Sri Karaneeswarar Temple, Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A HERITAGE WALK

… a continuation post to Vada Thirunaraiyur, Saidapet Shiva temple.

 03^rd December 2016.

SRI KARANEESWARAR TEMPLE, SAIDAPET 

Reached Karaneeswarar temple through Brahmin Street and Karaneeswarar Koil street.  On the way Mr Madhusudhanan told that there are about 24 Vinayagar temples in Saidapet with different names like Koothaadum Vinayagar, Karkada Vinayagar etc, He also pointed out the Sri Gurulinga Swamigal Jeeva Samadhi, in which local people used to do pooja before starting of any important functions in their homes. 

During my earlier visit to the Sri Karaneeswarar Temple  I could not  get the full view of the inscription dated 1887 AD and 1919 AD  in the front mandapam, This time I took photograph and up dated my web blog post on Sri Karaneeswarar Temple. These two inscriptions speaks about the donations given to the temple for regular functions and pooja. Also had seen Pattinathar and his guru Pathragiriyar’s reliefs at the entrance of Rajagopuram, which are installed during 1939 AD. The details also written in the facebook with photographs.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

SUB-URBAN RAILWAY STATION, SAIDAPET.

Our final destination was to the west side of the Sub-Urban railway station, where Nalandaway Foundation students painted the colourful graffiti  of film personalities of Shivaji, Kamalahasan, Nagesh etc., on the wall. It was an awesome view. After taking snaps we said good bye to each other  and hoping to meet in the next Heritage walk. The SUB-URBAN Railway station was also posted in my facebook.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE 

 ….. the end of Saidapet Heritage walk posts.

Sri Soundareswarar Temple, Vada Thirunaraiyur, Saidapet West, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

…… a continuation post to Marmalong Bridge, Teachers training College and Panagal maligai. 

03^rd December 2016.

This Shiva temple is on the Brahmin Street, after Meher Baba’s Ashram, on the banks of river Adyar. Had been to this temple under THE ADYAR – a cultural mapping, a Heritage walk on 03^rd December 2016 with 40 and odd heritage walkers.

Moolavar    : Sri Soundareswarar

Consort      : Sri Thiripura sundhari.

Some of the important features of this temple..

The temple is  facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram on the east side and an entrance arch on the south side.  Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam and Nandhi mandapam are immediately after the Rajagopuram.

In the outer prakaram  a mandapam, madapalli, Sthala Vrukshas ( Vilvam, Konrai and Vanni tree ) with Vanneeswarar sannadhi. It was believed that the Vanni tree is of 800 years old. ( It is also believed that these three trees are Icha, Gana and Kiriya sakthis.)

In the inner prakaram,  sannadhi for 63var, Ganapathy, Subramaniyar  and Saba mandapam. Ambal  sannadhi  is facing south.  The Narai worshiping Lord Shiva stucco image is on the sanctum sanctorum south side entrance arch.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple existed  since 7^th century as per the East India Company’s  documents, under Ancient Histories of Religious Hindu Temples, published in the year 1951, Volume- II, on page no 362. During 9^th century  Shiva lingam was under the bilva / Vilva tree facing east and Vinayagar was under Vanni tree facing  west in separate sannadhis.

During 12^th century  a merchant called Sathayan built the corridors and made arrangement for the daily poojas.  Latter between 15^th to 17^th century the temple was renovated  with the help of Pandya  sthapathis ( whose  fish reliefs can also seen  in the temple ) and outer compound walls are also constructed. During 1919 to 1925,  3 tier vimanas are constructed on moolavar,  Ambal and Vinayagar sanctums.

From 1957 CE the temple came under the control of HRCE department.

Thirupani was started on 13th July 1981 under HR & CE. Ashta bandhana maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 11th February 1988 and 11th March 2012. 

East side Rajagopuram thirupani was started on 23rd April 2010. 

 During 1919 to 1925,  3 tier vimanas are constructed on moolavar,  Ambal and Vinayagar sanctums. 

