Temples within Chennai City 1 As the famous Tamil poetess AUVAYYAR says in Her Legendary presentation of cluster of hymns “Kovil illatha ooril kudi irukkathe” Please don’t reside in a place where there is no temple. The Statement of our forefathers is sacrosanct because the temple indicates that the community is graced by the presence of God and that its Citizens form a moral community. A Community identifies and is identified by others with its temples. It has been our ancient endavour to lead a pious life with full dedication to the services of the Lord. Sri Paramacharya of Kanchi Mutt has repeatedly called devotees and stressed the importance of taking care of old temples - which requires enormous power of men and money - instead of constructing new temples in cities. As you may be aware, there are thousands of temples in dilapidated condition and requires constant maintenance work to be undertaken. There are many shiva lingas of ancient temples found under trees and also while digging. In ancient times, these lingas were 'Moolavars' of temples built by several kings. After conquests and devastations by foreign invaders, Indian temples were destructed and the sacred deities were thrown away and many were broken. The left out deities are found later. Of them, some are unidentified. Those who attempt to construct temples for gods are freed from the sins of a thousand births. Those who think of building a temple in their minds are freed from the sins of a hundred births. Those who contribute to the cause of a temple are bestowed with divine virtues and blessings. Contributing to the renovation of Shiva Temples derive immense benefits according to Thirunelveli Sthala Purana. This holy book further adds that as small as a brick's contribution will earn the Punyam of welcome by Shiva Ganas when we reach there. 2 Navagraha Temples in Chennai SURYAN - Kolapakkam Agastheeswarar Temple CHANDRAN - Somangalam Somanaadeshwarar Temple SEVVAI - Poonamallee Vaitheeswaran Temple BUDHAN - Kovur Sundreswarar / Thirumeyneeswarar temple GURU - Porur Ramanaadeshwarar Temple SUKRAN - Mangadu Velliswarar Temple SANI - Pozhichalur Agastheeswarar Temple RAHU - Kundrathur Thirunageshwarar Temple KETHU - Gerugambakkam Neelakanteswar Temple ( Details of the above mentioned Chennai Navagraha temples are given ) 3 PANCHABHOOTHA STHALAMS IN CHENNAI There are Panchaboodha Sthalam equivalents in Chennai at the heart of the city which are considered very powerful and they are: 1) Kalahasthi temple at Pavalakara (Coral Merchant) street, near Mallikeswarar temple, Mannady representing AIR 2) Arunachaleswara temple near Lakshmi Amman Koil stop in Thiruvotriyur bus route representing FIRE. ( There is one more Arunachaleswarar temple at the end of .Palliappan street in George town ). 3) Gangadareswarar Temple, Purasawalkam representing WATER 4) Chidambaranatha (Nataraja) temple in Choolai representing SKY near Choolai Post Office AND 5) Ekambareswara Koil at Mint representing EARTH 4 Temples within Chennai City Listed below are many of the ancient temples within Listed below are many of the ancient temples within Chennai city that have great legendary significances. A few Chennai city that have great legendary significances. A few popular modern day temples are also listed alongside. popular modern day temples are also listed alongside. Broadway ( Parry’s Corner / Flower Bazaar ) SRI CHENNA MALLEESWARAR TEMPLE AND SRI CHENNA KESAVA PERUMAL TEMPLE The temple is located between DevarajaMudali street on the east, NSC Bose Road on the North, Nainiappa Naicken street on the west and Rasappa Chetty street on the South. This is one of the three temples that were popular even before the arrival of the British. This Shiva-Vaishnav twin temple was initially located near St George fort but the British demolished it to expand their army. Due to the public outcry, the temple was then shifted to the Devaraja Mudali street. In the process, the Vigraha of this Perumal temple got mixed up with the 4 idols of the Thiruneermalai Perumal temple and the idol of Thiruneermalai temple was brought here by a mistaken identity but remains here since then. There will always be a good fragrance of jasmine at the Malleeswarar temple. All the 63 Nayanmars are present in a separate shrine. SRI KANDASWAMY TEMPLE OR KANDAKOTTAM SRI MUTHUKUMARA SWAMY TEMPLE This temple is located at the Rasappa Chetty Street. When Mari Chettiar and Kandappa Achari were going to Thirupporur Murugan temple by walk, they rested at a place and a dream came to both of them simultaneously that there is a Murugan idol below the earth there. The idol was unearthed, brought here and a temple was built during 1670s. The main deity here is Thirupporur Kandaswamy and the Urchava idol is Muthukumara Swamy. Inside the temple, the ‘Saravana Poihai’ temple tank is present and surprisingly the water is at the same level as when the temple was built many hundred years ago, in spite of being located in the city’s densest commercial place. 