Wednesday 18 March 2020

Kumara kottam Subramanya Swamy Temple / Kumara kottam Murugan Temple, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

19th January 2020
It was a long wish to explore the congested streets of George Town and Sowcarpet areas of the old black town in Madras City. Many temples were existed before the British came to Madras and many temples constructed during their periods also. The Kumarakottam Subramanya Swamy Temple on the NSC Bose road, may be constructed during British period. This temple is about 100 meters from Bairagi Mutt Thiruvenkatamudaiyaan Venkatesa Perumal Thirukoil on the General Muthiah Street / NSC Bose Road. There is also a KumaraKottam Subramanya Swamy Temple at Kanchipuram, which is very old.


Moolavar  : Sri Subramanya Swamy
Consorts  : Sri Valli & Devasena

Some of the salient features of this temple are...
The temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram and there is a 3 tier Rajagopuram on the South side also. The Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Peacock vahana are in a recent  period built mandapam immediately after the east side Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are in front of the sanctum. Vinayagar, Sri Valli with 4 Hands, Sri Subramanyar & Valli Devasena with Elephant vahana in front, Devasena with 2 hands, Arunachaleswarar are in a straight line facing east.

In the mandapam Abitha Kujalambal, Nalvar, Nava Veeras ( Veerabahu Thevar, Veerakesari Thevar, Veera Mahendra Thevar, Veera Mahesa Thevar, Veera Puranthara Thevar, Veeraakkatha Thevar, Veera Marthanda Thevar, Veeraanthaka Thevar and Veera Theera Thevar. ). Since the sanctum comprises of 5 sannidhis in the single row, the koshtam also has the image of respective deity of the sannadhi in front. In Koshtam Dhanvantari, Veerabhadra, Dwara Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Agasthiyar, Veerabahu, Bala Vinayagar, Nagaskandar, Balamurugan, Narayani, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Vaishnavi and Durgai. In prakaram Chandikeswarar, Siddhi buddhi Vinayagar, Idumban, Dhandayuthapani, Kadamban. Navagrahas and Nagars.

ARCHITECTURE
The sanctum sanctorum consists of 5 Sannadhis built in rectangular shape. The complete sanctum sanctorum is on a pathabandha adhisthana. The Adhisthana to prastaram is built with granite stone. The outer prakara is covered with mandapa.


 Sanctum sanctorum architecture

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS.
The temple is believed to be of 100 to 200 years old. The Mandapam in front of Rajagopuram was built in 20th Century  with a contribution of  Thiruvalam Kandaswamy Chettiar and his wife. Their reliefs are found on the pillars of the mandapam facing Sri Subramanyar. The Dwajasthambam was installed in 2016. During 1938 CE,  NSC Bose Road was called as China Bazaar Road.

There are two Tamil inscriptions. Both records the gift towards conducting pooja to various temples along with this temple.  The Malayanur Sabapathy Chettiar  inscription records the endowment for this temple, Triplicane Sri Parthasarathy temple, Muthialpet Sri Mallikeswarar Temple, Muthialpet Uma Maheswarar Tamil Veda Parayana Bhaktha Jana Sabha, Thiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Peruman Temple and Otrai Vaadai Sabapathy Chettiar Elementary School ( Hope it is at Walltax road and happy to note that the School is functioning till date ).  This endowment was established by the Thayammal wife of Thiruvalam Kandasamy Chettiar, who is the Malaiyanur Sabapathy Chettiar’s Sister son.

The another 1938CE Inscription records the endowment established by Pallavaram  Ponnusamy Chettiar’s Son Namasivaya Chettiar’s wife Vaduvambal. This inscription records the income  from the house situated at Thambu Chetty Street to be utilized for this temple’s Brahmotsavam. It also mentions the three Persons names as Supervising trustees.  It also records the income of the another house situated at Periyanna Mudali Street  to be utilized along with the above House’s income for this temple festival.  To the top of all, it mentions that after her death, every year on the thithi day  Abhishekam to be done for moolavar and 5 paradesis/ பரதேசிகள் to be feed.

The temple chariot mandapam was also built by Malayanur Sabapathy Chettiar’s Sister Son Kandasamy Chettiar. Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 1994 and 2016.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 06.30 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:
Rajan Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile 9790560923 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:
The temple is on the NSC Bose Road in George Town Chennai, which is  about 2 KM from MGR Central Railway Station.
Nearest Railway station is MGR Central Railway Station.

LOCATION:  CLICK HERE



 South side Rajagopuram with Chariot shed
 East side Rajagopuram
 East side Mandapam


 Main Sanctum sanctorum
  Mandapa Pillar bas-reliefs - Shiva with Brahma, Vishnu - Sarabeswar - Markandeya purana
Out side wall reliefs Rama worships Shiva Linga before Hanuman brings from Kailash
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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