User:Rajesh.parthasarathy/Vaduvur Temple

About Temple
Vaduvur/Vaduvoor Sri Kothandaraswamy Temple is located in the banks of a Bird Sanctuary, amidst a vast array of green fields, fertilized by a tributory of Cauvery river. The temple is part of HR&CE Department, Government of Tamil Nadu

Vaduvur (Vaduvoor) is a village situated between Thanjavur and Mannargudi in Tamil Nadu

History of Shilas (Deities)
It is said that after 14 years in the forest (Vanavaasam) and defeating Ravana, Sri Rama was returning to Ayodhya.

On the way, he was requested by many including rishis (sages) to stay with them. At one of the location, the sages prayed in earnest, asking them to stay forever.

As Sri Rama need to return to fulfill promise made to Bharatha, his brother, Sri Rama called up Vishvakarma and sketched His enchanting divine form as an idol, leaves it outside the ashrama.

The rishis who came to see them the next day were spellbound and mesmerized by the beautiful statue. Still hyptonized by what they saw, the sages agreed for Sri Rama to leave for Ayodhya, on one condition that leave the statue with them. Sri Rama, with a smile, agreed to their request and left the statue behind. These historical statues are none other than the ones currently at Vaduvur Temple.

History of the Temple (Sthala Puranam)
Years rolled by and it was the time when king Sarfoji (Sarabhoji) ruled Thanjavur.

One day, Lord Rama appeared in the king's dream and told him to unearth the idols from Thalai Gnayiru. He asked the king to establish and worship the deities. The king woke up in a state of shock and later, with his entourage, went to Thalai Gnayiru, and unearthed the idols. When the king and his entourage were preparing to leave from Thalai Gnayiru, on their way to Thanjavur, the natives of the place prevented the king from taking the idols. The king managed to convince them and as compensation left the statues of Bharatha and Lakshmana behind with them. He took possession of Rama, Seetha and Hanuman statues and on his way rested at Vaduvur. The people of the Vaduvur village, known for their unity, came to know about the idols and pleaded with the king to install the deities in their Rukmani-Sathyabhama samedha Sri Gopalan temple.

Initially, the king refused but when the villagers threatened to jump from the tower of the temple and commit suicide, he relented. He allowed them to install the idols and since then Rama has been the main deity in the Gopalan temple. Later, the statue of Lakshmana was also sculpted by the people of Vaduvur. It appeared like a woman and so the villagers established it as Sundari Amman and built a separate temple for Her. They sculpted the statue of Lakshmana again and today Rama with Seetha and Lakshmana stand majestically to bless the devotees.

Looks like it is also the similar period when Saint Thyagaraja lived.

 Other Holy Names  The other holy names for Vaduvur are
 * Vagularanyam (magizhankadu),
 * Bhaskara Kshetram and
 * Dhakshina Ayodhi.

Sacred Tree
 * Vagula maram (maghizha maram) is the sacred tree of this sthala. Hence called as Vagularanya Kshetram.

Reaching Vaduvur

 * Vaduvur/Vaduvoor is location on the Nation Highway (NH 67) between Thanjavur and Mannargudi, in Tamil Nadu, India
 * 24 km from Thanjavur and 12 km from Mannargudi
 * The nearest Railway station is Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India (24 km)
 * The nearest Airport is Tiruchi Airport (58 km)
 * All State Transport and Private Buses between Thanjavur (24 km) and Mannargudi (12 km) will stop at Vaduvur. There are many private buses plying between these two destinations

Main Festivals

 * 10 days Sri Ramanavami Utsavam - April
 * Vasantha Utsavam - May
 * Aadi Tirumanjanam celebration - 48 days - August
 * Sri Gopalan Sannadhi Janmashtami - August
 * Swami Desikan Utsavam - September
 * Navaratri Utsavam - September
 * Manavala Mamuni Utsavam - October
 * Pavithrotsavam - November
 * Adhyayana Utsavam (Pagal Pathu and Ra Pathu) - December/Jan
 * Hanumath Jayanthi - December
 * Theppa Utsavam - January
 * Thai Masam Ammavasai - Teertha Vaari (temple tank)
 * Maasi Makam - Teertha Vaari (temple tank)