Sri Ponniamman Koil, Kottur / Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 30^th October 2016

The presiding deity is Sri Ponniamman. 

The temple is estimated to be 500 years old.  This temple is located on Ponniamman Koil Street about 250 meters distance from Kotturpuram Signal in Avvai Nagar part of Kottur in Jamin Adyar jurisdiction, on the banks of River Adyar. The temple was built to protect the Village from the Adyar River flood. During mid mid-17th century, the Kottur came under the control of Arcot Nawab, and a Zamindar was appointed to Collect Taxes. Hence Adyar was called as Zamin Adyar. During this period the temple was reconstructed from mud walls and thatched roof to Brick walls and dome type roof ( similar to Muslim mosques ). Since 1937 the temple has been maintained by Nagalla Rajamannar's family. For further reading on the history Click here.

Sri  Ellai Amman Temple is about 200 meters distance from Sri Ponni Amman Temple. During the 1940’s the Gandhi Mandapam road and Kotturpuram Bridge across the river were not there.  The Nawab Bungalow was bought and the present Adyar House was constructed by the founder Chairman of M/s SPIC Limited. The remains of the Nawab bungalow were converted to a garden inside the Adyar House. It was told that there was a Lake with Nawab’s horse stables exists in the present area. Now a street with Lake View Street reminds us that there was a lake in Kottur.

HISTORY 

The TNSC tenements ( Kotturpuram )  and the bridge were constructed during DMK’s rule ( 1960- 70 ). The Kottur, Kottur Gardens, and KotturPuram are now called Kotturpuram. The singer MS Subbulakshmi and T K Pattammal lived in Kottur Garden and Ms Nithya Sri, the Carnatic musician now lives in Kottur Gardens.

The temple was renovated in recent years and the entrance was shifted from the south side to the East side. The temple is facing North with a neem tree at the entrance. The temple is small without any sub-shrines. It was strongly believed that Sri Ponni Amman would remove all hurdles and there is no other deity's shrines would be required.  Soolam, Vahanam, and balipeedam are at the front. During Adi month festival and Fridays, devotees will throng in this temple to get the blessings of Sri Ponni Amman. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 Hrs to 10.30 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 20.00 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The Temple address Sri Ponni Amman, Ponniamman Koil Street, Kottur, Chennai 60085.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is on the Ponniamman Koil  Street and is about 250 meters from KotturPuram Signal.  Lot of Town buses are available from various parts of the city. 

About a KM distance from Kotturpuram MRTS station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sri Ellaiamman Koil, Kottur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. - ON THE BANKS OF RIVER ADYAR

 30^th October 2016

The presiding deity is Sri Ellaiamman. The temple was built on the middle of the road in Kottur ( the roads on both sides may be formed at a later stage) at an elevated level, on the banks of river Adyar.  Ellai ( எல்லை) means the end point of the Village periphery in Tamil. Sri Ellai Amman temple was once the end point of Kottur and due to urbanization, it has become the center point of Kotturpuram. Still, we could spot some of the houses with handmade tiled roofs.  During the 1940’s the Gandhi Mandapam road and Kotturpuram Bridge across the river were not there. From mid 17th century, the Kottur Land belonged to Arcot Nawab, and a portion of the land was bought by Dr MA Chidambaram, the founder Chairman of M/s SPIC Limited. The Nawab Bungalow was demolished and the present Adyar House was constructed. It was said that there was a lake with Nawab’s horse stables in the present  Kottur Garden area, where the Ponni Amman Temple exists. Now the lake view street reminds me that there was a lake in that area.

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board tenements ( Kotturpuram )  and the bridge were constructed during DMK’s rule ( 1960 – 70 ). The Kottur, Kottur Garden, and Kotturpuram are now called Kotturpuram. The Carnatic music singers MS Subbulakshmi and  Nithya Sri are from Kottur Gardens. The temple was renovated recently and Kumbhabhishekam was also performed recently.  During the Adi months, festivals will be celebrated and on Fridays, it will be difficult to pass through the temple due to the crowd at the temple.  The temple is estimated to be 400 years old.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 08.00 Hrs to 10.30 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 20 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The Temple address Sri Ellaiamman, Ellaiamman Koil Street, Kottur, Chennai 60085.

The Poojari Mr Swaminathan may be contacted on his mobile +919444498118

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is on the end meeting point of Ponniamman Koil Street and Ellaiamman Koil Street and is about 500 meters from KotturPuram Signal.  Lot of Town buses are available from various parts of the city. 

