Mediyaan News DeskThere are many citations and evidences supporting the relationship ties between Lord Rama and the ancient kings of the south such as Cheras, Cholas and the Pandyas. Though such instances can be found in specific and profound parts of the great Tamil and Sanskrit literary works like the ‘Valmiki Ramayana’ and Paththupattu, one incident recorded during the colonial era of the British in the Chengalpattu district of Tamilnadu called Eri Kaatha Ramar (Lord Ram who protected the water dam) can be taken as an example for the ‘modern’ society.
This event was recorded during the year 1798 when the distinguished British collector Colonel Lionel Blaze, who took the responsibility of fixing two deteriorating breaches on the huge dam of 13 square kilometers (34m2) and 21 feet deep. The collector colonel blaze was very worried about the possible outbreak of the dam since their prediction of a massive rainfall to be occurring very soon during the season.
When Colonel Blaze happened to see the huge and strong granite stones which were stocked at the vaishnavite Thirumathurai temple, the collector summoned the authorities of the temple to submit to them those granite stones to fix the breaches. The priests in return explained that those stones are being preserved the temple authorities to build a separate holy shrine for Thayaar (mother) Janakavalli (goddess sita). But since the funds to support for this cause was scanty, the building of the shrine was put on hold.
Hearing this, the then British collector jestingly asked the temple priests that why hadn’t Lord Ram come in help for them during such a desperate time as he was hoping and looking for every solution to fix it.
After the massive rainfall in the consequent days, Colonel Blaze who was camping at the Madurantakam site near dam planned to check on the bunds of the dam for its possible breakage. Here to his shock found two strong warriors with bows and quivers protecting the bunds of the dam. With mild doubtfulness from within, colonel Blaze suspected if it was really the Lord Rama and the brother Lakshmana who had ascended down to protect the district from the nearing disaster. He also found it to be enigmatic since he found that nobody else saw the two of them at the collector’s retinue.
After a while the rain subsided and finding the dam still intact, the grateful Colonel Blaze undertook the cost of building the holy shrine for the goddess Janakavalli at the Thirumathurai Rama temple which was then also came to be known as the Eri Kaatha Ramar Koil (the temple of Lord Rama who protected the dam).
The scriptures at this temple at Madurantakam bear the name of that Collector Colonel Lionel Blaze who was the most instrumental in the building of this holy shrine till this date.
– ANIERUDH MURALI