Sri Kasi Viswanatha Swamy Temple / ஸ்ரீ காசி விஸ்வநாதர் கோயில், Ayanavaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

 24^th March 2019.

After completing the darshan of Sri Kandaswamy at Kosapet, on 24^th November 2019, Mr Manoj took me to the Shiva Temple at Ayanavaram.  This 200 and odd year old Shiva temple, is one of the 400 and odd heritage structures and temples listed by the Padmanabhan Committee, and the same was notified by the High Court of Madras. The Temple is very close to Medavakkam Tank Road. Initially, the Temple had a vast area of land and the major portion was taken over/ encroached on by the Govt. for constructing the Bus Depot, Annai Sathya Nagar, and other residential colonies. This temple also has a connection with Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD). The details are given below.

Moolavar    : Sri Kasi Viswanatha Swamy

Consort      : Sri Visalakshi

The salient features of this temple are…..

The Temple faces east with a mottai gopuram built with brick and mortar. The Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are immediately after the East side Mottai Gopuram Entrance. Vinayagar and Bala Murugan are one both sides of the entrance to the Ardha Mandapam. Balipeedam and rishabam are in font of Sanctum Sanctorum. Dwarapalakas are on both sides of the entrance to Sanctum Sanctorum. Moolavar Shiva Lingam is small and Swayambhu brought from Kasi. Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, and Durgai are in the koshtam. 

Ambal Shrine is in the mandapam facing south with a separate Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Ambal’s Simha Vahana on the south side of the praharam. Ambal is in standing posture with Abhaya Varada hastam.

In Ardha Manadapam Nalvar, Saptamatrikas, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Maha Lakshmi, Saraswati, Pichadanar, Mohini, Ambal, Nataraja with Sivagami, Manickavasagar, Anjaneyar, and Veerabhadra.

In the outer praharam, Trustees office, Vasantha mandapam, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran, Suriyan, and Chandikeswarar. 

Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar- Maha Lakshmi - Saraswati

Saptamatrikas

Veerabhadra

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, Antarala, and Ardha Mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a Gramiya style adhistanam. The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. A Two tala Dravida vesara Vimana is on the prastaram. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the Tala and Greeva koshtas. Ambal sannidhi is with a two tala salakara Vimanam.

Dwajasthamba for Shiva and Ambal sannidhis 

 Ambal Sannidhi Vimanam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built by the Gujarathi family and some of the details are…

The Tawkers, a clan of Gujarathi origin had migrated to Trichy in the 1700s. So they added T (Trichy) in their initials, thereby establishing the connection with the historic Town of Trichy.  Mr. TR Tawker one from the Gujarathi family moved to Madras and started his Gem and Jewelry business on Mount Road (The Indo saracenic style building was designed by Henry Irwin, a famous British designer in those days) in 1890s. This firm became insolvent in 1925. One Mr. Viswanatha Tawker also belongs to the collateral branch of the firm and had some contributions to this temple inscribed on a tablet installed at the entrance. However Two women of the Tawker family namely Ramkor Bai and Ratna Bai, the sisters are responsible for the construction of this temple. They were wealthy enough and lent money to the East India Company for their cloth trade. 

The Construction of this temple was started in 1804 CE and Completed in 1807 CE. They brought 2 Shiva Lingas from Kasi, of which one was installed in a small shrine  at a choultry Motta Utra, a congregational center for the Khedawal Community of Gujaratis in Madras on Mint street opposite Sri Ekambareswarar Temple. The Second one was installed in this temple. A Tank was also excavated across the road (probably Medavakkam Tank Road). They constructed Shops and single-story houses with madras terraces & Mangalore tiles around the temple. The income from these properties was utilized for conducting regular poojas and celebrations. They also established a Choultry, which served as a Guest house and is now used as an accommodation for Students.  The Gujarati Sisters' desire to construct a Vishnu Temple was not fulfilled.

The Tawker line that built the temple died out over time and the administration was passed on to the Dagat family and then it came in the hands of the present Daveys. The principal money loaned by the Tawker family Sisters Ramkor Bai and Ratna Bai, to the East India Company was never returned till independence, and only interest was paid. After independence, the payment of interest was also stopped. Daveys, who took the administration of this temple filed a suit in Madras High Court and won the case. The principal amount was returned to the temple after calculating the exchange rate for the Pagoda vs the Rupee. Now the temple administration is being managed by Mr. T R Subbaraya Davey. 

As per the inscription Punar Jeernodharana was started on 08^th May 1931 and Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 11^th May 1932 under the trustees TR Ranganath Davey and TR Krishnanji Davey.

The temple was renovated in 1992 and 2016, without altering the main structure.

Ref:

My Sincere thanks to Mr. Sriram Venkatakrishnan for the forticle on this temple.. 

https://sriramv.com/2011/06/07/the-agraharam-at-ayanavaram/

Ramkor Bai and Ratna Bai- Construction of this temple inscription

POOJAS & CELEBRATIONS

Apart from the regular poojas, a 10-day Brahmotsavam will be conducted during April month, every year. On the 9^th night, Sri Shiva with Parvati are taken in procession on a silver Rishabam. To witness this function the Gujarathi families assemble at the temple from various parts of the Country.

The Umbrellas taken in a procession meant for the Tirupati Tirumala Bramorchavam, which started from Madras Chennakesava Perumal temple used to stay in this temple for one night before their onward journey.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 11 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 200 meters from Ayanavaram bus terminus

About 2 KM from Perambur Railway station and 2 KM from Perambur Carriage works.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---