4/5 Ramalingam M. 9 months ago on Google
The
temple
was
built
during
the
Pallava
era,
and
is
estimated
to
be
1600
years
old.
The
Moolavar
(presiding
deity)
of
the
temple
is
Lord
Rama,
thus
making
this
one
of
the
oldest
temples
of
lord
Rama
in
South
India.
The
temple
has
inscriptions
indicating
generous
gifts
from
Chola
king
Parantaka
I.
The
place
was
once
famous
during
the
rule
of
Cholas
who
ruled
this
place
as
Maduranthaga
Chaturvedi
Mangalam
after
the
Chola
ruler
Madurantaga
Uttama
Chola
(973
-85
CE).
It
is
believed
that
Gandaraditya
donated
the
village
to
the
Vedics
(Chaturvedi
-
one
who
knows
all
four
vedas)
of
the
place
and
hence
it
came
to
be
known
as
Chaturvedi
Mangalam.The
presiding
deity
of
the
temple
is
Rama
with
his
consort
Sita
and
his
brother
Lakshmana.
The
images
are
made
of
stucco.
During
the
period
between
1795
and
1799
the
Collector
of
Chingleput
District
was
a
British
officer
called
Colonel
Lionel
Blaze.
During
his
collectorship,
Blaze
had
witnessed
two
breaches
to
the
huge
tank.
The
enormity
of
the
problem
can
be
appreciated
only
when
we
know
of
the
massive
size
of
the
tank.
Wanting
to
take
preemptive
action
in
the
year
1798
the
Collector
camped
in
Madurantakam.
During
his
sojourn
the
Collector
was
exploring
ways
and
means
to
undertake
urgent
repairs
of
the
breaches
if
and
when
they
happened.
During
the
course
of
his
inspections,
he
happened
to
see
a
large
collection
of
granite
and
other
stones
in
the
precincts
of
the
Rama
temple.
The
Collector
mentioned
to
his
subordinates
that
these
could
be
put
to
use
in
restoration
of
the
bunds.
Hearing
this
the
temple
priests
submitted
that
the
stones
were
meant
for
constructing
a
separate
shrine
for
Janakavalli
Thayar
and
since
there
was
paucity
of
funds
the
construction
could
not
commence.
Hearing
this
the
Collector
is
said
to
have
remarked
that
where
was
the
need
for
a
separate
shrine
when
more
urgent
work
like
repairing
the
bunds
was
crying
for
resources.
He
also
asked
the
priests
jestingly
as
to
why
the
Lord
was
not
able
to
save
the
tank
each
year?
The
priests
replied
saying
that
the
Lord
was
always
known
to
answer
a
sincere
prayer
from
the
heart.
The
rains
came
and
it
poured.
Within
a
few
days
the
tank
was
full
to
the
brim
and
a
breach
seemed
imminent.
That
night
a
worried
Collector
camped
near
the
tank
hoping
against
hope
that
the
bunds
would
hold.
As
he
was
inspecting,
Colonel
Blaze
saw
a
miraculous
sight.
He
saw
two
warriors
bearing
bow
and
quiver
guarding
the
bunds.
The
British
officer
went
on
his
knees
and
prayed,
for
he
knew
it
was
none
other
than
Lord
Rama
and
his
divine
brother
Lakshmana.
It
was
indeed
strange
that
nobody
else
who
was
a
part
of
the
Collector's
retinue
saw
the
Lord.
After
a
while
the
vision
evinced
and
the
rain
stopped.
The
grateful
Collector
undertook
the
building
of
the
shrine
for
Janakavalli
thayar
and
Lord
Rama
in
the
temple
came
to
be
known
as
the
Erikatha
Ramar
(Rama
who
saved
the
tank
(Eri)).
The
edict
with
the
Collector's
name
citing
him
as
a
benefactor
can
be
seen
even
today
in
the
Madurantakam
temple.
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