History

Sri Ramanaadheswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located at Porur, Ambattur Talk, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.

This ancient temple is connected to the Ramayana period. According to the history, Sri Rama on His way to Sri Lanka rested here in this place which was then a forest. While resting under an amla tree, he realised that there was a Shiva Linga underground and his feet had touched the head of the Shiva Linga unknowingly. Sri Rama acquired a dhosham as his feet came in contact with the Shiva Linga. He hence undertook a penance to Lord Shiva for 48 days with just one amla fruit as his food, to recover from the dhosham and to bring out the Shiva Linga.

Lord Shiva was moved by Sri Rama’s penance. He came out of the earth and gave Viswaroopa Dharshan to Sri Rama. Sri Rama named the Shiva Linga as Sri Ramanaadheswarar and worshiped him. Goddess Parvathi too appeared and gave dharshan to Sri Rama as Sri Sivakaama Sundhari. Sri Rama worshiped Lord Shiva as his guru and got to know the directions to reach the place where Sita was kept under custody of Ravana and headed towards Sri Lanka. The temple was constructed by II Kulathunga Cholan around 700 AD. History says Lord Rama searched for Seetha in this place. By Mistake Lord Rama kicked a Sivalingam and he realized his flaw, then Shiva appeared and gave directions to Lord Rama to reach Srilanka. Lord Shiva is considered as Guru. There is no seperate Guru sanidhi. Sri Rama acquired a Dhosham as He had touched the Lingam with His feet. So he undertook a penance towards Lord Shiva for 48 days with just one Amla fruit as his food, to recover from the Dhosham and to bring out the Shiva Lingam. Lord Shiva pleased with Sri Rama’s penance came out from the earth and blessed Sri Rama with his Viswaroopa Dharshan.

As Sri Rama worshiped Lord Shiva as his guru, this place became a guru sthalam among 9 Navagraha temples of Chennai or Thondai Mandalam. Here Lord Shiva Himself is worshipped as Sri Guru Bhagavan. Also this place is called Uthara Raameswaram, as Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here, similar to Raameswaram.