History of Kodandarama Temple
Kodandarama Temple is a Hindu shrine located at Hiremagalur near Chikkamagaluru, in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, India. The temple deity is called Kodandarama, Rama holding his bow, which is named “kodanda”. Rama and his brother Lakshmana are shown carrying arrows in their right hands and strung bows in their left hands.
The temple has been constructed in stages. The present navaranga is of the 14th century, while the mukha mandapa may be of the 16th century. The outer walls of the garbhagruha and vestibule are raised on a square basement that consists of six cornices. The outer walls of the navaranga and mukha mandapa are built with brick and mortar. The projection of the vestibule appears to be of the 17th century. Descriptions of the style of the sanctum differ between sources: some describe the garbhagruha and sukhanasi as Hoysala, others as likely Ganga or Chola, with the remaining portions in Hoysala and Dravidian style. The temple is described as State protected.
The Presiding Deity
In the garbhagruha, on a common pedestal about 1.5 feet high, stand the idols of Kodandarama with Sita to his right and Lakshmana to his left. This is described as the marriage (vivaha or Kalyana Rama) arrangement. In most depictions of Rama, Sita stands to his left, so the placement here is unusual.
Sthalapurana, the local legend, says Parashurama was subdued at Hiremagalur by Rama and requested him to show the scene of his own marriage. For that reason Sita stands to Rama’s right and Lakshmana to his left, as in a Hindu wedding. According to the same legend, the scene shown is from a time before Rama and Hanuman had met, and the Hanuman figure on the pedestal is thought to have been added later for worship purposes.
The idols are described by the poet Da. Ra. Bendre: “All the three idols appear to be walking towards the viewer looking at the placement of their feet. The sculptor has carved intricately the crown, jewellery and the positions of the bodies. Sita’s posture, eyes looking down, her jewellery are sculpted really well.”
Legend also holds that the place was the residence of nine siddhas who performed penance near a pond in the village known as Siddha Pushkarni, and that because Parashurama lived here the place was called Bhargavapuri, the town of Bhargava (Parashurama).
What to See in the Complex
- Small shrines in the prakara (enclosure) with figures of Yoganarasimha, Sugriva, Kalinga Mardana, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vedanta Desika and some alwars.
- The outer walls of the garbhagruha and sukhanasi carry two rows of figures, mostly of Vishnu and his avatars such as Hayagriva, Narasimha, Lakshminarayana, Venugopala, Kalinga Mardana and Govardhanadhari, along with Lakshmi, Hanuman, Garuda and Ganapati.
- A figure of Agni with two heads, seven tongues and three legs on the gopuram near the entrance.
A one-day yatra of the temple is held each year in February–March. A pond nearby, associated with the legend above, is now described as dry.
Timings to Visit
5:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:30 PM To 8:30 PM
Timings are not confirmed on an official website; check with the temple before travelling.
Visiting Duration : 1-2 hrs
How to Reach
Hiremagalur is about 4 to 5 km from Chikkamagaluru town and about 250 km from Bengaluru by road. The nearest railheads are Birur, Kadur and Tarikere, and Chikkamagaluru is the nearest town for buses.
Address
Kodandarama Swami Temple, Hiremagalur, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka.
Also Read Places to Visit in Karnataka
Kodandarama Temple – Hiremagalur Map
