Kolavilli Raman Temple

Thiruvelliyangudi, in the Chola Nadu, is reckoned among the 108 Divya Desams sung in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The presiding deity (Moolavar) here is known as Kolavilli Raman, a name that evokes the Lord bearing the beautiful bow (kol villi) of Rama, and He is worshipped reclining in His sacred abode. As one of the divine shrines of the Kaveri delta region, Thiruvelliyangudi holds an honoured place in the geography of Srivaishnava pilgrimage. According to the sthala purana, the name Velliyangudi is associated with the planet Sukra (Venus, Velli), who is held in tradition to have worshipped the Lord at this place and received His grace; for this reason the shrine is venerated by devotees seeking relief from afflictions and the favour of the Lord. The temple’s enduring sanctity in the Tamil devotional tradition rests above all on the hymns of Thirumangai Alwar, the great warrior-saint and the most prolific of the twelve Alwars, who sang the glory of this Divya Desam in his Prabandham. Through his verses the Lord of Thiruvelliyangudi entered the canon of the Divya Prabandham, and the shrine is counted among the sacred places (mangalasasanam) hallowed by Alwar song. Pilgrims who tread the path of the 108 Divya Desams come to behold Kolavilli Raman in this quiet Chola country shrine, where the form of the Lord and the memory of the Alwar’s devotion together preserve a living thread of the ancient Srivaishnava heritage.

Festivals

As a Divya Desam set in the fertile Chola heartland near Thanjavur, Thiruvelliyangudi traditionally observes the annual Brahmotsavam as its principal festival, when the utsava murti of Kolavilli Raman is taken in ceremonial procession on a succession of mounts. Vaikunta Ekadasi is marked with great devotion, the Lord granting darshan through the symbolic gateway of liberation, and the recitation of the Tiruvaymoli and the Nalayira Divya Prabandham forms the heart of the observance. Other customary Srivaishnava events include Pavithrotsavam for ritual purification, the Float festival (Theppotsavam) when the deity is borne upon the temple tank, and the celebration of Krishna Jayanti, Rama Navami and the Tamil month festivals. These are observed in the traditional Pancharatra manner common to the Vaishnava temples of the region.

Location & Access

The temple stands at Thiruvelliyangudi in the Chola Nadu region, in the deltaic country of the Kaveri, with Thanjavur serving as the nearest major city and transport hub from which the village is reached by local road. Like most Vishnu temples, it generally observes morning and evening darshan hours, with the shrine closing during the midday and afternoon interval. Pilgrims usually approach via Thanjavur or nearby towns of the delta by road. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.