Mudikondan
Mudikondan is a small bountiful village in Nannilam taluk, Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. The main bus plying between Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur stops at this place. Mudikondan is about 20 km from Myladuthrai and 15 km from Tiruvarur.
The Main attractions of this village are Sri Kothandaramar Temple and Sri Alangudi Swamigal Mutt. When 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 Alangudi Swamigal
Sri Swamigal belongs to the village of Alangudi near this place. Srimath Bagavatham
was the 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
lifetime. He had inculcated this tradition to many devotees of Srimath Bagavatham.
Even today many devotees come to this village to read Srimath Bagavatham in the
traditional way in the Sri Alangudi Swamigal mutt. The reading of Srimath Bagavatham
continues in this mutt. Mutt continues to attract Srimath Bagavatham devotees, where
the recitation of these verses reverberates and revitalizes the devotee.
Sri Kothandaramar Temple
The temple for Sri Kothandaramar located near the main road has a special legend. As you take the road that leads 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 the main entrance to the temple is the sannidhi of Lord Anjaneya. The main temple faces 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 sannidhi will be visible like a crown. This visual has a special significance to this temple legend.
Legend
Sri Rama, on his way to Sri Lanka with his vanara sena, passed through this place.
Saint Bharadwaja requested him to accept the hospitality of his ashram, which
is located here. It was understandable that Sri Rama, who was on a larger mission of
conquering Ravana, had told the saint that he would accept the same on his return
along with Sri Sitadevi.
After the war in Lanka, Sri Rama sent Sri Anjaneya on a special mission to prevent Sri Bharata from entering into fire since they had completed fourteen years of separation from Ayodhya. After Sri Vibishana Pattabishekam in 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 darshan 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’.
Sri Rama is normally seen facing south in Temples. But in Mudikondan, Sri Rama is seen east-facing since he gave darshan to Saint Sri Bharadwaja as king of Ayodhya even before the real coronation.
On completion of 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 darshan to Sri Bharadwaja as “PattabiRama”, was disappointed that he had missed the opportunity and stood at the gate of the ashram itself. Sri Rama then pacified him to accept the food and proceed to Ayodhya to participate in the real coronation ceremony.
Uniqueness of this Temple
Firstly, Sri Rama’s temples are normally constructed south-facing. The legend has it that Sri Vibishana, king of Lanka and the great devotee of Sri Rama desired that he would like to see Sri Rama all the time; therefore Sri Rama is seen south-facing. But in Mudikondan, Sri Rama is seen east-facing since he gave darshan to Saint Sri Bharadwaja as king of Ayodhya even before the real coronation.
Sri Sitadevi is seen to the left of Sri Rama, and Sri Lakshmana to his right, all
facing east. Sri Ranganathar installed by Saint Sri Bharadwaja is south-facing in a
separate sannidhi.
Secondly, the temple has Sri Ram Parivar as the main deities, Sri Kothandaramar 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 have Sri Anjaneya.
Separate sannidhi of Sri Hanuman
The separate sannidhi of Sri Hanuman faces the main temple and on the banks of the 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, the keerthi of Sri Anjaneya of this kshetra is widespread. People around this place come to offer their prayers to Sri Anjaneya.
Location of the temple: "Sri Kothandaramar Temple, Mudikondan"
Experience
Visit this kshetra, have darshan of the Unique Sri Kothandaramar, Sri Hanuman, and Sri Alangudi Swamigal mutt, and be blessed.
SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST
THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE
Ed [August 2011]
Updates: [Jan 2025]