Mudikondan is a small bountiful village in Nannilam taluk, Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. Main bus plying between Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur stops at this place. Mudikondan is about 20 KMs from Myladuthrai and 15 KMs from Tiruvarur.
The Main attraction of this village is Sri Kothandaramar Temple and also Sri Alangudi Swamigal mutt. While coming from Mayiladuthurai the temple can be seen on the left and is visible from the main road. The bus stops in front of the temple. To go to Sri Alangudi Swamigal mutt one has to take the road running perpendicular to the main road on the right side.
Sri Swamigal belongs to the village Alangudi near this place. Srimath Bagavatham was inspiration
for Sri Swamigal. The sanyasa ashram name of Sri Swamigal is “swyam pragasanantha swamigal”.
But people know him as Sri Alangudi Swamigal. He had read Srimath Bagavatham many times as
the tradition and prescribed rules during his life time. He had inculcated this tradition
to many devotees of Srimath Bagavatham. Even today there are many devotees who come to this
village for reading Srimath Bagavatham in the traditional way in the Sri Alangudi Swamigal
mutt. The reading of Srimath Bagavatham is continues in this mutt. Mutt continues to attract
Srimath Bagavatham devotees, where recitation of these verses reverberates and revitalize
the devotee.
The temple for Sri Kothandaramar located near the main road has a special legend. As you take the road leading to the temple you will be welcomed by the huge temple tank on to the right. On the bank of the tank and just opposite to the main entrance to the temple is the sannidhi of Lord Anjaneya. The main temple is facing this sannidhi. The arch forms the main entrance to the temple and there is no Raja gopuram. As you enter the temple through the arch you will be welcomed by the grand look of a crown. The vimanam of the main sannathi will be visible like that of a crown. This visual has a special significance to this temple legend.
Sri Rama while on his way to Sri Lanka along with his vanara sena through this place Saint
Bharadwaja requested him to accept the hospitality of his ashram located here. It was
understandable that Sri Rama who is on a larger mission of conquering Ravana had told
the saint that he will accept the same on his return along with Sri Sitadevi.
After the war in Lanka, Sri Rama had sent Sri Anjaneya on a special mission to prevent Sri Bharata from entering into fire since they had then completed fourteen years of separation from Ayodhya. After Sri Vibishana Pattabishekam at Lanka, Sri Rama along with Sri Sitadevi on their way back to Ayodhya halted at Saint Bharadwaja ashram at this place as promised. Sri Rama had to offer his prayers to Lord Ranganatha before accepting the hospitality of the Saint. Sensing this saint installs Lord Ranganatha vigraha in his ashram. On completion of the prayers to his Lord Sri Ranganatha, Sri Rama accepts the food offered by the saint. On the request of the saint Sri Rama gives dharshan to him as King of Ayodhya, even before his coronation ceremony. Hence this place gets the name “Mudikondan”, in Tamil it means ‘one who is crowned’.
On completion his mission of preventing Sri Bharata from entering into fire Sri Anjaneya returns to the place where his Lord Rama was. On arrival at Bharadwaja ashram he came to know that his Lord had given dharshan to Sri Bharadwaja as “PattabiRama” and was disappointed that he had missed the opportunity and stood at the gate of the asharam itself. Sri Rama then pacified him to accept the food and proceed to Ayodhya to participate in the real coronation ceremony.
Firstly, Sri Rama’s temples are normally constructed south facing. The legend has it that Sri Vibishana the great devotee of Sri Rama and king of Lanka had requested that he would like to see Sri Rama all the time; therefore Sri Rama is seen south facing. But here in Mudikondan, Sri Rama is seen east facing since he gave dharshan to Saint Sri Bharadwaja as king of Ayodhya even before the real coronation.
Sri Sitadevi is seen on to the left of Sri Rama, and Sri Lakshmna on his right, all
facing east. Sri Ranganathar installed by Saint Sri Bharadwaja is seen south facing in
a separate sannidhi.
Secondly, the temple has Sri Ram parivar as the main deities, Sri Kothandaramar along with his Sri Sitadevi and his brother Sri Lakshman. Sri Anjaneya is absent in the assemblage of Sri Ram parivar here. The temple’s processional murthies has Sri Anjaneya.
The separate sannidhi of Sri Hanuman is facing the main temple and on the banks of t he temple tank known as “Sri Rama Thirtham”. The sannidhi has a small mandapam in the front. Sri Anjaneya the best devotee of Sri Rama is seen as ‘Anjali hastan’ [with folded hands]. Though the murthi is small, keerthi of Sri Anjaneya of this kshetra is wide spread. People from around this place come to offer their prayers here to Sri Anjaneya.
Visit this kshetra and have dharshan of Unique Sri Kothandaramar, Sri Hanuman and Sri Alangudi Swamigal mutt and be blessed.
Ed [August 2011]
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