LEGENDS

Devotees believes that, this temple is the Vaippu sthalam for the Padal Petra sthalam of THIRUNARAIYUR near Kattumannarkoil near Chidambaram. Hence called this temple as Vada Thirunaraiyur. It was also told that the stolen Vigraha was recovered back after reciting Abirami Andhadhi at  Ambal sannidhi.  

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 06.30 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs. All important functions are celebrated and mutrum othuthal is performed on every 4^th Sunday and Uzhavarapani is being carried out on  second Sundays  of  every month. During these times the temple will be kept open for an extended period.

CONTACT DETAILS:

For further details Mr Chandrasekar may be contacted on his mobile 9445232564. 

Appar Arutpanimandram  9444382776 and 9840187387.

HOW TO REACH: 

The temple is on the  Brahmin street about 500 meters from Saidapet Sub-Urban railway station.

About a km from Saidapet bus terminus and lot of autos are available.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

… to be continued ( Sri Karaneeswarar Temple and Saidapet  Railway Station )

 --- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Maraimalai Adigal Bridge, Marmalong Bridge, Teacher's Training College, Panagal Maligai, Mehar Baba Ashram Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

….. a continuation post to Little mount Shrine of our lady of health, Church.

03^rd December 2016.

MARAIMALAI ADIGAL BRIDGE - MARMALONG BRIDGE

We had visited the bridge earlier, as a part of Adyar river walk. This bridge was constructed on the river Adyar bridging Mambalam with Guindy Raj Bhavan area. Originally there was an old stone bridge  and latter an Armenian Merchant called Coja Petrvs Uscan, re-constructed the bridge at a cost of 30000 pagodas and also he donated 1500 pagodas towards upkeep. For the full details please visit my post on Marmalong Bridge in my blog. Also for further reading please refer my facebook post with comments.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE 

 The small obelisk like pillar between the new CMRL pillars must the remains of the old bridge constructed Coja Petrvs Uscan

TEACHERS TRAINING COLLEGE

The teachers training college, Second of its kind in India when started in the year 1856 as a school at Vepery under the guidance of Alexander Arbuthnot. Then it was shifted to the present location in Todhunter Nagar in  the year 1888, as a College on the banks of river Adyar.  This College produced two eminent personalities who latter became presidents of India namely  Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Mr R. Venkatraman. The silver tongued Mr Srinivasa Sastri also from this college, once he corrected the pronunciation of his British principal. Now the structure was taken over by The Chennai metro rail  and the same is in a state of neglect & dilapidated condition. 

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

Karine Hrt also explained the first agricultural college established in the year 1868, in an area of 30 acres where the cosmopolitan golf course now functioning.  The college had done the experiments of growing wheat., cotton. The college was moved to Coimbatore latter. Experiments also carried out the coloring dyes from the cactus bugs for the cloths used by the British army. For further details please refer my facebook page for the post with comments. 

PANAGAL MALIGAI.

This building can be viewed from Marmalong Bridge  (Saidapet Bridge). The Head quarters  of Chengalpattu District was functioning on the same place. This building was named after Raja of Panagal, a Zamindar of Kalahasti, leader of Justice party  and the Chief minister of Madras Presidency from 1921 to 1926. For further reading  please refer Wikipedia about Raja_of_Panagal  

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

MEHAR BABA ASHRAM

Mahar Bhavan and Mehar Baba ashram are opposite to each other on the Brahmin street in west Saidapet  near the Karaneeswarar market Sub Way. His original name was Merwan Sheriar Irani and he  was born in 1894 in Pune  India to Irani Zoroastrian parents ( A parsi parents ). At the age of 19, he began a seven-year spiritual transformation. During this time he contacted five spiritual masters before beginning his own mission and gathering his own disciples in early 1922, at the age of 27. He was brought to Madras Madras by Mr Sampath Iyengar, A Judge of Andhra District of then Madras Presidency. Meher Baba practiced silence in his life and communicated through gestures or writing on boards. He visited Madras three times during his life time. For further reading please visit the Wikipedia page under Meher_Baba

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

….… to be continued ( VADA THIRUNARAIYUR SHIVA TEMPLE )

Shrine of our Lady of Health, Little Mount Church, Chinnamalai, Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

……. A continuation post to Saidapet Court and Raj bhavan.

