Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy – Ekasila Nagaram, Vontimitta
Kodandarama Temple at Ekasila Nagaram, Vontimitta is a famous tourist centre. It is known for its architectural and historical significance. To know about the history of that magnificent masterpiece, one has to go back to the history incorporated in our ancient myths and puranas.
According to the concept of our ancient Hindu cosmology, time is divided into four great epochs. The first great epoch was Krutayuga, the next was Tretayuga followed by Dwaparayuga and the last and current yuga is Kaliyuga. These four yugas are called as the great epochs or Mahayugas. For convenience, those four yugas are subdivided into small parts and as of now, we are in the 28th part. In Kaliyuga, we are in 5120th year. (as of year 2020)
Each age has its significance. The iconic characters of our myths and Puranas belonged to the first three yugas. The incarnation of Rama and Krishna in different epochs left an incredible effect on the people of India. Though Rama and Krishna belonged to Tretayuga and Dwaparayuga, the path of Dharma that was shown in their period is a prototype to the people of the present epoch.
Penance of Jambavantha in Krutayuga
The story of Ekasila Nagaram at Vontimitta in South India goes back to Krutayuga. Jambavantha was a distinctive character in Ramayana. He performed severe penance for 100 years to see Rama and to serve him wholeheartedly.
Though Jambavantha’s dwelling place was the Himalayas, he had chosen Ekasila Nagaram at Vontimitta near Palakondalu in Sesachalam Hills. Ekasila Nagaram was also called as Rukshaparvat or Ruksha Hill as it was the place of thick trees and bears.
The information about Ekasila Nagaram was cited in the slokas of Srisaila Kanda of Siddipeta Mahatyam in Skandapurana. Ekasila Nagaram is in the way of Kasirameshwaram which is the sacred place of Siva Kesava. Standing in the direction of North, Jambavantha did penance. Sri Ramachandra blessed Jambavantha, standing on the opposite hill of it.
The same place where Jambavantha received blessings has become a sacred and pious place to the devotees of Rama in Kaliyuga.
The voyage transverse of Sri Rama in exile
The temple at Vontimitta has the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana without Hanuma. Hanuman who is usually represented in most of Rama, sita and Lakshmana temples, is missing at Vontimitta. A separate temple was built for Hanuma. It was said in Puranas that Rama, Sita and Lakshmana had spent their period of exile for some time at Vontimitta.
From there, at a distance of half a kilometre, there was the hermitage of Saint Mrukandu. Rama and Lakshmana protected the hermitage from demons. A few years after the incident, Ravana abducted Sita. In search of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana reached the hill where Hanuma resided. Hanuman met Rama and Lakshmana for the first time, after the abduction of Sita. It was the reason why the Hanuman idol was not placed in the temple of Rama.
Sri Sanjeevaraya Swamy Temple
The story of Hanuma does not end with it. Hanuma’s temple was separately built at Vontimitta. During the war with Ravana, Lakshmana lost his consciousness. Rama had sent Hanuma for Sanjeeveni, a sapling that brought back the consciousness. While he was bringing, he felt tedious. Hanuma kept his foot on the hill at Vontimitta to relax. Hence, a separate temple was constructed for Hanuma, calling him on the name Sanjeevaraya.
One could see the petals of Sanjeevini carved in the hands of the Hanuman idol. Those who are suffering from diseases or unnecessary fears can visit the temple of Hanuma to regain their health and also to get rid of their fear.
The story of Jambavanth
The episode of Kishkindha Kanda in Ramayana speaks about the relationship that was developed between Sugreeva & Rama. After the death of Vali, his brother Sugreeva ascended the throne. Sugreeva promised Rama that he would help him in search of Sita. He had assigned the work of searching Sita to Hanuma and Jambavantha. For Jambavantha, Rama was not new.
In Krutayuga, Jambavantha did penance to see Rama. His intense desire to see Rama fulfilled in Tretayuga.
As he desired, Jambavantha received a chance to be with Rama and to work for Rama. In search of Sita, Jambavantha came to the same place where he received blessings from God when he did penance. It was Ekasila Nagaram at Vontimitta.
