Kalyana Varadharaja Perumal Temple (Kothanda Ramar
Temple), Paruthiyur – History
This
Paruthiyur Perumal temple was built in the early 19th century by a great Vishnu
Bhakta by the name Paruthiyur Sri Krishna Sastri (1773–1860) popularly known as
Ayyaval, who lived during the rule of Serfoji II Maharaja. Ayyaval had spent
most of his time in this temple with his parayanams of the Vishnu Puranas and
the Ramayana, teaching of the scriptures and spreading bhakti and promoting
Hindu Dharma. He was an authority over the Vaishnava traditions. Ayyaval
addressed several issues by answering the queries on Dharma Shastram and Acharam,
often posed to them by Vedic scholars and pundits. His authority on the
administration of dharma made many legal luminaries come to them seeking their
advice on issues concerning Hindu law.
Paruthiyur
Sri Krishna Sastri Ayyaval along with his brother Paruthiyur Sri Venkatesha
Sastri Annaval (1770–1841) were the doyen brothers of Paruthiyur and for the
Hindu Religion. Later, this temple became the life and soul of a Mahaan
Brahmasri Paruthiyur Krishna Sastri (1855–1911). He was a great Rama Bhakta, a
Ramayana exponent, Philanthropist and a Pravachan Pioneer. He received
Manthropadesam from Marudha Nallur Sadguru Kodandarama Swamigal at a very young
age, since then Sarvam Rama Mayam, (everything was Rama) for him. Sastri’s
desire was to build a temple for Sri Rama. When he renovated the temple and
constructed a Temple Pond called Kothandarama Theertham also known as the
Melakulam, a very big surprise of beautiful bronze Rama Murtis awaited him. He
installed Mahalakshmi and Kodandarama sannidhis and made this temple famous
and auspicious. This Mahaan attained mukthi though Kapala Moksha.
The
history shows that the finding of this Rama was to fulfill the desire of ardent
devotee named Sri Krishna Sastri revered as Paruthiyur Periyava. This temple was
a life and soul of this Mahaan. Periyava had conducted Ramayana pravachans and
did over 100 Pattabhishekams in his career and was a Pravachana Pithamaha. Paruthiyur
Krishna Sastri (1845-1911), who, because of his Ramayana discourses, came to be
known as ‘Ramayana’ Sastri, made the bronze Anjaneya in the temple, all the
others being bronzes of the 10th century. The presiding deity in Paruthiyur is
Varadaraja, and like the Rama collection, the bronze idols of Varadaraja with
His consorts are also of the 10th century, and are just as stunning.
As for
the history of Paruthiyur, the only reference to it is seen in the copper
plates in the Leiden Museum, Holland. A reference to Paruthiyur is seen in the
Anaimangalam plate. It talks of Raja Raja making a grant to a temple, while
surrounded by important government officials. One of the officials was
Varippothakam Paruthiyur Kizhavan Singan Venkaadan, the word Varipothakam
indicating that Kizhavan Singan Venkaadan of Paruthiyur was the Chief Revenue
officer of the kingdom, the one who maintained the tax register. Every grant or
tax exemption from the king would be recorded by this officer. Thus someone
from Paruthiyur held this very important office in Raja Raja’s time. And since
the bronzes in Paruthiyur date to Raja Raja’s time, there is reason to suppose
that they could have been donated by this high ranking official.