SRI PATTABIRAMAN TEMPLE

The lifeline of Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery, is renowned for the many temples which adorn its banks. One such temple is Pattabiraman Temple on the southern banks of the Cauvery, near Tiruvaiyaru, called Pudhu Agraharam.

Nestled in the verdant fields sorrounded by thick vegetation, this temple was built by Mohanambal, queen of a Marathi king who ruled Thanjavur.

It is belevied that to the north of Ayyarappan Temple in Thiruvaiyaru there was a separate shrine for Lord Pattabiraman and His consort. The queen, enchanted by the icon of the Lord at Thiruvaiyaru, consecrated it in the newly built temple at Pudhu Agraharam.

At present, there is a separate temple dedicated to Lord Anjaneya opposite Dharmasamvardhini in Bhavaswami Agraharam. It confirms that Lord Rama with his consort was housed in the northern side of the temple earlier.

Lord Rama is called Pattabiraman in this temple. The divine congregation consists of Rama and Sita who is flanked by Shatrughna on the left, who fans them with a chamaram, and to her right is Lakshmana, posing with folded hands with Dhanush (bow and arrow), and Bharatha with umbrella.

Since this is the coronation scene (Pattabisheka Kolam) Lord Rama is called Pattabiraman. It is rather unique to see Anjenaya sitting obediently, playing the Rama nama gana on the veena. All the idols are moolavar murthis. The procession deities (utsava murthis) resemble the coronation scene but Anjaneya is found kneeling with a Ramayana book in one hand and tulasi beads in the other.

One of the trinities of Carnatic music, Muthuswami Dikshitar, accepted the request of his contemporary Saint Tyagaraja to visit this temple on the auspicious Rama Navami day. Dikshitar, after visiting Tiruvaiyaru, came along with Tyagaraja and paid obeisance to Rama. His musical outburst ‘Mamava Pattabirama’ in Manirangu raga is an offshoot of his deep involvement with the Lord.

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