The Magnificent Temple of Ramaswamy, Kumbakonam
Located at Kumbakonam, the Ramaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, one of the incarnations of the Lord Vishnu. The temple is one of the most prominent vaishnavite temples in Tamil Nadu that depicts several incidents from the Indian epic Ramayana. The temple assumes unprecedented importance as it is the only temple where Lord Rama and his wife Goddess Sita are seated at the same platform and the monkey God, Hanuman is, instead of reading Ramayana, playing the Veena. The entire deity in its grandeur is believed to have been carved from one single Saligrama monolith.
The temple is as colourful as a temple can get; with several paintings across the temple walls and pillars, it is definitely a feast to the eyes of the people visiting the temple. The intricate carvings on the pillars are another important aspect that distinguishes the vaishnavite temple from other temples in Kumbakonam, and Tamil Nadu as a whole.
Its believed by devotees that praying at this temple help them find the perfect match in their marriage and the marital life with life forever.
The temple was built by Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur during the early 16th century. Achutha Nayaka was a great and ardent follower and devotee of Lord Rama. The maha-mandapam of the temple is ornated with a plethora of carvings inspired by the Rama-Katha. Some of the most famous carvings at the temple include Meenakshi Kalyanam, Vamana Avatharam and Sukreeva Pattabishekam.
The external praharam of the temple includes about 219 exceptionally beautiful wall paintings that epic a series of incidents and life of Lord Rama from the Indian epic Ramayana.
Five of the greatest temples are tethered together by the Mahamaham festival that happens once every twelve years at Kumbakonam. The temples connected are;
- Sarangapani Temple
- Ramaswamy Temple
- Chakrapani Temple
- Varaha Perumal Temple
- Rajagopalaswamy Temple
At the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, Lord Ram and his wife Goddess Sita are seated in the wedding posture unlike in other temples where they both offer blessings from their separate shrines. There are the bothers of the Lord Rama such as Satrugna, Bharatha and Lakshmana along with the Lord at the sanctum.
The architecture of the temple is one of the best in the temples in Tamil Nadu. The pillars, the walls and various other structures that contribute to the three-storey building build make the architecture of the temple all the more exotic and breathtaking to behold.