 03^rd December 2016.

Whenever I,  passed through Chinna malai, thought of visiting this Little mount Church. This came to true on 3^rd December 2016. The road was ascending in the east direction from the western entrance arch to the hill top.  Along the path way to hillock sculptures depicting the story of Thomas preaching to natives with peacocks. ( peacock sculptures we could see many of the churches like San Thome church alter.) 

  

The old church was built in the year 1551 CE.  Inside the Church Mother Mary’s, wooden statue is kept in the alter, might have been brought by Portuguese, about 500 years before. To the left of the alter steps there is a holy cave entrance. It is believed that St. Thomas hid in the cave, when Rajah Mahadevan of Mylapuram’s, men hunted to kill him. ( at the entrance a plaque with inscriptions says that St Thomas hid in the cave in the year 68 CE ). The sign boards placed at a small passage through which St. Thomas escaped with palm &  finger prints.

  

Little above the church, on the hillock the foot prints of St. Thomas and the cross made by him on the rock. It was told that blood bleed from the cross during December months between 1551 – 1704 CE, hence the Cross is called as bleeding Cross. In remembrance of this, a feast is being celebrated during December month of every year. Very near to the cross there is a sweet water spring between two small rocks. On the top there is Stucco image of Jesus on a three pillar structure, standing tall above the shed.   It was great walk and satisfying walk indeed.  My facebook page with comments. 

INSCRIPTIONS

 "...a sua custa no ano de 1612", I.e. "at his own expense in the year 1612".

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH :CLICK HERE

 Inside the cave 

For more photographs : CLICK HERE 

…. To be continued ( Marmalong Bridge ) 

Saidapet Court and Raj bhavan, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

 03^rd December 2016.

The much awaited Saidapet walk, a part of THE ADYAR- a cultural mapping was kick started on 3^rd December 2016 as scheduled from Saidapet Court curated by Karine Hrt, a French Scholar, Mrs Sreemathy Mohan and Mr Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, the historian and writer. The attendees swelled from 26 to 43 from start to end of the walk. During our walk, Saidapet was spared from rain  and Thanks to Varuna Bhagavan.

Saidapet is named after Sayeed Shah Pettah (Sayyid Musalman Sahib), a high-ranking 18th-century official of the court of the Nawab of Arcot. The then Nawab of Arcot gifted these parts to Sayyid Shah Pettah in 1730. Latter Saidapet was obtained by the British East India Company along with the Jagir of Chengalpattu and it served as the Administrative head quarters to Chengalpattu District.

SAIDAPET COURT

Mrs Sreemathy Mohan and Mr Venkatesh explained about the  court structure and the sensational case of  Lakshmikanthan murder  ( a cine Journalist), in which both MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and N S Krishnan were sentenced to 3 years and they were in jail till 1947. When the first appeal at Madras High Court  was turned down, they appealed second time  at the privy council  and they managed to prove themselves innocence & acquitted. The case was not resolved till date and the file was treated as closed.

  

The two storied Saidapet court was constructed in Victorian style ( Indo-Saracenic architecture )  in 19^th century. Also for further reading please refer my facebook  post with comments.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

RAJBHAVAN

When the Governor’s Garden House at Fort St George was destroyed by the French in 1746, the present Rajbhavan in the name of Garden house was acquired from Antonia de Madeiros, a richest family at that time. The same was developed as Government House. In the year 1820 The Governor Thomas Munro ( 1820 to 1827 AD ) made this as an official residence of Governors. Once the Raj Bhavan  was called as Guindy Lodge  and Governor’s Country House. It is believed that the Guindy Lodge was constructed by  the Governor William ( 1672 – 1678)  in the present Guindy reserved forest. When William Langhorne left 1678, the property was sold to Indian merchant Beri Chinna Venkatadiri, the brother and founder of Madras Beri Thimappa. Beri Chinna Venkatadiri gifted the property to East India Company, when he had a drift with the Company.

