Kothandaramar temple Vaduvur
Kothandaramar Temple is built in Vaduvur, Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. The temple’s main deity is Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple is also known by different names, such as Vakulaaranya Kshetram and Dakshina Ayodhya or the Ayodhya of South India.
Location-wise, it is 24kms South East of Thanjavur and 14kms West of Mannargudi.
The Legend about the Temple
The legend depicts when after completing the exile of 14 years, Lord Rama was returning to Ayodhya. However, the sages there wanted Lord Rama to stay with them forever. Rama couldn’t say no to sages, and he promised to fulfill their wish the next day. When the sages woke up the next morning, they all saw an idol with which they all got mesmerized.
Rama himself created this idol. Rama then pretended that he knows nothing about the idol. Every sage wanted to have the idol for himself as they all lost themselves in its beauty. Rama then asked the sages if they liked the idol more than him. The sages replied Yes, and Rama granted them the idol and returned to Ayodhya.
This idol, after thousands of years, was witnessed by the people in Thirukkannapuram. Seeing the idol, these people also made the idols of Mother Sita, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya. It is said that during the foreign invasion, these idols were hidden in a place called Thalai Gnayiru.
After many years when Saraboji King was the ruler of Thanjavur, Lord Rama appeared in his dream and told him to uncover the idols. When the King woke up, he understood Rama’s message and established and worshiped the deities.
The King unearthed the deities and was preparing to leave the place with his people. However, the natives stopped him from taking the idols; the King managed to convince the natives and offered them compensation by leaving Baratha and Lakshmana’s idols.
He moved further, and when he was taking rest in Vaduvur, the people of the village got to know about the idols. They requested the King to establish the idols at their Rukmani-Sathyabhama samedha Gopalan temple. The King refused initially; however, when the village people threatened to commit suicide by jumping from the tower of the temple, the King agrees to establish the idols there.
Since then, the idol of Rama is the presiding deity of the temple. Later, people also constructed the deity of Lakshmana. It is said that this idol was looking like a woman, and hence they named it Sundari Amman and built a separate temple for her. They built another idol of Lakshman and made it stand with Rama and Sita.
The Vedic Paatshaala
A Vedic Paatshaala is considered significant, and it is situated to the North of the Kothandaramar temple. The Paatshaala was started in 2001 to know the heritage of Vaduvur and spread the value of Vedic education. The place is significant due to many reasons, all belonging to its history and legends.
There is a family here known as “Puraanathaarargal.” It is said that these people have been interpreting “Bhaagavatha Paaraayanam” for years now. The people believe that about 400 years ago, the swami of Melkote came here. He was born on the same day as Ramanuja and hence was known as “Saakshaath Swami.”
This Paatshaala in Vaduvur works as another branch of the 85-year-old Vedic Paatshaala in Mannargudi. Many students observe the Vedic Gyaan here, and Srimad Andavan Ashram, Srirangam, runs the Paatshaala.
Festivals
As Rama’s birth star was Punarvasu, people perform Tirumanjanam on the day to celebrate the birth star of the Lord. The procession is carried where Rama sits with his wife, Sita. The temple also celebrates the ten days Brahmmotsavam in Panguni. Rama Navami celebration happens on a grand level; the wedding festival and car festival also take place as a part of the celebration. The devotees get the Darshan of the Lord on Akshaya Tritiya day.
To reach Vaduvur, one can take buses between Thanjavur and Mannargudi, which run every 20 minutes. It takes about 45minutes from Thanjavur. The nearest Railway Station is located at Thanjavur, and Nearest Airport is at Trichy.
