Yeri Katha Ramar Temple, Maduranthakam, Kanchipuram – The
Temple
The
temple was built during the Pallava era, and is estimated to be 1600 years old. The
Moolavar (presiding deity) of the temple is Lord
Rama. The temple has inscriptions indicating generous gifts
from Chola king Parantaka
I. The Moolavar is in a standing position facing east and
is around 8 feet (2 m) tall. This temple is situated near the Maduranthakam
lake shore.
Sri
Kodanda Rama, also known in this region as Yeri Katha Rama (the one
who saved the village from flooding from Madurantakam lake), is enshrined in
the Yeri Katha Ramar Temple. The temple is about 1300 years old. Sita resides in
the temple as Sri Janaki Valli. The other deities enshrined are Sri Chakarathalwar,
Sri Ramanuja, Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha and Sri Hanuman.
The Kondandaramaswamy
temple has two sets of Utsavar idols of the presiding deity and his
consort, and Lakshmana. While one deity is named Rama, the other is known as
Karunakara Perumal. There is also a separate shrine for Goddess Sita, known as
Janakavalli Thayar, which is claimed to be very rare. This shrine was built by
an English Collector, Colonel Lionel Blaze who assured the people that he would
build a shrine for Devi if the newly built surplus water weirs withstood the
fury of monsoon rains.
The huge
tank with immense storage capacity would breach every year after the monsoon
rains and wash away the rough stone-built outlet of the tank. While camping at
Madurantakam during a monsoon night, the tank was full and almost overflowing.
The Collector visited the tank bund and is said to have seen Rama and Lakshmana
keeping guard at the tank. The construction of the shrine for the Goddess began
the very next morning and the Lord is known as Yeri Katha Ramar as he
saved the tank bund from collapsing.
Madurantakam
is one of the holy places visited by Ramanuja though it has not been sung by the alvars. The place is also unique in that Ramanuja's statue is
found dressed in white on all days while in almost all temples the saint is
dressed in ochre. The temple is facing east with Sri Kothandaramar as the main
deity. There is a beautiful Mandapam outside the sanctum with lots of pillars
allowing cool breeze into the temple.
In the
Mandapam adjacent to the sanctum, there is a secret underway found which starts
from the Maduranthakam lake and passes through the temple and reaches the
temple pond. The outer prakaram has a majestic Dhwajasthambham, adding beauty
to the temple. On entering the temple, Sri Chakrathaazhwar shrine is found on
the left hand side facing north. The Sthala Viruksham ‘Magizha Maram’ is found
on the north western side of the temple.
There is
a separate shrine for Sri Vishwaksenar on the outer prakaram facing south. Sri
Narasimhar gives darshan at the north eastern side of the temple, facing
towards south. Lots of stone inscriptions are found along the walls of the
temple. The Vimaanam for this temple is called Pushpaka Vimaanam. The temple
pond is found in front of the temple and is called Sri Rama Theertham, which
needs some clean up.
Sri
Aanjaneyar is seen in a separate shrine adjacent to the pond facing west
towards the temple. Adjacent to Sri Aanjaneyar shrine Sri Ahobila Mutt is
present. In two of his poems, Saint Manavala Mamunigal asks everyone who wants
to cast away his past sins to worship the Lord at this place.
Ramanujar:
This is
the place under the Magizha tree, where Sri Ramanujar was given "Pancha Samaskaram"(initiation)
by his teacher Peria Nambigal. That is when Maduranthakam was given the name "Dvayam Vilindha
Tirupathi". Upon receiving Kanchi Varadarajar's divine order through
Tirukachi Nambi, Ramanuja set forth for Srirangam to become the disciple of Peria Nambigal. He met
him in Maduranthakam itself, in the lake precincts.
Peria
Nambigal was on his way to Kanchipuram to install Ramanuja as the successor of Sri Alavandar. In the month of Avani, on the Sukla Panchami,
Peria Nambigal gave the Samasrayanam or Pancha
Samskaram called Dvaya Mantropadesam (divine syllable). The festival
is celebrated every year. This is the only place where Ramanujar can be seen as a Grihastha (family man).
No Hanuman inside the temple:
A unique
feature at this temple is the absence of Hanuman inside the temple. As Raama
had sent Hanuman as a messenger to inform Bharata that he was on his way and
did not come along with Raama in the Pushpaka Vimaanam, Hanuman is not seen
inside the temple.
Karunakara Perumal:
It is
also believed that having given the idol of Lord Ranganatha to the new Lankan
king Vibheeshana, Raama, the king of Ayodhya, is said to have invoked the
blessings of Karunakara Perumal and that he was the pooja deity of Raama.
