The year was 1798 and the monsoons were at their peak. Winds ripped by mercilessly and the roads were flooded with rivulets of cascading water. Visibility was near zero and people were hesitant to wander out, fearing for their safety, but the district collector of the East India Company for the village of Maduranthakam, Colonel Lionel Blaze, was concerned about just one particular menace – the lake of Maduranthakam.
The lake in the village had proved itself to be a severe pain to all the yester-year collectors. Beautiful, though it was by the summer time, it became equally vicious with the arrival of the monsoon rains. Whatever efforts the East India Company took to strengthen the bunds on the banks of the lake proved to be futile. The bund always yielded to the swelling lake and the village was flooded time and again. The waters additionally washed away the roughly built waste weir adjacent to the lake, creating a total wreck. Every year, the villager’s efforts at farming were all reduced to zilch because of this predictable but unpreventable flood.
That year, Blaze decided to be extra careful with the arrangements. He was seriously in need of some quick promotions and what better way to do it than to solve a long-lasting problem. Hence, he decided to camp at the village for some time before the monsoons set in, to supervise over the annual building of the lake bunds. He arrived at the village with his huge army of stonemasons, servants and other workers, well-prepared for the tough monsoon.
The moment he entered the village, Blaze’s eyes immediately fell on the magnificent stone edifice of the Sri Kothanda Raamar temple, rising tall and splendid, soaring above the other buildings. Greatly attracted to the Dravidian architecture, he lost himself in its beauty and wandered into the temple.
The temple archakaas came running out to welcome the collector into the holy precincts of their temple. “I did not know that such a splendid temple existed in a village under my administration”, he said, his eyes still taking in all the wonders in stone. “Pray, Oh holy men of this temple, do tell me why this temple is here? It is my common knowledge that every temple in India has some interesting legend behind it. What is the story behind this one?”
The head priest was only too delighted to hear the interest expressed by the colonel in knowing about the sthala purana of the temple. He humbly offered a seat to the Colonel and began to narrate the story of Sri Raama’s arrival to this quaint coastal village.
“Eons ago, when Sri Vishnu incarnated on this earth in the human form of Sri Raama, this particular kshetra was a dense forest of Bagula or Magizham trees (Mimusops elengi). Hence, the place is mentioned in our Puranas as Bagulaaranyam or ‘forest of the Bagula trees’. The forest was home to several rishis and munis, who had set up aashramas to perform austere penance and worship without any disturbance. Vibhandakar was one such Maharishi who had set up a small place for himself, to perform daily ritual worship to the idols of Sri Karunaakaran, Sri Devi and Bhoodevi, So great was his bhakthi and so powerful was the aura of Sri Karunaakaran, that it drew the exiled prince of Ayodhya, Sri Raama to the spot. Extremely pleased with the rishi’s worship, Raama stayed back for a few hours to perform pooja to Sri Karunaakaran and bless Vibhandakar with an opportunity to serve him. However, Raama couldn’t stay any longer because he was on a quest to redeem his kidnapped wife Sita. However, on parting with the Rishi, Raama promised to come back to this place once he had succeeded in rescuing Sita. The Rishi too went back to his penance waiting for the arrival of that glorious day.”
“Time flew by and the Raama-Raavana war ended with Raama killing Raavana, thus fulfilling his duty on earth. After crowning Vibheeshana as the king of Lanka, Raama mounted the Pushpaka Vimana, the ancient flying chariot that was owned by Raavana, along with Sita and Lakshmana. The Vimana sped northwards towards the capital of Kosala, followed on ground by a loyal herd of Vanaras. They were flying over a dense forest, when the Vimana stopped mid flight, all of a sudden. To everyone’s surprise, it refused to budge even with the Vanaras pushing and pulling it in all directions. It was then that Sri Raama remembered his promise to Vibhandakar, and he immediately ordered the Vimana to go down, which it dutifully followed. And so Raama visited Bagulaaranyam again, but this time along with Sita. To Vibhandakar’s astonishment and joy, Raama’s Vimana stopped in front of his aashrama. Sri Raama alighted from it and appeared before the Rishi, clutching Sita’s left hand with his right, with Lakshmana by his side. The Rishi went into hysterics of joy at this divine vision and invited the divine couple to stay at his aashrama. Sri Raama, thus stayed with the Rishi for some time and enjoyed his devotion and hospitality to the fullest extent possible and then returned to Ayodhya.”
