Madurantakam Eri Katha Ramar Temple
Ayodhya is not only in the north. A sacred echo of Ayodhya lives quietly near Chennai, at Madurantakam. In this historic Chola-period temple, Sri Kodanda Rama appears in an unusual and moving form, holding the hand of Sita in a graceful posture.
Devotees speak with admiration of the extraordinary charm of this icon, and local tradition remembers him as the Lord who once protected the vast irrigation tank of the town, even revealing his presence to a British officer. It is from this enduring memory that the temple came to be known as the shrine of Eri Katha Ramar.
.jpg "Raja gopuram - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple") |
| Raja gopuram - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple |
Ancient Names of the Place
In earlier times, this place was known as Vakulaaranya Kshetram, a name that recalls a forest filled with Magizham or Vakula trees. The presiding goddess too carries this association and is known not only as Janakavalli but also as Vakulaaranya Vasini.
The place was also known as Maduraantaka Chaturvedi Mangalam. The name suggests a brahmadeya settlement associated with Brahmins learned in the four Vedas.
The present name Madurantakam is generally linked to the Chola period. One view is that it derives from Madurantaka, one of the titles of Parantaka Chola I. Since inscriptions of Parantaka I are found here, and no inscription of Uttama Chola bearing that name has been noted in this temple, this identification is often considered more convincing.
Sacred Importance in the Vaishnavite Tradition
This temple occupies an honoured place in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. It is associated with the life of Sri Ramanujar. It is regarded as one of the important Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavite tradition. The temple follows Vadakalai practice.
(For the benefit of beginners: Abhimana Kshethrams are a group of 108 important temples dedicated to Vishnu, distinct from the well-known 108 Divya Desams. Though not sung by the Alvars like the Divya Desams, these shrines are deeply revered in the Sri Vaishnavite tradition and are regarded as sacred centres of great devotional significance.)
Presiding Deities and Their Unique Presence
The presiding deity in the sanctum is Sri Kodanda Rama, accompanied with his consort Sita and his younger brother Lakshmana. Rama is seen in a rare and beautiful form, gently holding Sita’s hand, a feature that makes this shrine especially memorable. Rama and Lakshmana hold the bow in the left hand and the arrow in the right hand. All these icons are majestic and are about 8 feet high.
The bronze icons of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in the same posture are also found in the sanctum.
Along with this, the temple also has another important Utsava Murti, Sri Bhoo Devi Sametha Karunakara Perumal. Thus, the temple is distinctive in having two Utsava forms, and this dual presence is tied to the sthala puranam. Karunakara Perumal is regarded here as an ancient and important form, and temple tradition holds that many of the major festivals are conducted for him.
The Legend of Vibhandaka Maharishi and Rama’s Return
Temple tradition connects this place with Vibhandaka Maharishi, to whom the Lord is said to have given darshan. It is believed that the sage’s hermitage stood here in ancient times when this region was still known as Vakulaaranyam.
According to the sthala purana, Sri Rama visited the hermitage of Vibhandaka during his exile. The sage requested him to return once again after the completion of his exile. Later, after the destruction of Ravana, when Rama was returning to Ayodhya in the Pushpaka Vimana, the celestial vehicle halted at this place. Rama is said to have wondered why it had stopped, and Sita reminded him of the sage’s request.
Rama then descended here and helped Sita alight by holding her hand. That tender act is the core of this temple’s visual identity. The Lord in the sanctum is therefore seen in Hastavalambana, the form in which he supports Sita by the hand. This is one of the rarest and most touching aspects of the shrine. Because of this connection with Rama’s return to Ayodhya, the temple was known in inscriptions as the temple of Ayodhya Perumal.
Karunakara Perumal and the Temple Tradition
A further temple tradition states that Rama worshipped Sri Bhoo Devi Sametha Karunakara Perumal, and that this sacred form later came to be established here. This is why the temple has both the Rama form and the Karunakara Perumal form among its important deities. The presence of these two Utsavas is one of the distinctive features of Madurantakam.
