SRI VENUGOPALASWAMY TEMPLE, LINGHI CHETTY STREET, CHENNAI, TAMILNADU

18^th September 2016

One of my temples Uzhavaram friend gave me a ring on 17^th Sep 2016, for uazhavaram at Sri Natarajar temple and Sri Venugopalaswamy Temple, at Linghi Chetty Stree, Chennai. The same was scheduled on 18^th Sep 2016. Since there was no scheduled program on that day readily accepted to participate. Both temples are on the same street and had a connection with British  East India Company history.  These two temples are about 10 meters distance from Sri Mallikeswarar temple, which is preparing for the kumbhabhishekam.

  

Moolavar : Sri Venugopalaswamy

Thayar     : Sri Mahalakshmi.

Some of the important details are….

1. The temple is facing east with a mandapam in front. Garudalwar sannadhi is in front of moolavar. On the back palipedam and a dwajasthambam.  The mandapam was built  during 1977 by a Christian by name Susai Udaiyar and Mr Ananthachari  at a cost of Rs 35000.  A case of  win in favour of Susai, through Aanathachariyar,  so he made this contribution.

2. Sannadhi for alwars, Varadharajaperumal, Ramar with Seetha and Lakshmanar, Bajanai perumal,  Anjaneyar and stucco sirpams of Perumal’s 10 avatharas. The sannadhi of alwars continued at the sides and back side of the sanctum also.

3. Sannadhi for Mahalakshmi and Andal are at the back side of the sanctum.

There is a Shiva linga and Nandhi with female relief panel is installed in  front of Mahalakshmi sannadhi.  In the Mahalakshmi sannadhi, Lakshmi Narayan moortham is also installed facing north.

4. In the sanctum Sri Venugopalaswamy with Thayars and Urchavars. In the arthamandapam  urchava moorthams of Alwars, lakshmi narasimhar, Venugopalaswamy and Thayars.

5. There are three inscriptions which says the  property donated by the devotees  to take care of the expenses of the daily poojas.

6. The temple is maintained by the elected trustees of Arya Vysya Telegu Beri Vysya Saba a registered body.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is kept open between 08.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about a KM from Beach Railway station.

About 100 meters from Sri Mallikeswarar Temple on the same Linghi Chetty street.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE

 Devotees offerings 

How this panel came to this Vishnu temple?

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

SRI NATARAJAR TEMPLE, LINGHI CHETTY STREET, CHENNAI, TAMILNADU.

18^th September 2016

One of my temples Uzhavaram friend gave me a call on 17^th Sep 2016, for uazhavaram at Sri Natarajar temple and Sri Venugopalaswamy Temple, at Linghi Chetty Street, Chennai. The same was scheduled on 18^th Sep 2016. Since there was no scheduled program on that day and readily accepted to participate. Both temples are on the same street and had a connection with British  East India Company.  These two temples are about 100 meters distance from Sri Mallikeswarar temple, which is preparing for the kumbhabhishekam.

The temple was too shabby and seems nobody cleaned for the past many years. Debris are scattered and the old gurukkal could not do any maintenance with out assistance.

Iraivan : Sri Natarajar

Iraivi    : Sri Sivakami

Some of the important features of this temple are…

1. The temple facing west with a small dwajasthambam, palipedam and Nandhi  are in the front mandapam.

2. In the parakaram sannadhi for Natarajar, Thillai Vinayagar, Sandikeswarar, Naalvar with  Sekkizhar, Pandurangan, Anantha Sayana Perumal, Sri Vallaidevasena Subramaniyar.

3. Vahana mandapam and  Navagrahas are in the back side of the sanctum in a madras terrace building.

4. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dhakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

Dwarabalakars are  at the entrance of the sanctum.

5. As per Sivachariyar Sabarathina Sivan the temple was built by Subbaraya bakthar ( relief is on the mandapam pillar and a photo is available at the temple, he worked as a treasurer in East India Company ) who had no male issues with his first wife. So he constructed this temple with Shiva lingam and Amman and worshiped Lord Shiva. After few years he married a Vaishnava lady and added Pandurangan and Anantha Sayana perumal sannadhi. Even then there was no male child born. Finally he made a will to donate all his property to this temple and died.

6. This temple is under the control of HR & CE of Tamilnadu.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is kept open between 08.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Sabarathina gurukkal ( the fourth generation gurukkal  who is doing pooja in this temple )  may be contacted on his mobile 9840256435.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about a KM from Beach Railway station.

About 100 meters from Sri Mallikeswarar Temple on the same Linghi Chetty street.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :

Mr Subbaraya Bakthar whoc constructed this temple  

UZHAVARAM PHOTOS 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

A HERITAGE VISIT TO MADAMBAKKAM, OTTIYAMBAKKAM, NANDHIVARAM ( GUDUVANCHERY ) AND VANDALUR

10^th September 2016.

This Heritage visit was arranged  through R.E.A.C.H Foundation for it’s Epigraphy students by Mr Ramanath on 10^th September 2016. Mr Ramanath accepted my willingness to join with them ( as an old student, I hope ). Though it was not a planned visit,  19 heritage enthusiasts  in their car and motor cycles participated in this visit.  I was fortunate  to hear the history, architecture and inscriptions of Chozhas and Pallavas once again from  Mr Ramachandran and Mr Vakula varadharajan after a long gap.  We had covered Madambakkam, Sri Dhenupureswarar, a Chozha Period Shiva Temple, A Buddha Statue at Ottiyambakkam,  Nandeeswaram Sri Nadeeswarar a Nandhivaraman  a pallava period temple and a Vijayanagara Period Gajaprishta sanctum Perumal temple at  Vandalur.

AN ASPIDAL VISHNU TEMPLE AT VANDALUR, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.

A continuation to the previous post …..

The final destination was to a Gajaprishta sanctum  Perumal temple at Vandalur.  The temple is immediately after the over bridge towards Padapai via Manimangalam.  The temple is not maintained properly. The inscriptions are  17^th century and as per Mr Ramachandran may  belong to 1520 CE. Even though  the deity is Perumal, as per the inscription the temple must be a Shiva Temple. The temple might be constructed during Vijayanagara Period. ( How come the Pallavas constructed such a Gajaprishta Vimana temples.. it is a mystery).  The normal vimana over the Gajaprishta sanctum was built latter  with vilakkuthoon and Garudalwar sannadhi. During reconstruction, the athistanam stones are not kept in their original position, hence the continuity of the inscription is lost.  Vandalur was the ancient Vandainagar of the Chozha kings referred to in “Kalingathuparani”. However for the inscriptions  we find that the old name  of the village was Vendalur.

The inscription’s  curse is so strong, at one point it said apart from the sin caused due to killing of a cow on the banks of River Ganga and Killing of their mother and father. It is equal to the sin caused  by sending  the sinner’s wife to the person who burns the dead body ( Vettiyan ) and to the umbrella holder.  

The inscriptions  and its details  received from the Web and Mr C Veera sekaran is given below.

"Vandalur was another place visited. It has been surmised that Vandalur was the ancient Vandainagar of the Chola kings referred to in "Kalingatuparani". However, from a late inscription of the 17th century on a small apsidal temple at Vandalur, we find that the old name of the village was Vendalur. The inscription confirms an earlier grant of land for the daily worship and the burning of a perpetual lamp."

The inscription  traced by Dr Gift Sirmoney  (click here ) is written wrongly in the website, as per Mr Ramachandran Sir.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE

 

--- Om SHIVAYA NAMA :---