“After the visit of the divine couple, the place bloomed with happiness and sweetness. The flowers overflowed with nectar and there was eternal spring in the air. To commemorate the sweet visit of the divine couple, the rishis named the place as Maduranthakam. This, Oh Durai, is the legend behind this mesmerizing temple.”
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| Sri Janakavalli Thaayar |
Colonel Blaze listened to the entire story with rapt attention and soon, was totally lost in it. Only when the archakaa finally finished the tale did Blaze come out of his trance-like state. Looking quizzically at all the archakaas, Blaze’s wandering eyes fell on a large stack of uncut granite slabs, piled up against one of the walls. “What are these doing here?” he demanded. The head priest once again spoke out, “We are in the process of building a shrine for the Lord’s consort, Sri Janakavalli Thaayar. However due to paucity of funds, we had to stop suddenly. We are sure that She would show us a way out. After all, she was the Goddess of wealth incarnate.”
A blazing idea now shaped up in Blaze’s mind. “Oh holy men of my village, I promise to build the new shrine to your Goddess, if your deities can protect the lake from flooding over this year. Is that a deal?” he asked.
The priests looked at each other. They could obviously not say no to such a generous offer. They had nothing to lose after all. Unanimously, they all nodded their heads in agreement. With a curt nod to the priests Colonel Blaze too walked out of the temple, and he had not even had a darshan of the lord. Maybe it was a personal challenge between him and Raama.
The tank bund was soon built in time for the rains, but it was not any stronger than the previously destroyed ones. If the rains were as heavy as they usually were, this one was not going to last even a few days into it. As an extra precaution, Colonel Blaze asked the people to evacuate the village to ensure their safety. So except for a very few staunch devotees, who were totally against abandoning the temple, the other villagers left to visit their families and friends in the neighbouring villages.
The promised winds soon blew up, bringing along with them the dreaded storms. It was worse than ever that year. The storm uprooted trees with surprising ease and hurled them away like ragged dolls. Rains poured down in torrents and the lake began to fill up. Days went by, and the lake slowly started to swell, threatening to flood over.
One night, the rains were particularly terrible. But Colonel Blaze braved the gales to go out, with his attendant holding the umbrella, to look at the state of the lake bund. He had this nagging notion that the bund wouldn’t be able to hold on any further.
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| The Colonel's vision, Art by Deepak Saagar |
The next day dawned bright and nice. The rains had ceased and the sun was shining. Colonel Blaze rushed to the lake, and to his complete amazement, he saw that the lake bund had held. At once, he ran to the temple, to tell the priests this happy news. “The village has been saved… The bunds held up… We’ll have a good crop this year…” he shouted over and over again. The priests were immediately affected by the infectious happiness of the Colonel and they invited him to join them in their morning worship. The Colonel was led towards the sanctum by the priests. The doors of the sanctum were closed, as the ritual dressing and adorning of the Lord was in progress. The Colonel patiently waited for them to open, while the priests chanted in some unknown language totally strange to him.
The bells of the temple tolled and the sanctum doors were thrown open. What a sight met the Colonel’s eyes. Two men, dressed as kings, each bearing a bow and some arrows, accompanied by another woman. There they stood as stone idols, richly decked with garlands and shimmering with jewels. The colonel couldn’t believe it. Weren’t they the men who he had seen the previous night? Weren’t they the total insane villagers whom he had cursed at?
The Colonel went into hysterics of ecstasy. He couldn’t hide his happiness. With his mouth open wide, he kept staring at the idols of Raama, Sita and Lakshmana, joyous tears running down his cheeks. The priests noticed this and they immediately enquired about his sudden state of joy. The colonel, still reeling from a pleasure attack, explained the happenings of the previous night, and his utter surprise when he had seen the two men being offered worship at the temple.
