Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple, Kottur / Kotturpuram, Zamin Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 01^st November 2016.

This temple’s visit was planned for 6^th November 2016. After seeing the clear sky with sunshine thought of visiting Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple at Kottur, otherwise called Varaha Kshetram. This Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple is on the banks of the river  Adyar and Buckingham canal at Kottur in Zamin Adyar, Chennai. The place Kottur was called Kottu - Idai - Konda - Ooor, and later turned to Kottur. In Sanskrit, Kottur is also called Rekhapuri. The temple is on an elevated place, hence the 2015 flood didn’t affect temple. 

Moolavar : Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal

Thayar    : Sri Alarmelu Mangai

Some of the important details are...

The temple faces east with Anjaneyar Sannadhi on the opposite side of the road and an entrance arch. At the gate (inside wall), Nagar and Gajamukar. A Deepa Sthambam, balipeedam, dwajasthambam and Garudan are after the entrance. Moolavar Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal is in a standing posture with abhaya hastam. Utsavars Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi, in front of the moolavar. Alwars are in the ardha mandapam. 

In the outer praharam sannidhi for Thayar Sannidhi, Chakkarathalwar & Sudarshana Narasimhar in a single stone (similar to Sriperumbudur temple), Sri Venugopalaswamy and Navagrahas. (Navagraha sannidhi in Perumal temple is rare since Navagrahas will be kept (avahanam) at the base of the Moolavar. The Navagraha shrine was built in the year 1972. On the right side of the sanctum,  mandapam for vahanas.

 

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum  comprises of Sanctum and the ardha mandapam. In the ardha mandapam sannadhi for Sri Alarmel mangai Thayar, Andal, and Alwars. We could spot old pillars supporting the artha mandapam. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This place Kottur has long history since Pallava and Chozha era. During Chozha period Kottur was the capital of “Kottur Nadu”, under Puliyur Kottam (the present Kodambakkam area), in Jayangonda Chola Mandalam of Thondai Mandalam. During British period, this place belongs to Arcot Nawas and called as Nawab Garden. Later the property was bought by Annamalai Chettiar and Murugappa Chettiar Group. After the introduction of land ceiling act, a small portion was retained by them.

The Chozha period inscription at Sri Dhandeeswarar Temple, Velachery, records this place Kottur as Kottur Nadu.

தமிழ் நாட்டுக்கல்வெட்டுகள் தொகுதி - IX - காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டக் கல்வெட்டுகள் தொகுதி-5, ன்படி..

மதுரை கொண்ட கோவிராஜகேசரியின் (சுந்தரசோழன்), 5 ஆம் ஆட்சியாண்டு, தண்டீஸ்வரர் கோயில் உண்ணாழிகைத் தெற்குச் சுவரில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு (769 / 2017), புலியூர்க் கோட்டத்துக் கோட்டூர் நாட்டு வெளிச்சேரி ஊர் நிர்வாகச் சபையான ஆளுங்கணத்து உறுப்பினர் தென்னூர் தேவகுமார கிரமவித்தன் என்பவன் இவ்வூர் தண்டீஸ்வரர் கோயிலில் ஒரு நுந்தா விளக்கெரிக்க 90 சாவாமூவா பேராடுகள் தானமளித்துள்ள செய்தியை பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

The Chozha King Madurai Konda Kõviräjakēsari’s (Parāntaka-II: Sundara Chōla) 5^th reign year (962 CE), inscription on the south wall of the central shrine in the Dandisvara temple, records that one Devakumāra Kramavittan of Tennur, one of the members of the administrative assembly (alunganam) of Velichchēri donated 90 Saavaa moovaa sheeps for a perpetual lamp to the temple of Dandīśvara at Velichchëri in Köttür nādu a sub-division of Puliyür-köttam.

During 1971-72, Archaeological Department personnel inspected the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple and estimated the age of the temple might be 970 Years, based on the 12^th to 13^th century incomplete fragment inscription found on the mandapam wall. But some of the experts, based on the mandapa pillars, believes that the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple may belongs to 16^th to 17^th century Vijayanagara Nayaka’ period. 

It was said that Sri Venugopala Swamy was found in the Adyar River, brought by the fishermen. Later, Moolavar with sannidhi was built.

 The 11th to 13th-century inscription

 The Navagraha shrine was built in the year 1972, as per the inscription tablet on the wall

 The inscription of Alwar's installation during the year 1978

 This inscription is about the sannadhi for Nagar and Gajamugar (Vinayagar), constructed in 1968

LEGENDS

As per Battar Moolavar, Anjaneyar Murtis are very old. Those who could not go to Tirupathi can offer/pray to this Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal at Kottur and get a similar blessing. And also Perumal will appear before the devotees depending on their Karma, hence called Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal.  Also, it was told that Perumal will only decide to whom he has to give darshan on that day.

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple will be open from 08.00 hrs to 10.30 hrs, and from 18.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Battar Sri Srinivasan may be contacted for further details through his mobile 9381007641.

The Thiruvanmiyur office phone numbers are +914424410477 and 9841328712

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 500 meters from the Kotturpuram MRTS Railway station, and frequent buses are available on Gandhi Mandapam Road. The temple is about 2 km from the Kotturpuram bus stop (AMM School)

The nearest Railway Station is Kotturpuram MRTS Railway Station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Sri Chakkarathalwar  & Sri Sudharsana Narasimhar Sannidhi. 

  Chakkarathalwar on the east side  

 Sri Sudarsana Narasimhar on the west side 

 Venugopala Swamy  - fishermen brought from the Adyar River 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---