VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Yoga Ramar Temple / Yoga Rama Temple / Ramachandra Perumal Temple, Nedungunam, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

Saturday 14 December 2019

Yoga Ramar Temple / Yoga Rama Temple / Ramachandra Perumal Temple, Nedungunam, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

17^th November 2019.

This Nedungunam Sri Yoga Ramar Temple’s visit was a part of Thirumukkudal Temples Visit scheduled on 16^th and 17^th of November 2019. After Singavaram Sri Ranganathar darshan our plan was to visit Nedungunam and Devikapuram. It was around 11.30 hrs when we reached Nedungunam and had the darshan of Sri Yoga Ramar. The place was called as Nedungundram and the same was corrupted to the present name of Nedungunam. Nedungunam signifies the high or noble qualities of Rama.

Moolavar : Sri Yoga Ramar / Sri Ramachandra Perumal

Urchavar : Sri Vijaya Raghava Perumal

Consort : Sri Sengamala Valli

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Dwajasthambam are after the 1^st level Rajagopuram and before 5 tier second level Rajagopuram called Kili Gopuram, named in honoured of Suka Brahma Maharishi. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, arthamandpam and muka mandapam. Garudan is in the mukha mandapam. Moolavar Sri Ramar is in sitting posture. His right hand is near the chest with chin mudra. Eyes are closed in yoga state. Rama do not hold any weapons. On the right, Lakshman is with bow and arrow. Sita is on the left side in sitting posture. Hanuman is sitting at the feet of Rama, reading out the “Brahma sutra” from the manuscript holding in his hands. There is a circumambulatory path below the sanctum sanctorum. It was told that the opposite hill is called as Dheergachala and looks like a parrot head.

The Urchavar Sri Vijaya Raghava Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi. There are two sets of Urchavars ( The old set was stolen and recovered back ). The koshtas are empty. In prakaram Chakkarathalwar, Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal, Sanjeevi Hanuman and Thayar Sengamala Valli. Alwars are in Artha mandapam. There is a special sannadhi for Vykanasacharyar who founded the Vaikhanasa Agama. The Rajagopuram entrance side walls has the bas-reliefs of scenes from epic Ramayana and Dasavathara of Vishnu. Vali fighting with Sugriva, Rama shoots Vali through 7 trees etc are intricately carved in the form of bas-reliefs.

There are two Vijayanagara period mandapas with beautiful yazhi pillars, called Kili mandapa named in honour of Suka brahma Maharishi and another one is the Muthu mandapam named after a Devadasi for her excellent devotion and performance to this temple. It was told that Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple and Devadasi Muthu had given a performance.

Yoga Rama

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum is on a upana and the adhisthana contains padmam, Silambu Kumudam, Kabotham and patti. The bitti or the sanctum walls are supported with pilasters and kumbha pancharas are shown in between pilasters. Koshtas are like sannadhis. The prastaram is of kapotha style with Yazhivari over the prastaram. The Kapotha has the karnakood. Various reliefs of Vishnu's, Hanuman, Dancers are in kudus. A single tier stucco vimana is over the prastaram.

The mandapa are built during Vijayanagara period with their specialty yazhi pillars. The kodungai looks beautiful.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the temple exists since 7^th Century and built during Pallava period and reconstructed during Vijayanagara period. Vijayanagara period inscriptions are found on the walls of the sanctum and mandapam, recorded in SII Volume 17-761 - 767. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Jayangonda Chozha mandalathu Padaiveettu Rajyaththu Kuzhaippalur Nattu MurugumangalapaRRu palkundra kottathu meRkundra Nattu Nerkundram and the Presiding deity was called as Ramachandra Perumal.

The 1544 CE Achutadeva Maharaya inscription records that the Village Tennarampattu alias Ramachandrapuram, which had been granted as tiruvidaiyattam by Mallappa Nayaka of Veppanpattu was reendowed for Sarvadhyayana by authorities of the Ramachandra Perumal temple at Nedungunram and Mallappa Nayaka was to maintain 12 Srivaishnavas taking part in the tiruvadhyayana.

The 1614 CE inscription records the gift of 3 kuli land in Torrampattu Village by Sonadri Ayyan the agent of Raghunatha Nayakkarayyan as ( per manyam ) to Muttu daughter of Attagiri, one of the Devaradiyar belonging to the Vaduga group on the occasion of conferring the title of Vijayaraghava Manickam on her, during the festival in the month of Vaikasi, in the Periyannan Mandapam of the temple.

The 1611 CE Inscription records the gift of land by Sonadri Ayyan, the agent of Ariyappa Aiyyan, Tirumalai Ayyangar, the Srikaryam officer of the temple and the officers of the temple treasury as per-manyam to Ramachandra Manickam ( conferred the title of Ramachandra Manickam ( Ref 762 inscription ).

The 1616 CE Inscription records the gift of 6 panam per month and 150 kuli of land to Margashaya Panditar, a Physician by Donadri Ayyan, the agent of Raghunatha Nayakar, Tirumalai Ayyangar, the Srikaryam officer of the Ramachandra Perumal Temple and the Sribhandarattar.

epic Ramayana scene

LEGENDS

As per the legend the parrot faced Suka brahma Maharishi had done penance at this place on lord Rama. Rama was pleased by the penance of Suka brahma and gave darshan on the way to Ayodhya after killing Ravana at Sri Lanka. Stayed at this place for a day along with Suka brahma Maharishi.

It is believed that Thirugnanasambandar, one of the 63 Nayanmars also visited this temple.