A large number of Maharishis had set up their parnashalas in this forest, doing penance and teaching disciples. It should have been a center of Vedic learning once upon a time and accordingly, the place was named Vedapuri. In the course of several thousands of years the name must have been changed to Maraiyur.........
According to the legend, Sri Rama entered this village and the golden deer sud
denly disappeared. Accordingly, this village was subsequently named Maraiyur (a place of disappearance). An interesting event has been narrated by the aged generation of villagers that Sri Rama had been chasing the golden deer in this forest. Coming from the thick forest (Athikadu now called Asikadu), he became quite angry at the deer at the village now named Kovengudi, kovam meaning anger. Sri Rama entered Vedapuri village and the golden deer suddenly disappeared and so this village was subsequently named Maraiyur (a place of disappearance). The golden deer was again sighted by Sri Rama in the next village, called Ayavalam (meaning, Aah! Sri Rama continued chasing the deer through another thick forest called Elenthengudi, filled with Elanthai trees. Finally, Sri Rama killed the golden deer at a village called Kollumangudi (Kollu meaning kill, maan meaning deer and gudi meaning village)
No Historical facts or legendry proof could be offered to this interesting route map of Sri Rama "chasing the golden deer" through the forest locations. Nearness of Rameswaram (300 Km away) and SriLanka, the important landmarking of Ramayana might support this legend. But how can we establish historical link for an event that had taken place in Thretayugam (5000+8, 64,000 + part of thretayugam), believed to be nearly 10,00,000 1 million years back?