5 SRI EKAMBARESWARAR TEMPLE This 500 year old temple is located at the Thangasalai street (Mint street), Parktown and is one of the three temples that were popular even before the arrival of the British. A big, beautiful and well maintained temple with a temple tank (with water as well). In almost all the (ancient) temple tanks in this area, it is quite heartening to see water in spite of being in the densest commercial place. JJ’s water harvesting has paid off??. The temple is considered equivalent to Kanchi Ekambareswarar temple, one of Pancha bootha sthalangal representing land. Lingams of all the other Panchabootha sthalams (Kalahasthi, Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvanaikaval and Chidambaram) and all the 63 Nayanmars are also present. There are 300 years old Ashwatha Tree and Kallala tree and there is a lingam shrine under the Ashwatha tree, the speciality of which being that people can do pooja to the lingam themselves. In a single sculpture, Panchamuha Vinayahar is on one side and Murugar is on the other side with a five headed Snake. The Navagraha shrine here is considered one of the most sacred shrines in the city. CHINNAKADAI SRI MARIAMMAN OR RENUKA PARAMESWARI TEMPLE Located at the NSC Bose road in the Mint street junction at Sowcarpet, the highlights of this tiny temple being: More than 200 years old, artistically done temple In the sanctum sanctorum, the goddess is present in two forms – as Seethala Devi in full human form and as Renuka Parameswari with her whole body below the earth and only the head above the earth. Kasi Viswanathar in linga form along with Kasi Visalakshi is also present. Camphor burns always in front of the temple – It is believed that the Goddess gives dharshan in the form of light (deepam). It is believed that lighting camphor in front of the temple during the Brahma Muhurtham (4:30 AM to 5:30 AM) will get one’s wish fulfilled within 11 days. The steps to the ambal shrine are very powerful since the Goddess was initially present here and later shifted backwards to accommodate more crowd. During Fridays, the temple will be kept open till 12 midnight Worshipped by Vallalar and Vivekanandhar Hanging a garland of a lemon with 7 green chillies at house entrance after the pooja here will remove all the dhrishties and bad vibrations. 6 BAIRAHI MADAM SRI PRASANNA VENKATESA PERUMAL TEMPLE This beautiful and cleanly maintained temple is located at the NSC Bose road, near the Waltax road and Kumarakottam. Thirupathi Venkatesa perumal appeared in the dream of a devotee to build a temple here so that he can be present here for him in order to avoid the difficulty of coming all the way to Thirupathi. It will be surprising for the South Indians to see the Perumal in a strange (but beautiful) dressing . The highlight of the temple being that three important Perumals – Sriranganathar, Venkatesa Perumal and Kanchi Varadharaja Perumal – are all present here. Also Lakshmi Narasimhar, Puri Jagannathar, Kannabiran and Varahamoorthy are present. Here also a clean temple tank with water as well (in the month of Jan). KUMARAKOTTAM SRI SUBRAMANYA SWAMY TEMPLE Located at the NSC Bose Road, the Subramanyar here was worshipped by Sage Agasthiar. Though this is a Murugan temple, Lord Shiva as Arunachaleswarar with Abitha Kuchalambal and Sarabeswarar are also present. The Rahukala (4:30 PM to 6:00 PM) Sarabeswara Pooja during every Sunday is very special here. SRI VENUGOPALA KRISHNA SWAMY TEMPLE Located at Pavalakara Street, Muthialupet, 1 km north of Broadway bus stand, this is a many hundred years old temple and is the only ancient Krishnan temple within Chennai city. Srinivasa Perumal and Ramar shrines are also present. Thirumazhisai Azhwar stayed here for many years and has done Mangalasasanam. SRI MARAHATHAMBAL SAMETHA SRI MALLIKESWARAR TEMPLE Located at the Lingi Chetty Street of Seethakathi Nagar, the temple is 700 years old. Once this temple was completely buried under the ground and the temple Kalasam just showed up during a digging. On further digging, the complete temple came into light and now the temple is present 2 meters below the ground level. When the temple was uncovered, fresh jasmine flowers were found on the Shivalingam and so the deity is called Mallikeswarar. Goddess is considered to bless devotees with boons. The temple Gopuram is very artistic and attracts foreigners. All the Navagrahas are present with their respective vahanas. Aswametha and Neem tree are grown together as a single tree. During the first Sunday of Chithirai month, 63 Nayanmars festival is being conducted in a big way, during which many Thevara groups sing Thevarams together as in the famous Thyagaraja Aradhanai at Thiruvaiyaru. 7 SRI KALIKAMBAL TEMPLE The temple is located at Thambu Chetty Street. Chennai city was once called Chennamman Kuppam in the name of Goddess Chennaman and later Chenna pattinam.