Historical Names in the Inscriptions
The inscriptions of the temple are especially valuable because they preserve older place names and older names of the deity. The temple is referred to as Ayodhya Perumal Vinnagaram, and the deity is referred to as Ayodha Perumal or Tiru-Ayoddipperumal. The inscriptions also record the larger territorial designation of the place as part of Jayangonda Chozha Mandalathu Kalathur Kottathu Thaniyur alias Madurantaka Chaturvedi Mangalam.
These references show that the shrine already possessed a clear identity in the Chola period and was integrated into the administrative and agrarian framework of its age.
Chola, Pallava and Vijayanagara Layers
The historical layers of the temple go beyond a single dynasty. A Pallava-period inscription of about the 7th or 8th century at the nearby Kadaperi Shiva Temple mentions this place, showing the antiquity of the settlement. During the Chola period, the place flourished and acquired several institutional and agrarian associations. Later, the temple also received contributions in the Vijayanagara period.
Inscriptions of the Temple
The Kodanda Rama Perumal Temple preserves five inscriptions, chiefly of the Chola period.
Inscription # 1
Reference – A.R.E. No. 126 of 1896
Location – South wall of the Kodandarama (Ayodhya Perumal) shrine
Period – 10th century CE
King – Parantaka Chola I (7th regnal year)
Language – Tamil
The inscription records a gift of land made to the temple of Tiru-Ayoddipperumal at Madurantakam.
The endowment was intended to support temple worship and ritual services, and confirms that the shrine was already known by the sacred name Ayodhya Perumal Temple during the early Chola period.
Inscription # 2
Reference – A.R.E. No. 262 of 1901
Location – West wall of the central shrine
Period – Late 11th century CE
King – Rajakesarivarman alias Kulottunga Chola I (3rd regnal year)
Language – Tamil
This inscription records the gift of an areca-nut garden as an endowment.
The income derived from this garden was meant for maintaining two perpetual lamps in the temple of Ayodhya Perumal.
Inscription # 3
Reference – A.R.E. No. 263 of 1901
Location – North wall of the central shrine
Period – 12th century CE
King – Parakesarivarman alias Vikrama Chola (9th regnal year)
Language – Tamil
The record mentions a donation of money or endowment funds for the performance of temple rituals and offerings to the deity Tiru-Ayoddipperumal, indicating continued royal patronage during the later Chola period.
Inscription # 4
Reference – A.R.E. No. 391 of 1922
Location – Wall of the central shrine
Period – 12th century CE
King – Vikrama Chola (7th regnal year)
Language – Tamil
This inscription states that four padagams of temple land were brought under cultivation by a donor, traditionally understood to be a local woman patron.
The income from these lands was assigned for providing offerings and services to the deity Ayoddipperumal.
Inscription # 5
Reference – A.R.E. No. 392 of 1922
Location – Beam of the mandapa in front of the Janakavalli Thayar shrine
Period – Late 18th century CE
Authority Mentioned – Colonel Lionel Place, Collector of Chingleput
Language – Tamil
This lithic record states that the shrine of Janakavalli Thayar was constructed through the patronage of Lionel Place, the East India Company Collector.
This inscription is closely associated with the well-known tradition of the Madurantakam tank protection episode, after which the deity came to be popularly revered as Eri-Katha Ramar.
The Great Madurantakam Eri
The temple cannot be separated from the great tank of Madurantakam. This vast water body, known earlier as Veera Chozha Pereri, is one of the important landmarks of the region. It was constructed across the Kiliyar, a river rising near Vandavasi.
At one stage there were two separate tanks here, and they were later combined into a single large reservoir by Lionel Place in 1796. The tank was immense in scale, with a wide spread, notable depth and a long bund. Since it depended on rainwater, periods of heavy monsoon always carried the danger of breaches.
There are different historical opinions on when the tank was first excavated. Some connect it with the period of Parantaka Chola, while others attribute it to a later Chola context. Whatever the exact origin, there is no doubt that the tank was central to the life of this settlement and became inseparable from the temple’s later fame.
Why the Lord Came to Be Known as Eri Katha Ramar
The best-known story of Madurantakam belongs to the late eighteenth century. Colonel Lionel Place, who served as Collector of Chingleput, had seen the destruction caused by breaches in the tank and was determined to prevent another disaster. During his preparations, he noticed a large quantity of granite stones lying in the temple precincts and ordered that they be used to strengthen the bund.