He relaxed on the hill where he was blessed and the next morning, when he was about to leave, he selected a rock and worshipped it with utmost devotion, imagining it as Rama with Sita & Lakshmana. A temple was built in the same place where Jambavantha consecrated a rock, imagining it as an idol.
Inauguration of the Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple
Vontudu and Mittudu were the two tribal brothers who used to control the people of Ekasila. A sudden and unexpected change had come in their behaviour. The reason could be the dream that had come to them in which they saw Rama with Sita.
They became ardent devotees of Rama. Once the king of Udayagiri, Kamparayulu visited their place. Taking the king’s visit as a great opportunity to start a temple at Ekasila Nagaram, the two tribals showed the king, the places where Jambavantha laid a rock imagining it as Rama with Sita and also showed an artesian well that was created by Rama to satisfy Sita.
Witnessing the authentic proofs of Kritayuga, King Kamparayulu felt very happy and accepted the request of Vontudu and Mittudu to build a temple at Ekasila Nagaram at Vontimitta. Beside the temple, for the construction purpose, a lake was dug. The king gave the responsibility of the temple and the lake to Vontudu and Mittudu.
In the year 1356 AD, many years after the inauguration of the temple, a surprise visit by King Bukkaraya took place. Accompanied by Bukkaraya, his teacher Vidyaranya visited the place. They were captivated by knowing the significance of the place.
Bukkaraya with the blessings of his teacher consecrated the idols of the three deities – Rama Sita and Lakshmana in the temple. A small village formed around the temple. As that was the place controlled by Vontudu and Mittudu and the place was also named Vontimitta.
Extension of the Temple
The temple that was built in the beginning when Bukkaraya had been consecrated was not spacious. There was only a sanctum sanctorum, a small dome, an inner chamber and a main gate. The temple was very small. Two centuries after the inauguration, a king called Matlaraju who belonged to the Vijayanagara clan developed Siddapatam as the centre for his administrative works. Vontimitta was very near place to Siddapatam. The king used to visit Vontimitta which was nearby.
Due to his frequent visits, the place gained recognition. After that period, Anantha Raju – son of Matla Elamaraju, Tiruvengalanatharaju – son of Anantha Raju and Kumara Anantha Raju – son of Tiruvengalanatha, three kings developed the temple at Vontimitta. They had taken the responsibility of the temple and extended the temple boundaries. Rangamandapam, Open-air theatre, Kalyanamandapam, Great Wall, Three ornate towers, Sanjeevaramaswamy temple and Ramatheertham were some that were built during the reign of the three kings.
The responsibility of TTD
As the time passed, the temple was left in poverty. It was due to the rule of Mohammadians and the Britishers. Little care was taken on the temple. In the 20th century, a devotee called Vavilikolanu Subbarao travelled to many places to gather the amount to bring back the splendour of the temple. With his devotional work, the temple had regained its magnificence.
After the bifurcation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, Badhrachalam, the place well known for Rama temple, was given to Telangana. The then Andhra Pradesh government, to bring back the grandeur of the temple of Rama at Vontimitta, handed over its responsibility to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam. Since then, the temple of Vontimitta has received State recognition.
Many changes have taken place in and around the temple. Three streets are built around the temple. A floor with granite stone is laid inside the temple. There is a park with beautifully carved images outside the temple. A sacred water tank is located in the precincts of the temple.
An open-air theatre was built inside the village to perform the marriage ritual of Sri Rama. Throughout the year, various rituals are celebrated in that Open-air theatre. Pandits chant vedas early in the morning daily and on every full moon day, there takes place Sita Rama marriage ritual.
Annammaya Visit to the Temple
The temple at Ekasila Nagaram in Vontimitta, a town of Kadapa district located in the way between Kadapa and Tirupati. Chennai and Mumbai rail line crosses Vontimitta. It is said that saint-poet Annamacharya who had written 32000 Sankeerthanas on Tirumala Venkateswara, visited the temple and composed songs in honor of Rama.
Venkatadri Rama appears as Lord Sri Rama of Tretayuga. In the auspicious waking up ceremony every morning, the Lord is addressed as Rama, the son of Kousalya, in the shloka, “Kousalya supraja rama poorvaa sandhya pravartate.” Hanuman is a symbol of servitude as devotion.