    

A straight road was formed from Raj Bhavan to St George Fort. The present area is about 156 acres after diverting portion of lands to Guindy National Park, IIT, Gandhi Mandapam and  Rajaji Mandapam. This has 150+ varieties of plants and birds, spotted deers, blackbucks and antelopes. ( Since we could not get permission to see inside, no photographs were taken )  

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 … To be continued ( LITTLE MOUNT CHURCH  )

Hero Stones / Nadu kal / Veerakallu / நடு கற்கள், at Kappalur, Thiruvannamalai / Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

 27^th November 2016.

This post is the end and most interesting part of our Kappalur epigraphy field visit. While others are busy in reading the epigraph – inscriptions on a stone slab erected between Shiva and Vijayaraghava Perumal temple, we four persons  ventured in to the village guided by the Village boys. The boys guided us on the western part of the village. First the photos taken are posted in the facebook and the links with comments are also given below on each photos.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

KOTRAVAI RELIEF.

This stone slab is erected near the Shiva and Jain’s temple facing west. We could not see a clear image due to erosion. Kotravai is standing  on the head of mahishasura. Each hand holds different weapons. Also we could not predict the vahana behind Kotravai,  as a deer or a goat.

The link for the comments on the Facebook.Tamil selvam's. post about Kotravai and on my facebook post

STONE SLABS WITH INSCRIPTIONS

It was told that there are four stone slabs with reliefs erected on all the four directions of the village,  similar to the one between Shiva and Perumal temple, which has inscriptions. The inscriptions speaks about the land donated to temple during Sambuvarayar period. The fourth one we could not see. On all the three stone slabs we could find similar reliefs of  Vijayanagara emblem  Pig and a small sword. It was also told that these stone slabs are erected to mark the boundary of the land donated.

Comments on my face book page about this nadukal Back side with relief of Vijayanagara emblem

The west side boundary stone with relief of Vijayanagara emblem

The South side boundary stone with relief of Vijayanagara emblem near Sri Veerabhadra Temple. Hidden inside the vegetation

NADUKAL AT ANGALAMMAN TEMPLE.

At the entrance of  Sri Angalamman temple, we could find a stone with relief of  a male sitting on an elephant. We assumed the image may be Ayyanar and Mr. Vijay looked at a different angle and said it may be a Jain as Brahma Devar. 

Sastha or the Jaina Indira   - Comments on Udhya Sankar ’s Post on the facebook 

MEMORY STONE WITH VINAYAGAR

In this,  two stone reliefs are erected on both sides of a damaged Vinayagar statue.  The relief in sitting posture on the left side of Vinayagar must be Harichandra and his wife Chandramathi ( may be a wild guess ), since these reliefs are on the way to burial ground.  And on the right side the relief of a man in  standing with hands in worshiping posture.  Also there is a round pillar with inscriptions on the top. We are not sure whether this belongs to this place or brought from somewhere and erected here.

On the Vinayagar's right Harichandra and Chandramathi ( may be ). On the right side the person is not known.

HERO STONES.

Little further on the west direction in front of a dry pond, we could see six hero stones erected on a platform along with Naagars at Durgai Amman Temple. The centre hero stone, a person holding the bow and an arrow on the left directions, which is unusual. The style of the hair dressing seems to be of  Vijayanagara period. Probably the person may be a left hander. 

 Comments on Udhya Sankar's  Post on the face book 

KOMARI KAL

This stone slab is erected on the road side on the western part of the Village. The stone slab bears the Telugu? inscriptions with symbols. It was told that this must be a Komarikal erected  to cure the decease of animals, if one performs pooja to this. 

MISCELLANEOUS STONES AND RELIEFS.

We had seen some more relief panels and statues on the western part of the village. 

MISCELLANEOUS STONES AND RELIEFS.

We had seen some more relief panels and statues on the western part of the village.  

On the way to Chennai stopped at Manampathy for tea break. One of our friend Mr Vimal pointed out a statue on the road side Vinayagar Temple. Yes... the statue is a Navakanda Sirpam. The locals call this statue as "Saavan Silai" “சாவான் சிலை”. In one way it is correct that the statue was erected for a man who died by cutting his head. Here it is.

 

Saavan Silai “சாவான் சிலை”. a navakanda statue
 on the road side Vinayagar temple

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---