Sri Ramar Temple of Maduranthagam.
Maduranthagam is about 77 kms to south of Chennai, 12 kms from Melmaruvathoor and about 23 kms from Chengalpet, in Kancheepuram District.
This temple is one of Abimana sthalam
We see pushkarani in front of the temple
View of temple main Gopuram from inside.
As we enter inside we see Dwajasthambam and a mandapam leading us to main sanctum.
Main Deity is Karunakara Perumal in standing posture.
Urchavar, of this temple is known, as Karunakara Perumal / Periya Perumal.
We see deity of Sri Ramar, Seetha and Lakshmana in the main sanctum. Here Lord Sri Ramar is holding the hands of Seetha. Vipandaka Maharishi is seen worshiping Lord Rama inside the main sanctum.
Here, Thayar is seen in separate sanctum and known as Janakavalli Thayar. She is daughter of King Janaka, so she is known as Janakavalli.
Chakkrathazhwar is seen in separate sanctum. Yantrais installed here in this sanctum. Worshiping the Lord and yantra together gives good result. At the back of Chakrathazwar, we see Yoga Narashimar on serpant.
Sri Ramanujar was initated by Perriya Nambi, as mentioned in Pancharatra Sastra. Here in this temple Sri Ramanujar is seen in white dress.
The place is famous for a huge lake which would breach every year after the monsoon
rains, and farmers faced heavy loss. Collector Colonel Lionel tried to strengthen the lake boundaries, many a time but it was a failure. Once when English Collector, Colonel Lionel visited the temple, he was very much attracted by the temple built many decades ago. Temple authorities requested him to help them, with funds to construct a separate sanctum for Thayar.
Collector who was very much upset, by the collapse of tank’s waste weir, promised to build the shrine, if Goddess can stop the breach of tank during monsoon.
During the monsoon time when he camped at Maduranthangam, the tank was full to brim. In the night when he went to have a look at the Lake which was full, he saw Sri Rama and Lakshmana keeping guard of the tank. He felt happy and as assured he started the construction work of a separate sanctum for Goddess.
The Legend says in Bagularanyam, sage Vipandakar did penance and performed pooja to Lord Karunakaran. Sri Rama and Lakshmana stayed in this place for few days when they left for Vanavasam. Sri Rama promised to visit the place again on his return to Ayodhya. When he was returning by pushpaka Vimanam, he stopped and gave darshan to Vipandaka muni. Hence the place is known as Madhuranthakam.
There is a separate sanctum forAnjaneyar, near the Pushkarani which is opposite to the temple.
Abhimana dEsams are as sacred as divya dEsams and purANa dEsams. But you cannot use the terminology "divya dEsam" to describe an abhimana desam. Divya desams, by definition, are those shrines that have been sung by Azhwar(s). For example your Eri kAththa rAmar koyil in madurantakam is an abhimana desam but cannot be called a divya desam. The same thing goes for Srirangapatnam, Melkote (tirunarayana puram), guruvAyUr, udupi etc. They are all abhimAna dEsams.
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