The temple priest then explained that the stones had actually been set aside for constructing a shrine for Janakavalli Thayar, but the work had not begun because funds were lacking. The Collector is said to have asked, half in jest, why the Lord who could not save the tank each year required a separate shrine for his consort. The priest answered with quiet confidence that the Lord always responded to sincere prayer.
Soon the rains came heavily and the tank filled to the brim. One night, when a breach seemed imminent, Lionel Place camped near the bund. Tradition says that he then saw two warriors with bows and arrows guarding the embankment. He realised that they were Rama and Lakshmana. The rain subsided and the bund held firm. Deeply moved, the Collector later undertook the construction of the shrine for Janakavalli Thayar.
From that time onwards, the Lord of the temple came to be lovingly known as Eri Katha Ramar, the Rama who protected the lake.
Janakavalli Thayar Shrine
The shrine of Janakavalli Thayar occupies an important position in the outer prakara. She is seen in a seated posture and is worshipped as a compassionate motherly presence. Her shrine is historically significant because of its link with Lionel Place, whose gift is recorded in the beam inscription in front of the mandapa.
The goddess is also known as Vakulaaranya Vasini, which preserves the memory of the older sacred geography of the place.
.jpg "Janakavalli Thayar Shrine - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple") |
| Janakavalli Thayar Shrine - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple |
Ramanuja and the Pancha Samskaram
Madurantakam is also one of the most significant places in the life of Sri Ramanujar. After the passing of Sri Alavandar at Srirangam, Periya Nambi set out in search of Ramanuja. At the same time, Ramanuja, guided by Tirukkachi Nambi, was on his way to meet Periya Nambi. Guru and disciple met here at Madurantakam.
Under the Vakula tree, Periya Nambi performed the Pancha Samskaram for Ramanuja. These five sacraments included:
Taapam – branding of the conch and discus on the shoulders
Pundram – wearing the sacred marks
Naman – surrender to the guru
Mantram – initiation into the sacred mantras
Yagam – daily worship of the Lord
Even today, a small four-pillared mandapam under the Magizham tree on the northwestern corner on the west prakara, marks the spot associated with this event. Because the Dvaya Mantra blossomed here in Ramanuja’s spiritual life, the temple is also known as Dvayam Vilindha Tirupati.
This place is also remembered in another special way. It is associated with Ramanuja in grihastha attire, and traditions connected with his initiation remain especially alive here.
.jpg "Pancha Samskaram - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple") |
| Pancha Samskaram - Madurantakam Eri Katha Rama Temple |
The temple houses a distinct shrine for Ramanuja along with Periya Nambi, depicting the acharya in an unusual form. Unlike the more familiar ascetic or sanyasi representations seen in many Sri Vaishnavite temples, Ramanuja is portrayed here in his early grihastha stage of life, wearing simple white attire. This iconographic treatment symbolically recalls the period when he was still a householder and had just begun his formal spiritual journey.
Tradition also maintains that this is one of the rare temples where Ramanuja is shown together with his guru, emphasizing the importance of the guru–shishya lineage in the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya.
Temple Layout
The temple faces east and has a five-tier rajagopuram that is fairly simple in appearance. As one enters, the axial sequence of bali peetham, dwajastambham, and Garuda leads towards the main shrine. The temple has a wide mukha mandapa.
Opposite the temple is a small pushkarani, and near the entrance are associated structures and shrines, including a shrine for Anjaneya and, nearby, the Ahobila Mutt Veda Patashala.
Local tradition speaks of a water tunnel or underground passage connecting the lake and the temple tank, passing through the temple mandapa.
A Temple of Many Memories
Madurantakam Eri Katha Ramar Temple is not just a Rama temple with a popular legend. It is an ancient kshetram once known as Vakulaaranya Kshetram, a shrine remembered in inscriptions as Ayodhya Perumal Vinnagaram, a place where Karunakara Perumal and Kodandarama are both worshipped, a temple sanctified by the initiation of Sri Ramanujar, and a site forever linked with the story of a great tank and a British Collector who believed he saw Rama and Lakshmana guarding its bund.
Standing before the sanctum, one is not merely looking at a set of icons. One is facing a place where sacred story, historical record and continuing devotion still meet in a very living way.
Happy travelling.
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