Sri Parthasarathy Temple / ஸ்ரீ பார்த்தசாரதி கோயில், திருவல்லிக்கேணி / Thiruvallikeni, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 05^th March 2017.

Even though I had been to this temple earlier, this visit is a part of Triplicane ( Thiruvallikeni - thiru - alli - keni- திரு அல்லி கேணி ) Heritage walk, to learn about historical point of view. The temple is being called in the name of Urchavar instead of Moolavar.

This is the 61^st Divya desam of 108 Divya desams of Lord Vishnu. 3 Alwars, Pey Alwar, Thirumazhisai Alwar, and Thirumangai Alwar ( all three lived from the 5^th Century to 8^th century ) have sung Pasurams / மங்கலாசாசனம் on this Lord. Also, they mention that the sea was near the temple, and corals & pearls were washed on the seashore. 

வந்துதைத்த வெண்டிரைகள் செம்பவள வெண்முத்தம்

அந்தி விளக்கும் அணிவிளக்காம், - எந்தை

ஒருவல்லித் தாமரையாள் ஒன்றியசீர் மார்வன்,

திருவல்லிக் கேணியான் சென்று.

… பேயாழ்வார் மூன்றாம் திருவந்தாதி -(2297 )

விற்பெரு விழவும் கஞ்சனும் மல்லும் வேழமும் பாகனும் வீழ,

செற்றவன் றன்னை, புரமெரி செய்த சிவனுறு துயர்களை தேவை,

பற்றலர் வீயக் கோல்கையில் கொண்டு பார்த்தன்றன் தேர்முன்நின் றானை, சிற்றவை பணியால் முடிதுறந் தானைத் திருவல்லிக் கேணிக்கண் டேனே. 

..... திருமங்கை ஆழ்வார் ( 1068 )

தாளால் உலகம் அளந்த அசைவேகொல்,

வாளா கிடந்தருளும் வாய்திறவான், - நீளோதம்

வந்தலைக்கும் மாமயிலை மாவல்லிக் கேணியான்,

ஐந்தலைவாய் நாகத் தணை?

…. திருமழிசை ஆழ்வார் ( 2416 )

Moolavar   : Sri Venkata Krishnan

Urchavar   : Sri Parthasarathy

Thayar      : Sri Lakshmi as Sri Vedavalli Thayar

Some of the important features of this temple are...

The temple faces east with a temple tank in front, and Neerazhi Mandapam has rainwater harvesting ducts  (which might have been built during the Vijayanagar period ). There is a 4 pillar and Vijayanagara period mandapam ( the maha mandapa pillars have the relief of Vishnu’s avatars, Kannan and Krishna Leelas, since the temple is dedicated to Venkata Krishna maybe 200  to 300 years old ), Thirumangai alwar with sword and shield, Thanvadhiri with Amirtha kalasam, is in front of the 5 tier Rajagopuram. Palipedam, Dwajasthambam, and Garudalwar Sannadhi are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Kannadi room ( Mirror room) and Paramapatha vassal.

In the sanctum, the Panchaveera cult consists of Balarama, Venkatakrishnan, son, and grandson. The Moolavar is with a mustache ( made with pachai karpooram – chamber ) and the original moortham is without a mustache. The first naivedyam is being offered for Yoga Narasimhar and the naivedyam will not contain the chilli/ powder.

Sannadhis for Venkatakrishna facing east, Yoga Narasimha facing west ( the bell in this sannidhi does not have a tongue since Narasimhar is in Yoga ), Gajendra Varadhar ( sitting on the back of Garuda ),  Varaha, Narasimhar and Ranganathar. Sri Ranganathar is in a reclining position on Adhiseshan. The sanctum is in a rectangular shape. Sannadhis of Varaha, and Narasimha facing each other, Alwars in the elevated level of sanctum mandapam.  Rukmini is on the right side of Varadhar.

Thayar Sri Vedavalli is in a separate sannidhi facing east on the right side of Moolavar.  Sannadhi for Yoga Narasimhar, Ramar, Gajendra Varadhar and Andal are in the prakaram. The Temple chariot is the biggest in Chennai city with images of Ashta thik balakas, Vishnu’s avatars, dancing horses, yazhi, Garuda, etc,  A 17th-century painting has also been found in recent years.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It was believed that the Moolavar sanctum was built during Pallava Period. The earliest inscription available is 808 CE, Nandivarman Pallava Period. It states that the temple existed before. The inscription in fragment stones available is Dantivarman ( 779 – 830 ), 23^rd year of Rajaraja deva, Kulothunga III, ( 1012 to 1044 CE ) of Chozha period, Vijayanagara Kings ( 1586- 1616 CE ), Vijayanagara King Rangaraya Deva Maharaj I ( 1578 – 1586 CE ), Pandiya King Maravarman aka Thirubhuvana Chakravarthy Kulasekara Deva, etc. The inscriptions are in both Tamil and Telugu.  These fragments are kept on display on the north side of the Moolavar sanctum wall.

The temple was used during the battles of Golkonda,  by the French and Dutch. Eminent personalities like  Sri Ramanuja, Swami Vivekananda ( He had written a letter to one Mr. Azhagiya Singar of this temple, who used to come to Madras and stayed at Ice House close to this temple ) and Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi ( who was hit by the temple elephant and fell ill and died latter) have also worshiped lord of this temple. 

The 32 kal mandapam outside Parthasarathy Temple was built in the year 1851. This was constructed by Mannivakkam Somasundara Mudaliar during the years 1851 to 1855. Mudaliar by his will dated 7th March 1848 appointed  Pondicherry  Srinivasa Pillai and Vannamamalai Satakopachariar as executors. Among the wishes expressed in the will is the construction of 32 Kal Mandapam outside Parthasarathy Swamy Pagoda. The estimated cost was Rs.20000/-. The mandapam was completed after his death. These photographs of Frederick Fiebig taken in the year 1851 must have been taken during its construction as evidenced by the granite pillars, stones, sarams, and workers. The flooring of the mandapam was done by one Vijayarangam Pillai in 1905. A sculpture of Mudaliar along with his wife is there on one of the pillars of the Mandapam facing the temple. He was also on the board of Trustees of Pachaippas Trust during that time.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 12.30 Hrs and 16.00 Hrs to 21.00 Hrs

CONTACT DETAILS:

The temple web site: http://www.sriparthasarathytemple.tnhrce.in/index.html

Temple office phone numbers are 044 28442462 and 28447042

HOW TO REACH:

Just walkable distance from MRTS railway station.

1.5 KM distance from Beach Road Bus stop.

Town buses are available from various parts of the city

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:     CLICK HERE

An old Photograph

  ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---