The priests were only too happy at the turn of events. Amidst tears of joy, they repeatedly assured Colonel Blaze that it was indeed Sri Raama and Lakshmana who had appeared the previous night to protect the lake from flooding. “Durai, it was Raama himself, who had come to prevent the flooding of the lake. You are a fortunate soul, Oh Sir! What we have not achieved over many-many years of devotion and worship, you have achieved within a few days of your stay in Maduranthakam. A miracle indeed, Oh blessed sir, nothing short of a miracle!”
That day, Colonel Blaze left the temple jubilantly, surrounded by the priests, accompanied by shouts of victory. “Victory to Sri Raama!!! Victory to the beloved of Sita!!! Long live Durai Lionel Blaze!!!”
Extremely awed by this miracle, Colonel Blaze kept up his word to the temple archakaas and built the shrine to Janakavalli Thaayar. Even today, the inscriptions outside the shrine reveal the fact that the shrine had been built using the generous contributions of Colonel Lionel Blaze, the Jagirdar of the East India Company. His name also appears on the waste weir that was built adjacent to the lake.
Thus was built the Thaayar shrine at the Maduranthakam temple. Henceforth, the deity at the temple also came to be known as Sri Eri Kaatha Raamar (Raama who protected the lake) in commemoration of the miraculous incident that had been experienced by Colonel Price.
The temple town of Maduranthakam, which acted as the backdrop for this divine drama, is situated 77km south of Chennai and is stunning to behold, with the shimmering lake and the whitewashed temple towers. The temple is small but elegant, with separate shrines for Andaal and Ramanujar apart from the main shrines to Sri Kothanda Raamar and Janakavalli Thaayar. The temple is exalted as an Abhimana Sthalam by the Sri Vaishnavas and has several unique aspects as compared to many of the other Sri Vaishnava temples.
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| Ramanujar and Periya Nambi |
To begin with, the temple town has close ties with Sri Ramanujacharya, the founder of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya and an incarnation of Adisesha. It was here that he received deeksha (initiation) from his Guru Periya Nambi, who performed the Pancha Samskaras to Ramanujar under a Magizham tree within the temple precincts. Ramanujar had actually started from Kanchi on a journey to Sri Rangam, to meet Periya Nambi there and join as his pupil. However, unknown to him, Periya Nambi had already started from Sri Rangam in search of Ramanujar. The Guru and Sishya met at Maduranthakam and Ramanujar insisted on taking his ascetic vows there, citing the uncertainty of human life and death against any postponement in his deeksha. Today, at the Ramanujar Sannidhi in the temple, both Periya Nambi and Ramanujar are present, which is a rare occurrence. Interestingly, unlike other temples, Periya Nambi is depicted to be in a Guru posture, with his hands depicting the Gnana mudra, and Ramanujar is shown as a Sishya, with his hands joint together. Also, this is the only temple where Ramanujar is adorned with white silk as compared to the ochre robes in other shrines, since he was still in grihastha-ashrama when he had accepted Pancha Samskaras at Maduranthakam. Hence, he is worshipped as a Grihasthi at his shrine, rather than as a Sanyasi, as in other places. Every year, this incident is celebrated on the Shukla Paksha Panchami Thithi in the Tamil month of Avani, when Ramanujar’s deeksha is enacted out under the Magizha tree in the temple compound.
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| Ramanujar taking Samaashrayanam from Periya Nambi under the graceful eyes of Raama, Seetha, and Lakshmana - Art by Deepak Saagar |
The temple also has in its possession, the emblems of the Sudarshana Chakra, and the Panchajanya Conch, which were used by Periya Nambi to brand Ramanuja on his shoulders, when he took the deeksha. These copper brands were discovered in 1935 during a temple renovation along with a tiny copper idol of Sri Narthana Krishna. This idol is believed to be the personal deity of Periya Nambi and is shown to be in a dancing pose with a ball of butter in one hand. Child-less couplea seek a remedy for their grief by worshipping this idol and rocking him in a specially made silver cradle.
