VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple / Sri Meenakshi Temple / ஸ்ரீ மீனாக்ஷி சுந்தரேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Nolambur, Ambattur Industrial area, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Tuesday 12 December 2023

Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple / Sri Meenakshi Temple / ஸ்ரீ மீனாக்ஷி சுந்தரேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Nolambur, Ambattur Industrial area, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple at Nolambur a part of Ambattur Industrial Estate was a part of “Lesser Known Vishnu, Shiva, Amman Temples of Chennai Visit”, on 23^rd October 2022. Most of the temples were reconstructed during recent years and some retains their original structure. All these temples have long history of Pallava, Chozha, Vijayanagaras.

இருபதுமு மென்குரற் கிண்கிணியு முறையிட்

டிரைந்திடு மரிச்சிலம்பும்

இறுமிறு மருங்கென் றிரங்குமே கலையும்பொ

னெழுதும்செம் பட்டு வீக்குந்

திருவிடையு முடைதார மும்மொட் டியாணமுஞ்

செங்கைப் பசுங்கிள்ளையுந்

திருமுலைத் தரளவுத் தரியமும் மங்கலத்

திருநாணு மழகொழுகநின்

றருள்பொழியு மதிமுகமு முகமதியி னெடுநில

வரும்புகுறு நகையுஞான

ஆனந்த மாக்கடல் குடைந்துகுழை மகரத்தொ

டமராடு மோடரிக்கட்

பொருகயலும் வடிவழகு பூத்தசுந் தரவல்லி

பொன்னூச லாடியருளே

புழுகுநெய்ச் சொக்கர்திரு வழகினுக் கொத்தகொடி

பொன்னூச லாடியருளே.

---- குமரகுருபர சுவாமிகள் பாடியருளிய மீனாட்சி பிள்ளைத்தமிழ்

Moolavar : Sri Sundareswarar

Consort : Sri Meenakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…..

The temple facing east with and entrance arch. Shiva with Parvati as Sundareswarar and Meenakshi Marriage along with Nandi playing Mridangam, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Vishnu, Saraswathi Vinayagar, Naradar, Brahma conducting the velvi, stucco image is on the top of the entrance arch.

Balipeedam and Rishabam / idabam are in the mukha mandapam. Stucco dwarapalakas are on both sides of sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is little large. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Durgai.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi facing east on the right side of the moolavar Temple. Ambal’s various forms are in the Koshtam.

In praharam Nalvar, Vinayagar, Vibhuti Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chathurbhuja Anjaneyar, a Siddhar, Maha Lakshmi, Naga Lingam, Nataraja with Sivagami, Patanjali and Vyaghrapada ( all are made of Stone – Natarajar stands on left leg, lifting the right leg ), Bairavar and Navagrahas.

ARCHITECTURE

In temple layout and construction, some aspects of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple is followed. The total temple is constructed with Bricks and cement concrete. Potramarai kulam and Vibhuti Vinayagar are one the left side of the entrance.

The Moolavar Shri Sundareswarar Temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam and a open Mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a Pada bandha adhistanam, with jagathy, vrudha kumudam. 6 Elephant’s faces with trunk are on both sides of koshtams. 3 Three tier Nagara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Ambal temple also constructed in the same manner.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple may be 150 to 200 years old and the present temple was constructed during recent years.

LEGENDS

Since the temple’s layout ( like Potramarai Kulam, Vibhuti Vinayagar, etc ), Construction of Sanctum sanctorum are followed like Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, the legend associated with Madurai temple is also told in this temple. Hence Some of the festivals also conducted similar to Madurai temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Kandar sashti with Soorasamharam in the month of October – November ( This year it was planned to conduct on 31-10-2022 ), Meenakshi Amman Thirukalyanam, etc,. Since the temple is constructed similar to Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, some of the celebration of Madurai Temple is also followed in this temple.