Kodandarama Temple

Kodandarama Swami Temple is a beautiful Hindu temple located in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Rama. This state protected temple has been constructed in three stages, with its major structures in the Hoysala style. The temple houses huge idols of Lord Rama, his brother Lakshmana and wife Sita. The statues of the idols were carved out from a single natural boulder. The temple is situated near the river Tungabhadra, and is well visited by devotees throughout the year.

About the temple
The temple has idols of Kodandarama with Sita to his right and Lakshmana to his left. The idols of Lord Rama and Lakshmana carry the arrows in their right hands and strung bows in their left hands. The enclosure of the temple has small shrines containing the figures of Yoganarasimha, Sugriva, Kalinga, Mardhana, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vedanta Desika, and some alwars.
The temple is believed to be the place where Lord Rama crowned the monkey King Sugriva. The credibility of this belief is based on the fact that the temple has an idol of Sugriva bowing to Lord Rama. Usually, a temple dedicated to Lord Rama has an idol of Hanuman bowing to the deity; therefore, this is a unique feature.
This magnificent temple also houses figures of Lakshmi, Hanuman, Garuda and Ganpati. On the Gopuram near the entrance of Agni Bhavan, there is a beautiful murti (idol) with two heads, seven tongues and three legs.
As compared to other Rama Temples, the uniqueness of this temple is that the idol of Goddess Sita is placed to his right and Lakshmana to his left. This is to show Parashurama the scene of his marriage.

Temple Architecture
The Temple stands over a large area and has been carved beautifully. The pillars of the temple are decorated with various sculptures, and the inner sanctum of the temple has a rectangular shape. The temple reflects Hoysala and Dravidian styles of architecture.

Myths and Legends surrounding the temple
The Kodandarama Temple is considered as one of the oldest places of worship in Karnataka. There are several legends and mythological beliefs associated with it. According to the local myths, the temple is located on the spot where Vali was killed by Lord Rama before he went to crown Sugriva as the king of Kishkhinda.
Another popular belief here states that Monkey King Sugriva carved out the idols of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita from the natural boulder on the hillside, and built the temple for the devotees to worship the deities. It is believed that the temple has been standing at this place since the time of Ramayana.