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| The Chakra and Shankha mudras with Narthana Krishnan |
Also, Maduranthakam happens to be the only kshetra where Raama is depicted to be holding the hands of Sita. Usually, in all Raama temples, Sita Devi is shown to be standing a little away from the lord. However, here Sri Raama is shown to be holding the left wrist of Sita with his right arm, just like he had jumped out of the Pushpaka Vimana to give darshan to Vibhandakar. The shrine also has a statue of Vibhandakar who is seen to be enjoying the presence of the Divine couple.
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| Sri Eri Kaatha Raamar and Sri Karunaakaran |
Interestingly, the temple has two Utsava moorthis – Sri Devi-Bhoodevi-Sametha-Karunaakaran and Sita-Lakshmana-Sametha Sri Kothanda Raamar. In spite of being a temple dedicated to Shri Raama, the primary respects are however offered to Sri Karunaakaran only. During all festivals and processions, it is Karunaakaran who is taken out. It is he who enjoys the marriage celebrations with Janakavalli Thaayar on Panguni Uthiram and with Andaal on Bhogi. Since Karunaakaran was worshipped by Sri Raama himself, this special status is reserved for him at the Maduranthakam temple.
Moreover, the Narasimha shrine at this kshetra is known to be associated with Kambar of the Tamil Raamayana fame. Prior to the staging of the Kamba Raamayanam, Kavi Chakravarthi Kambar went on a pilgrimage tour to various Raama temples in South India. When he came to the Maduranthakam temple, it is reported that he heard the roar of a lion repeatedly at one spot. On looking closely, he was blessed with a darshan of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The present day Narasimha shrine was raised on the very spot where it is believed that Sri Narasimha appeared to Kambar. The utsavar goes by the name Prahalada Varadhan and receives special Thirumanjanam and worship on Swathi Nakshatra days. Also, the Chakrathazhwar shrine at the temple is believed to possess tremendous powers, owing to the Yantra which is installed under the deity. Sudarshana Homa is regularly conducted at this shrine for human welfare on Chithirai Nakshatra days.
The glittering Maduranthakam Lake is situated right across the temple with a separate shrine for Anjaneya Swamy on its banks. The lake is so humongous that not many realize that the famous Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is located just on the other side of the lake. The sthala vriksha is of course the Magizham tree and there are plenty of them around, including many in the temple precincts, attesting to the town’s ancient name of Bagulaaranyam.
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| Raja Gopuram |
The temple celebrates its annual Brahmotsavam in Aani and the Thirukkalyana Utsavam in Panguni along with the Raama Navami celebrations. On the seventh day during the Brahmotsavam, the Utsava vigrahas of Raama-Sita-Lakshmana are taken out in a chariot decorated like the Pushpaka Vimana, in memory of Raama’s visit to this kshetra. During the Raama Navami Utsava, the main deity is adorned with five different alankaaras in the course of one day. Famously known as the Panchalankaara Seva, he is adorned with a Pancha Gaccha in the morning, with a single strip of cloth just before noon, with Thiruvabharana and royal jewels at noon, with a diamond crown in the evening and with flowers and a pearl headdress at night. Thousands of devotees flock to the temple on these sacred days to catch a glimpse of the lord, who had once-upon-a-time revealed himself to a British stranger.
The town also makes a good picnic spot with its beautiful lake and serene atmosphere, and many people drive down for just the very same purpose. So when any of you Chennai-ites feel like you could kill a weekend, don’t hesitate to just race down the ECR to this scenic-cum-sacred town. I am sure that you won’t curse me for giving this suggestion.
Finally, winding up for the day, May Shri Raama save us from all the floods in our lives just like he had saved the lake from flooding into the tiny hamlet of Maduranthakam.
Cheers and keep yourself tuned in for many more such stories @ kshetradana.
நன்மையும் செல்வமும் நாளும் நல்குமே
திண்மையும் பாவமும் சிதைந்து தேயுமே
சென்மமும் மரணமும் இன்றித் தீருமே
இம்மையே ராமா என்ற இரண்டெழுத்தினால்.
- கவிச் சக்கரவர்த்தி கம்பன்
"All riches and goodness will arrive at our very doors,
The worst of our sins and our evil will be destroyed,
Gone will be this cycle of birth and death between lives,
If in this world we only utter the two syllables Raa-ma"
-Kavi Chakravarthi Kambar
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