The 10-day Sri Ramanavami Utsavam celebration at Vaduvur Sri Kothandaramaswamy Temple is scheduled to commence on March 31, 2012 (Saturday).
The following is the programme for the utsavam
31/03 – Twajarohanam (flag hoisting)
01/04 – Surya Prabhai
02/04 – Sesha Vaaganam
03/04 – Garuda Vaaganam
04/04 – Hanumantha Vaaganam
05/04 – Raja Alankaram, Mohana Alankaram, Hamsa Vaaganam, Gaja Vaaganam
06/04 – Tirukalyana Utsavam, Tiruchevigai Purapadu
07/04 – Navaneetha Alankaram , Raja Alankaram, Haya vaaganam
08/04 – Tiruther purapadu
09/04 – Sapthavarnam
History of Vaduvur Shilas (Deities)
It is said that after 14 years in the forest (Vanavaasam) and defeating Ravana, Sri Rama was returning back to Ayodhya.
On the way back, he was requested by many including rishis (sages) to stay with them. At one of the location, the sages prayed in earnest, asking them to stay forever.
As Sri Rama need to return back to fulfill promise made to Bharatha, his brother, Sri Rama called up Vishvakarma and sketched His enchanting divine form as an archa-vigraha, leaves it outside the ashrama.
The rishis who came to see them the next day were spellbound and mesmerized by the beautiful statue. Still hyptonized by what they saw, the sages agreed for Sri Rama to leave for Ayodhya, on one condition that leave the statue with them. Sri Rama, with a smile, agreed to their request and left the statue behind.
These historical statues are none other than the ones currently at Vaduvur Temple.
Sthala Puranam
Years rolled by and it was the time when king Sarfoji (Sarabhoji) ruled Thanjavur.
One day, Lord Rama appeared in the king’s dream and told him to unearth the archa-vigrahas from Thalai Gnayiru ((Thalanayar in Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu) . He asked the king to establish and worship the deities.
The king woke up in a state of shock and later, with his entourage, went to Thalai Gnayiru and unearthed the archa-vigrahas.
When the king and his entourage were preparing to leave from Thalai Gnayiru, on their way to Thanjavur, the natives of the place prevented the king from taking the archa-vigrahas.
The king managed to convince them and as compensation left the statues of Bharatha and Lakshmana behind with them.
He took possession of Rama, Seetha and Hanuman statues and on his way rested at Vaduvur.
The people of the Vaduvur village, known for their unity, came to know about the archa-vigrahas and pleaded with the king to install the deities in their Rukmani-Sathyabhama samedha Sri Gopalan temple.
Initially, the king refused but when the villagers threatened to jump from the tower of the temple and commit suicide, he relented. He allowed them to install the archa-vigrahas and since then Rama has been the main deity in the Gopalan temple.
Looks like it is also the similiar period when Saint Thyagaraja lived.
Later, the statue of Lakshmana was also sculpted by the people of Vaduvur. It appeared like a woman and so the villagers established it as Sundari Amman and built a separate temple for Her. They sculpted the statue of Lakshmana again and today Rama with Seetha and Lakshmana stand majestically to bless the devotees.
Other Holy Names
The other holy names for Vaduvur (Vaduvoor) are
Abhimana Divyadesam of Vishnu
Vagularanyam Kshetram(magizhankadu),
Bhaskara Kshetram and
Dhakshina Ayodhya.
Sacred Tree
Vagula maram (maghizha maram) is the sacred tree of this sthala. Hence called as Vagularanya Kshetram.
Temple Timings
Morning – 8:00AM – 12:00 Noon
Evening – 4:30PM – 8:30PM
Important Events
10 days Sri Ramanavami Utsavam – April
Vasantha Utsavam – May or June
Aadi Tirumanjanam celebration – 48 days – August
Sri Gopalan Sannadhi Janmashtami – August
Swami Desikan Utsavam – September or October
Navaratri Utsavam – September or October
Manavala Mamuni Utsavam – October
Pavithrotsavam – November or December
Adhyayana Utsavam (Pagal Pathu and Ra Pathu) – December/Jan
Hanumath Jayanthi – December
Theppotsavam (Float Festival) – January or February
Thai Masam Ammavasai – Teertha Vaari (temple tank)
Maasi Makam – Teertha Vaari (temple tank)
Contact address for Temple
The Executive Officer
Vaduvur Sri Kothandaramaswamy Temple
Vaduvur 614019
Tiruvarur District
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: +91 (0) 4367 267110
eokothandaramaswamytemplevdr@gmail.com
Contact address for Srimad Andavan Ashram
Ganapati N. Govindarajan
Purana Street
Vaduvur 614019
Tiruvarur District
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: +91 9443448834
vaduvurgovindan@gmail.com
Contact address for Sri Ahobila Mutt
Ahobila Mutt Aaradhakar V.R. Lakshminarasimhachariar
Vaduvur Sri Kothandaramaswamy Temple
Vaduvur 614019
Tiruvarur District
Tamil Nadu, India
Also visit the following related links
http://anudinam.org/2012/02/10/vaduvur-theppotsavam-snaps/
http://anudinam.org/2011/12/24/sri-kothandaramar-vaduvur/
Vaduvur Thirukalyana Utsavam
Video Courtesy: Sri Vasu Devan Swami
