Madhuranthakam Ramar Temple

Sri Kodanda Rama, also fondly known as Aeri Katha Rama (the one who saved the village from flooding from Madurantakam lake), is enshrined in the Aeri 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 Chakrathalwar, Sri Ramanuja, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha and Sri Hanuman.

The Kodandaramaswamy temple has two sets of utsavar archa-vigraha of the presiding deity and His consort, and Lakshmana. While one deity is named Rama, the other is known as Karunakaran.

There is also a separate shrine for Sita devi, known as Janakavalli Thayar, which is claimed to be very rare. This shrine was built by an English Collector, Colonel Lionel Place 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 Aeri Katha Ramar as he saved the tank bund from collapsing.

SrI Ramanuja visited this kshetram and underwent panchasamkaram and was taught Dwayam’ by Periya Nambigal; and hence this kshetram is called ‘Dwayam valartha kshetram’. The place is also unique in that Udayar’s archa-vigraha is found dressed in white through out the year while, in almost all temples the saint is dressed in ochre.

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. There are separate shrines for Lakshmi Narasimhar, Periya Nambi and Ramanuja, Andal, Sudarsana and Vedanta Desika. The holy tank is opposite the temple with a separate shrine for Anjaneya on its banks.

Utsavam

Sri Rama Navami celebrations in the month of Panguni (March-April), lasting for 10 days, is the biggest festival in this temple.

In the month of Ani (June-July) the Brahmotsavam of Karunakaramurthy is performed.

Every year on the sukla paksha panchami day during the month of  avani (when sun is in the constellation of simha) panchasamskara utsavam is celebrated

Seva Kalam

The temple is open from 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

How to reach there?

The town is situated 77 km south west of Chennai at the chennai – Tindivanam (NH 45) route