| Throughout the ages
in our country, Rama has been considered as the person who would readily come to the aid
of all people in distress especially to protect tanks. and other irrigation works from
breaching their bunds and over-flowing. There was a remarkable incident in
connection with Sri Rama's temple at Madurantakam near Madras. It beautifully illustrates
Rama's character. There is a big tank at Madurantakam. Every year the bunds had to be
repaired and the weirs also properly constructed. This
tank owed much of its construction to a popular Collector of Chingleput-an
European-Mr.Lionel Place who was there from 1795 to 1800 A.D. He was responsible also for
the survey of the tenures of Chingleput District.Twice or thrice during the period when
Mr. Place was there Collector, repairs to the bunds and the weirs were effected. In the
year 1798 on account of unprecedented rain, the tank was full and there was danger to the
weirs and the bunds stood in danger of being breached. This posed a problem to the
authorities of the temple. Several times the bunds and the weirs bad been repaired but
without any avail.
The Collector who was camping are the spot on the particular
day when there was heavy rain was asked by the people of Madurantakam to pray to the Lord
to protect the tank and the town from the ravages of the floods. The Collector who had by
then developed a deep sense of respect for Lord Rama, went at the dead of night to the
tank. His assistants and other people also went with him.
|
