Kothandarama Temple, Thillaivilagam – The Temple
This is
a temple for Rama & Shiva (Nataraja). Since Thillai Natarajar temple is
here, the place is called Thillai Vilagam. There is no Moolavar as such here
and only the Urchavars are worshipped. The Pushkarani behind the temple is
considered equivalent to Ganges. Presiding Diety is Veera Kothandarama in Standing
Posture along with Sita, Lakshmana and Dasa Anjaneya facing east. The Moolavar
idol of Kothandarama is believed to be at least a 1000years old. The 5 feet
Moolavar Rama is seen in a majestic posture sporting a handsome smile.
Kothandarama
is seen providing a ‘Tribangi’ Seva here at this temple. The neck has one kind
of a curve, the hip a different curve and the leg in a bent posture. On
his right hand, Rama is seen holding the arrow that contains the writing ‘Rama
Saram’, the only one of its kind in a Rama temple. On a close look at his
hands, one can see the nerves, the ring and his sharp nails. One is also able
to see the sharp distinctive fingers on each hand just like a human hand. On
his left leg, one finds the Raksha bandhan tied by mother Kausalya when Rama
was young to protect him from evil forces.
Anjaneya
is seen next to Sita (who is seen in a Kalyana Kolam) in a Dasa Posture with
his right hand close to his mouth in a posture of whispering something to Lord
Rama. Just adjacent to the Kothandarama temple is the Chidambareswarar
Umayambigai temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, where one also finds the idol of
Nataraja. This temple is believed to pre-date the Chidambaram temple and the
two temples of Shiva and Rama are seen next to each other almost in the same
complex with an entrance on the Northern side of the Rama temple into the Shiva
temple.
It is in
this context that the place came to be referred to as ‘Thillai’ ‘Vilagam’.
Traditionally Brahmins used to live south of the Vilagam. The Pancha Loka idols
of the Thillai Vilagam Rama temple were found buried in the ground to the west
of the temple in the early 19th century by Velu Thevar. The temple
in its current form was built after that by Velu Thevar, whose clan are now the
hereditary trustees of the temple.
