Madurantakam

The town of Madurantakam is located in the Chingleput district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The town is about 2 hours drive away from Chennai (Madras).

Madurantakam is known locally for its famous temple dedicated to the Hindu god - Lord Rama. The interesting thing about this temple is that it was built by a British citizen. Here is the story on how the Temple came into existence: (borrowed from hindubooks.org)

About 150 years ago, during the regime of the East India Company, one ==Leonald Place== happened to be Collector of Chingleput District. Since a very long time, Madurantakam had a big reservoir for preserving rainwater for agricultural purposes. But the bund used to be breached during the rains, thereby causing great loss and damage. Mr. Leonald Place took upon himself the task of preventing the breaches by constructing a waste weir and by strengthening the bund. In the year 1795, he completed the work at a cost of 8000 pagodas (a pagoda was about 312- rupees in value).

Unfortunately, the rains that followed completely washed away theconstructions. Undaunted by this misfortune, Mr. Place reconstructed the whole more thoroughly at a cost of over 10,000 pagodas. But the subsequent rains washed off everything. During one of his visits to Madurantakam in 1798, in his usual morning walk, he happened to pass by Sri Rama's temple on the banks of the reservoir. There he met a group of Brahmins going to the temple for worship.

When he got into conversation with some of them, he learnt that they were very anxious to build a shrine for their Goddess but was handicapped for want of funds. Mr. Place jocularly taunted them by saying, "Why are you so keen on building a shrine for Devi, who does not care to do you a good turn for all your prayers by preventing the recurring breaches?" The Brahmins, whose pride was touched to the quick, replied that their Goddess was a great giver of boons if prayed to with faith and sincerity. "Well then", said Mr. Place, "let me make that prayer to your Devi. This year I am again constructing the weir and, should it withstand the rains, the next day shall Devi's shrine rise". The construction of the weir was finished at a cost of 10,000 pagodas, under the personal supervision of Mr. Place. The unusually heavy rains of the year soon filled the reservoir to the brim.

The local subordinates sent word to the Collector with anxiety over possible breach of the bund. Mr. Place rushed to the place and camped at the P.W.D. bungalow. For two days, he could not stir out due to incessant rains. On the third night when the rains had somewhat abated, Mr. Place could not resist the temptation to visit the weir with his camp followers. Mr. Place was naturally expecting to see a sorrowful sight at the point of the weir. But lo! What a sight met his eyes! It was a heavenly sight, which would have made the great saints and sages of India envious of Mr. Place.

Lord Ramachandra and Lakshmana were giving darsan to Mr. Leonald Place! It is commonly said that Mr. Place could see Kodanda Rama, Lord Rama with his Bow pointing to the breach, which they had closed with their arrows. Mr. Place knelt down at the sight and began to pray. His attendants thought that their master had become sick all of a sudden and they rushed to his assistance. But Mr. Place shook them off crying, "What! Don’t you see? See those glorious figures with drawn arrows! How beautiful they are! They smile at us! Alas! They are gone now!"

Mr. Place returned to the bungalow. Meanwhile news of his vision spread rapidly in the town and people gathered round the rest house. Mr. Place came out of his room and said: "The bund is not broken; nor will it ever be. I always believed that God is not the monopoly of the Christian Church. Today I am fully convinced. You may all go; tomorrow shall your Devi's shrine rise."

True to his words, Mr. Place had Devi's shrine built under his personal supervision. In memory of his services, the people of the town had the following inscription made, which can be seen even today, in Tamil and Telugu, "This act of charity goes to the credit of the Company Jagirdar Collector, Leonald Place."