The temple dedicated to Lord Rama in the village of Peddaputha in the mandal of Valluru is unique. Aside from its architectural size, the Vijayanagara period temple in AD 1400 has the idol of the presiding deity in a yogic posture, which is a rarity.
The idols of Lord Rama who carry bows and arrows are widespread. However, the idol in this temple does not have these weapons. The Lord sits in ‘Padmasana’, his right hand in ‘Chinmudra’.
In yoga, “chinmudra” is viewed as a posture in which the practitioner holds the hand close to the heart, the palm closed, and the thumb and forefinger brought together. The idol’s left hand touches the ground in ‘Bhumisparsha Mudra’.
Goddess Sita sits to the left of Lord Rama and holds a lotus in her hand. while Lord Lakshmana stands with a bow and arrow to the right of the presiding deity.
Lord Anjaneya sits in a reading position in front of Lord Rama and refers to the “Brahma Sutra” inscribed on palm leaves.
“The idols symbolically show that Lord Rama is listening attentively to Lord Hanuman’s Vedic recital,” explains V. Ramabrahmam, academic at the Institute for History and Archeology at Yogi Vemana University in Kadapa.
A similar iconography can be found in Singanamala in the Anantapur district and in the 500-year-old temple in Nedungunam, 24 km south of the city of Vandavasi on the Kanchipuram-Chetput route in Tamil Nadu at the foot of Mount Dheergajala.
Dilapidated state
However, the temple in the village of Peddaputha is in ruins and is hardly known to the people. The shrine was in a dilapidated condition for over three decades, but a glimmer of hope has surfaced among believers and archaeologists after it was taken over by the foundation department last month that it would be revived.
“That is not enough. The state or central archeology departments should consider taking over this temple for preservation,” says Ramabrahmam.