Kalyanaramaswamy Temple is located in the coastal village of Mimisal, in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is close to the Bay of Bengal, making it a beautiful place to visit spiritually and scenically. This temple honours Lord Rama as Kalyana Rama, celebrating his divine marriage to Goddess Sita.
The main deity of the temple is Lord Kalyanramaswamy, a form of Lord Rama, who is depicted here in his divine wedding posture with Goddess Sita, known in this temple as Mangalanayaki. Lord Rama is shown in a majestic standing posture with graceful features. Apart from the main shrine, there is a separate shrine for Lord Shiva, worshipped here as Arjuneswarar, and Goddess Brihatgujalambikai, making this temple a rare place where both Rama and Shiva are worshipped together.
The temple has a Dravidian style of architecture, with beautifully sculpted pillars, stone carvings, and a peaceful temple tank called Kalyana Pushkarani. Though not very large, the temple is well-maintained and has a charming, serene environment. Lord Rama’s sanctum uniquely depicts Rama-Sita in a wedding posture, which is rare to see in temples. The presence of both Vaishnavite and Shaivite shrines in the same complex highlights the unity of traditions.
According to legend, after the marriage of Rama and Sita in Mithila, many sages and saints who could not witness the divine event prayed to Rama for a darshan of the Kalyana (wedding) scene. Lord Rama, moved by their devotion, gave them a vision of his wedding at Mimisal. Thus, the place became known as Mimisal, derived from “Mimamsai,” which means “divine debate or realization”.
It is also believed that this place has the power to remove doshas (astrological afflictions) like Mangal dosha, Pitru dosha, and Shukra dosha. Devotees believe that performing a holy bath in the sea and then in the Kalyana Pushkarani, followed by darshan of Kalyanaramaswamy, will remove these negative effects and bring peace and marital harmony.
Before entering the temple, devotees take a dip in the sea, which is just a short walk from the temple, and then in the Pushkarani (sacred temple tank). This ritual is believed to purify the body and mind and prepare the devotee for the darshan of the Lord. Many people also perform ancestor-related rituals here to get relief from Pitru dosha.
The most important festival celebrated here is during the Tamil month of Aadi (July–August). A Theppam (Float) Festival is held on the 9th and 12th days of the festival period, where the processional deity is taken on a beautifully decorated float in the Pushkarani. A car festival (the Rottam) is also held on the 9th day, drawing large crowds of devotees from nearby towns and villages.
Other festivals like Rama Navami, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Hanuman Jayanti, and Krishna Janmashtami are also celebrated with devotion.
