Kaattu Ramar - An enchanting temple amidst the forest

By Indian Columbus - November 29, 2023

In my previous two articles, I highlighted Arugankulam as Tirunelveli's best-kept secret, a village adorned with temples all connected to the Ramayana. Among these, the Kaattu Ramar temple stands as a testament to the village's serene and scenic beauty. (Link of my other articles of Arugankulam - Jatayu Teertham and Ettezhuthu Perumal).

Before the 1990s, reaching this temple involved wading through hip-height waters of the Tamraparani River, navigating a dense forest, and seeking the help of locals to summon the priest. Today, a motorable road leads directly to the temple, and while the forest has thinned, the area remains picturesque and secluded, frequented by a multitude of peacocks. This is why it's often referred to as "Kaattu Ramar" (Kaadu means forest in Tamil), or alternatively, Mela Ramar temple.

The east-facing temple is architecturally divided into Garbhagriha, Ardha mandapa, Maha mandapa, and a Mukha mandapa.

The majestic Rama stands with an ornately crafted bow in his left arm and a sword in his right, a quiver clearly visible on his back. To his right, Sita holds a flower in her left arm, while to his true left, Lakshmana wields a bow and sword with a quiver on his back. The beauty of these three large Murtis is unparalleled, making the darshan of Rama in this temple a once-in-a-lifetime experience, akin to attaining heaven. Not sure whether the Rama in Ayodhya or the original Rama himself could match the beauty of Kaattu Ramar.

Even the bronze icons of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana, located in the main shrine, are of exceptional quality.

The stone images appear to be from the Vijayanagara period based on workmanship, while the temple structure seems to belong to the later Pandya period. The Maha mandapa and Mukha mandapa appear to be later additions made in the last 200 or 300 years. Unfortunately, details on the inscriptions of the Mukha mandapa remain elusive.

A charming Hanuman without a crown faces the sanctum, with a modern, larger stucco image of Hanuman behind him.

The prakara wall features false niches—three on each side—devoid of niche images. Yet, toranas above the central niches on each wall showcase exquisite relief images of Dakshinamurti, Yoga Narasimha, and Yoga Brahma. The first niche on the south side wall features an image of Ganesha at the top.