed the place where he was hidden and the king found moolavars. He built the temple and also constructed a fort around the temple, so he can worship Rama in a safe place and also can stay here whenever he wants. There are 12 moolavars inside the sanctum sanctorum arranged in the form of Rama Patabishekam. the 12 Moolavars are Rama, Sita, Bharata, Lakshmana, Shatrughna, Vibhishana, Sugriva, Anjaneya, Angada, Jambavan, Vasishtha and Vishvamitra.
Archaeological Significance[edit]
The temple has 2 Mandapams out of those the Chithra Mandapam has 27 beautiful sculptured pillars. Out of the 27 pillars, there are 10 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 Mandapa has beautiful architectural representations of various forms of Vishnu and few scenes of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Srimad Bhagavatham. There are statues of Alvars and Vaishnavate Acharyas, Vishvaksena kept in a row in the inner Mandapam of the temple similar to many other Vaishnavate temples. The inner mandapam has 4 pillars with sculptures of Vishnu and his avatars. The temple also has a temple tank which is present away from the temple. The temple is administrated by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Tamil Nadu Government.
Religious Practices and significance[edit]
The temple doesn't get proper funds from the government and hence the pujas take place only once in a week. Devotees believe that Lord Rama will Remove all the obstacles of a person upcoming in his life and also make his devotees find their life partner soon. Lord Rama is commonly found in standing position, But Rama showers his blessings in a seated posture which is very rare to see. Many marriages happen in the temple during auspicious days also called as Shubha muhurtha dinae in Sanskrit and Muhurtha nall in Tamil.
Gallery[edit]
View of the temple.
Pillars of the Chithra Mandapam.
Sculpture of Sri Rama in the temple.
Sculpted pillars of the temple.
Dwarabalakas of the temple with great Architecture..
References[edit]
- ↑ Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2001) Sītāpaharaṇam: Changing thematic Idioms in Sanskrit and Tamil. In Dirk W. Lonne ed. Tofha-e-Dil: Festschrift Helmut Nespital, Reinbeck, 2 vols., pp. 783-97. ISBN 3-88587-033-9. https://www.academia.edu/2514821/S%C4%ABt%C4%81pahara%E1%B9%89am_Changing_thematic_Idioms_in_Sanskrit_and_Tamil Archived 4 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ B. A van Nooten William (2000). Ramayana. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-22703-3.
- ↑ Goldman 1996, p. 406:
16. ... Ravana is represented as merely requesting that Sita stop thinking of him as an enemy and that she abandon her mistaken notion that he wants her to be his wife. By mentioning his chief queen, he is really saying that he wants Sita to be the chosen goddess of both him and his chief queen, Mandodari. - ↑ Goldman 1996, p. 90.
- ↑ Ramashraya Sharma (1986). A Socio-political Study of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 2–3. ISBN 978-81-208-0078-6.
- ↑ Gregory Claeys (2010). The Cambridge Companion to Utopian Literature. Cambridge University Press. pp. 240–241. ISBN 978-1-139-82842-0.
- ↑ Self-realization Magazine. Self-Realization Fellowship. 1971. pp. 50.
- ↑ K.V., Soundara Rajan (1998). Rock-cut temple styles: early Pandyan art and the Ellora shrines. Somaiya Publications. p. 59. ISBN 9788170392187.
Works cited[edit]
- Goldman, Robert P. (1996). The Ramayan of Valmiki. New Jersey, United States: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-06662-2.