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Thanjavur
The name Thanjavur will bring forth in our thoughts the gigantic Shri Brahadeeswara temple or Big temple as it is popularly known. It was built by the Chola dynasty King Shri Rajaraja Cholan. People who are familiar with Thanjavur will also remember the renowned temple of Shri Mariamman of Punnaiyanallur, which is situated six kilometers east of Thanjavur. People who follow Shri Vaishnava cult will remember the Shri Thivia Desam Shri Maamani koil where Shri Neelameka Perumal is the presiding deity and in whose praise Shri Thirumangai Azhvar had sung beautiful paasuras. 

Marathas contribution to Thanjavur
But it is unfortunate that people are unaware about another beautiful and ancient temple built during the reign of Maratha King Maharaja Shri Pradaap Singh (1739-63). Shri Kodhanda Rama Swami Temple in Punnaiyanallur is hardly two minutes walk away from Shri Marriamman Temple and had been bestowed the benevolence (Abimanam in Tamil) of Shri Maamani Temple.

According to the Vaishnava cult the temples where the Azhvars have sung in praise of the main deity is known as Divya Desam. There is a practice to award the benevolence of the Divya Desam to the nearby Vaishnava Temple by way of the utsava murthy of Divya Desam being presented during the Mahakumbahbhisekam of the latter temple. This Kodhanda Rama Swami temple is one such beneficiary of the Divya Desam Shri Maamani temple of Shri Neelameka Perumal.

Salagrama Ramar
The main deities of this temple Shri Kodhanda Ramar, Sita, Lakshmana and Anjaneya Swami are made of Salagramam - a rare fossil stone, found normally in Nepal. The main deities are carved excellently in accordance with the Shilpa Sastras. Probably this is a rare temple where the main deities are carved in the Salagrama stone.

If one feels that the main deities are beautiful, he has only wait to see the utsava murthis whose beauty is par-excellence. Shri Kodhanda Ramar, Janaki, Lakshmana are the three utsava murthis. The shilpa of Shri Rama is as per the vivid description given by Shri Anjaneya Swami in the Sundra kandam of Valmiki Ramayanam. 

Shri Jaya Veera Anjaneya Swami
This temple is visited by many for worshiping the Shri Jaya Veera Anjaneya Swami. Apart from the Salagrama shilpa of Shri Anjaneya Swami in the main Gharbhagraha, this temple has excellently carved Anjaneya Swami shilpa in a separate Alankara Mantapa. He is known as Shri Jayaveera Anjaneya. His lankoolam (tail) is raised above the head as symbol of courage and His right hand raised giving the blessings to one and all who visit Him and in the left hand He holds a lotus flower - the symbol of victory [jaya]. Shri Anjaneya Swami meets Mata Shri Sita in Lanka tells her about Shri Ramachandra murthi and thus enables Sita to forget her sorrows. He returns to Shri Rama to narrate the presence of Mata Sita Devi in Lanka. Here, Lord Shri Anjaneya Swami is seen as a 'Jaya Veera' having victoriously accomplished the Rama-kaingkarya. 

Rasi Mandalalm
The speciality of this temple - which cannot be seen in any other temple - is that the complete Rasi Mandalalm [the twelve houses of the various Grahas as generally represented in a birth chart] is depicted nicely on the inside of the roof housing the idol of Sri Anjaneya and corresponding exactly to these houses there is another chart down below on the floor with twelve houses in different color slabs with the colors relating to the respective Rasis depicted on the roof . It is believed that the wishes of the devotees will be fulfilled if they stand on the color slab relating to their Rasi while praying to Sri Anjaneya Murthy.

The Jaya Veera Anjaneya here will bless one and all who come to Him with devotion and bestow on them the victory in their mission which abides the Dharma.

For further details of this ancient temple you may kindly contact :
Shri C.Ventakesa Bhattar,
Sri Kodhanda Rama Swami Temple
Punnaiyanallur
Mariamman Kovil (P.O)
THANJAVUR - 613501
 

Let us visit this great ancient temple in Punnaiyanallur and seek His blessing, which Lord Shri Jayaveera Anjaneya is waiting to bestow on us. Let Anjaneya bless all.