About a KM distance from Kottur MRTS railway station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Broken Bridge and Group Walk Photos, Theosophical Society A Heritage Walk

..A continuation Post

22^nd October 2016

BROKEN BRIDGE - THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY A HERITAGE WALK

Our Young curator Nandan Sankriti Kaushik explained about the bride. This was once the connecting link between Urur Olcott Kuppam and the fishing hamlet, before the construction of the bridge near Fortis the Malar Hospital ( Mr Hariharan, G M- TS said that the Hospital land belonged to a member of the Theosophical Society and sold to Malar Hospital. A ward was named after that TS member ). 

The width is almost 6 feet. Mainly used by the fishermen built during the year 1967, when TN Congress was under rule. After a cyclone and flood in the year 1977, a portion of the bridge was washed away, hence called a broken bridge. The Bridge is now being used as a picnic spot and shooting of films.  This Bridge has access from the Theosophical Society and Besant Nagar Beach. It was an awesome site to see the Adyar River joining with the sea and the concrete monsters on the other banks of the river.

  

  

Everyone got exhausted finally after a long and enjoyable walk of about 7 km.. The experience we gain will be there in our mind to our life. Thanks, Mr. Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, Mrs. Sreemathy Mohan the organizer who had taken much pain, Siddharth Chandrasekar, Nandan Sankriti Kaushik our young hero and curator, Rajagopalan Venkatraman for the live telecast with family, Rangarathnam Gopu, Padmapriya Baskaran, Jaishree C Iyer, for taking photos in different angle and perspective, Mohan Hariharan and his mam, Raja King the administrator and all the participants... thanks to you all once again for this wonderful and enjoyable walk.... 

For More Photographs: CLICK HERE

.. To be continued.

The Natural Forest, Flora & Fauna, The Great Banyan Tree and Baobab Tree, Theosophical Society, Adyar, Chennai Tamil Nadu.

.... a Continuation post. 

 2^nd October 2016

Mr Hariharan, GM TS explained the varieties of plants, trees, and herbs inside the Theosophical Society premises ( could not remember the numbers. But as per Nandan Sankriti Kaushik's recorded message of Mr Hariharan, GM - TS, 85 kinds of insects, 200 kinds of birds, 40 to 50 types of fishes, and 150 different types of plants and trees ). Liked the cannon ball trees with cannon balls hanging with a fragrant smell of flowers, that total atmosphere was like heaven. 

THE FLORA & FAUNA - THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

Mr Hariharan, G M – TS, led us through the footpaths covered with thick vegetation and no one behind or before. It was frightening to look at the back. Even at 16.30 Hrs the path was too dark and got light through the tree branches. It was awesome. Without a known person to lead, there is every chance of getting lost in the Theosophical Society’s jungle.

The arch was brought from Chandragiri Fort – a Vijayanagara period

The Bodhi tree in front of the Buddhist shrine

Which path you will take..right or left..

See the light at the centre

The flower ‘Senganthal -  செங்காந்தள்’-  is the Tamil Nadu’s official flower. It is a wild and poisonous plant with very good medicinal value 

THE GREAT BANYAN TREE

The tree was there when the piece of land of 25 acres of land was bought at a cost of Rs 8900 ( as per Mr Hariharan, G M of TS). The tree is estimated to be 450 years old and covers almost 40000 square feet. The main trunk was uprooted by a cyclone in 1989 and a portion of the main trunk survived. Historical important events were held under the tree. The first meeting of the Indian National Congress was held under the tree in 1914. The Atmosphere inducted an idea of Starting Shanthi Nikethan at Madras for Rabindranath Tagore, but could not be materialized.

BAOBAB TREE – THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY,  

There are about species of trees inside the Theosophical Society campus. Some of the trees or the saplings are brought from foreign countries with soil and planted. The Baobab tree is the origin of the African continent and in Tamil, it is called பப்பாரப் புளி. This is called by different names such as side down the tree (since the branches are like roots), dead-rat tree, and monkey bread- tree. This tree grows mainly in the dry countries. During the rainy season, it will store water in the big trunk and be used during the dry season to grow. There are about 5 varieties of Baobab trees available in Africa. The fruits and seeds are nutritious and seeds are available in the form of powder. For further reading. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia

There are about 6 such trees in Madras including one at Theosophical Society. The other places are, Horticultural Society, Chepauk and Madras Museum, Museum Andhra mahila Sabha, C p Ramasamy Iyer's house at Eldams road. We had seen the tree in Egmore Museum, during our Koovam / Cooum river walk.

There are many stories and myths about this Baobab tree. One such myth in India is, that if one circumambulates this, their wishes will be fulfilled.

 For More Photographs: CLICK HERE

.... to be continued