Ajay Kumar at 18:58, 23 August 2023

2023-08-23T18:58:04Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Kodandaramaswamy Perumal Temple
| image = View of the Rama temple.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = Tamil Nadu
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|11|39|29|N|78|14|37|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Salem district|Salem]]
| location = [[Ayothiapattinam]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Ramaswamy Perumal ([[Vishnu]])<br>Seethalakshmi Thayar ([[Lakshmi]])
| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals =
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions = [[Tamil script|Tamil]]
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Pandyan]] and [[Vijayanagara Empire]]
| website =
}}

'''Kodandaramaswamy temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] located in the [[Salem district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]], dedicated to Lord [[Rama]], the seventh avatar of Lord [[Vishnu]].<ref>https://www.maalaimalar.com/devotional/worship/2017/05/15120640/1085335/ayothiyapattinam-ramar-temple-pattabhishekam.vpf</ref> The temple is glorified by Maharishi [[Bharadwaja]], [[Valmiki]] and classified as one of the '''108 [[Abhimana Kshethram]]s''' of the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate tradition]]. The town of [[Ayothiapattinam]] is located at a distance of 12 kilometres from [[Salem]] . This temple is said to be a particular location mentioned in the [[Sanskrit]] epic [[Ramayana]].<ref>https://www.maalaimalar.com/devotional/worship/2017/05/15120640/1085335/ayothiyapattinam-ramar-temple-pattabhishekam.vpf</ref>

== Etymology ==

The village has received the name Ayothiapattinam, which means ''[[Ayodhya]]'' (the place where [[Rama]] was born and where he ruled the people). This temple is also called as ''Dakshina Ayodhya'' which means '''Ayodhya of south''' as [[Rama]] stayed here while coming back from [[Sri Lanka]] and his coronation was taken place here. Lord Rama gave Dharshanam to Sage [[Bharadwaja]] as King of Ayodhya, giving the town its name.<ref>https://www.hindutamil.in/news/india/568322-ayodhya-temple-chronology.html</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.india.com/travel/articles/sri-kodandapani-ramar-temple-in-tamil-nadu-7-interesting-facts-you-should-know-this-ram-navami-3230278/|title=Travel Articles | Travel Blogs | Travel News & Information | Travel Guide | India.comSri Kodandapani Ramar temple in Tamil Nadu: 7 interesting facts you should know this Ram Navami | India.com|website=www.india.com}}</ref>

==Legend==
After [[Rama|Rāma]] and [[Sita|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 [[Manthara|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. After Rama departure from Ayodhya to take on the forest life as ''Pithurvakya Paripalana'' (obeying the command of father), Sri Rama visited the hermitage of Sage [[Bharadvaja]] on his way. When the sage offered him a feast, Sri Rama respectfully declined the offer as he was on a mission and Rama promised to accept it on his return to Ayodhya.

Later they move towards the south and arrive at the forest called [[Panchavati]]. 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 (Ramayana)|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.<ref>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 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504183709/https://www.academia.edu/2514821/S%C4%ABt%C4%81pahara%E1%B9%89am_Changing_thematic_Idioms_in_Sanskrit_and_Tamil |date=4 May 2020 }}</ref>

[[File:View of Artha mandapam with kodimaram.jpg|centre|thumb|900px|view of the Artha mandapam]]

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.<ref name="Ramayana">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Wzg6wFJ5xwC | title=Ramayana | publisher=University of California Press | author=B. A van Nooten William | year=2000 | isbn=978-0-520-22703-3}}</ref> Meanwhile, Ravana harasses Sita to be his wife, queen or goddess.{{sfn|Goldman|1996|page=406|ps=:<br>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.}} 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.
On his return to Ayodhya after the killing of Ravana, the Pushpaka Vimana (the divine aircraft) landed at the sage's ashram. When sage [[Bharadvaja]] offered the dinner, [[Rama|Sri Rama]] accepted the feast. Here Rama gave darshan to the sage in ''[[Coronation|Patabishaka Srikolam]]'' form (with crown – Mudi in Tamil) at this place, even before the official coronation at Ayodhya later. Hence, the place came to be known as [[Ayothiapattinam]] '''"The place where Rama lived and ruled"'''. Rama in this temple is also known as ''Pattabhiramar'' and is in seated position on a throne with [[Sita|Seethalakshmi Devi]].

[[Ramayana|Valmiki Ramayana]] directly refers to the Lord Rama's landing at this town referred as the Bharadvaja's Ashrama. As a living proof, the village is still inhabited by direct descendants of Sage [[Bharadvaja]].<ref>Valmiki Ramayanam chapter 6 sargam 124 and sloka 1</ref>

पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे पञ्चम्यां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः |
भरद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्य ववन्दे नियतो मुनिम् || ६-१२४-१

==History and Architecture==
[[File:Kodandaramaswamy2.j.png|thumb|Sculpted pillars of the temples Artha mandapam.]]

It is said that the idol was sculpted by the [[Vishwakarma (caste)|Vishwakarma Brahmins]] on the order of Maharishi [[Bharadvaja]] and the idol was consecrated by [[Bharadvaja]] and worshiped by his descendants. The temple is later built by [[Athiyamān Nedumān Añci]] the king of Dharmapuri<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F236ehpmOs</ref> and later renovated by [[Tirumala Nayaka]]. The temple has beautifully carved [[Mandapa]]s. The temple has 2 Mandapams out of those the ''Artha Mandapam'' has 27 beautiful sculptured pillars. Out of the 28 pillars, there are 12 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]]m has beautiful architectural representations of various forms of [[Vishnu]] and few scenes of [[Ramayana]], [[Mahabharatha]] and [[Bhagavata Purana|Srimad Bhagavatham]]. There are separate shrines for [[Sudarshana Chakra|Sudarshana Perumal]], [[Alvars]], [[Hanuman]], [[Garuda]] and [[Andal]].

==Religious significance==
Generally Rama showers his divine grace to his devotees in standing form, but here due to the coronation rama showers his blessings in seated form. The temple has 5 moolavars Sage [[Bharadvaja]], [[Hanuman]] [[Lakshmana]], [[Sita]] and [[Rama]] in His coronation form. The theertha tank is present next to the [[Andal]] Shrine. The temple is believed to have come into being even before the times of Alwars. [[Rama]] has no bow and arrow as his cornation ceremony was taking place and there are even foot prints of [[Rama|Lord Rama]]. There are separate shrines for [[Garuda]], [[Alvars]], [[Sudarshana Chakra]] and [[Andal]]. The temple is glorified by Maharishi [[Valmiki]], [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate Acharyas]] and classified as one of the '''108 [[Abhimana Kshethram]]s''' of the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate tradition]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
* {{Cite book |last=Goldman |first=Robert P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sFmsrEszbxgC |title=The Ramayan of Valmiki |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-691-06662-2 |location=New Jersey, United States |author-link=Robert P. Goldman}}

[[Category:Abhimana temples of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Rama temples]]
[[Category:Vishnu temples]]

Kodandaramaswamy temple - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 18:58, 23 August 2023