Mint Street Heritage Walk - Sri Ekambareswarar Temple, Ramanujar Kootam, TTV Higher Secondary School, Ramar Temple, Old Jail, Sri Valli Devasena Subramanya Swamy Temple, Rettai Pillayar Temple, Mint Building, Sri Ramalinga Vallalar / Adigalar Home, Chennai.

 29^th January 2017

In search of Local History of MADRAS the present Chennai, We had a Heritage walk on the Mint street  from Ekambareswarar Temple till the end of the street at 7 Wells on 29^th January 2017. We had covered both Heritage structures and Temples. The details and the photos taken are.....

SRI EKAMBARESWARAR TEMPLE ( The details of this Sri Ekambareswarar Temple  is  posted in one of the post in my blog)

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Searching for the gold at the beginning of the mint street on NSC Bose road.. dust collected on the street where jewelry shops are located... segregating with cholavu / muram ... she will take home and wash with water and to find out any kundumani of gold.. for the survival...

RAMANUJAR KOOTAM: 

Ramanujar Kootam, one of the old structure  on the mint street with finely carved entrance door. The carving include Lakshmi, Kamadhenu and Swan. The Building belongs to merchant Chettiar's community. The present inmates told it will be demolished with in a years. It has the central court yard open to sky but covered with colour pvc sheets. For the natural light to fall till the ground with hole arrangement on the Madras terrace roof...

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TTV HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL: The TTV higher secondary school on Mint street established in the year 1854 CE. T T V - Thondai mandala Thuluva Vellalar community established this school. The structure is strong due to proper maintenance. It was told that the first ticketed classical concerts were held here during 1880’s in this school hall.

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RAMAR TEMPLE: The temple is under the control of Alluri Venkatadri Swami Mutt. Apart from sannadhi for Rama & hanuman there is a Padma peeda pedestal with Sri Ramar Pathan. The pedestal rests on a 5 Lakhs Rama Nama inscriptions on paper. The pedestal has the unique feature of Ramar Pathan, 12 Rasis and 27 Nakshatras..

A brief history ....

Sri Alluri Venkatadri Swami was born in the year 1806 CE in Andhra Pradesh. He was a scholar in shastras and stotras at the young age without formal education. He had serviced to Lord Vishnu at Bhadrachalam and latter at Tirumala. He came to Kanchi worshiped Sri Varadharaja Perumal and he made a diamond crown with the devotee’s contribution. In the Year 1835 He also served at Chennai Sri Parthasarathy Temple. He went to Srirangam also. 1877AD he attained the lotus feet of Vishnu.

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OLD JAIL: Old Jail at seven wells area at the end of Mint Street, behind seven wells pumping station, which comes under the control of defence. Central polytechnic functioned here before shifting to Taramani. PWD department who carries out the maintenance of Shutters to all the dams of Tamilnadu now functioning here. The canon and the old bell are the main attraction at present and reminds the past.

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Another bhajanai madam which we could not peep in to.... on the mint Street

SRI VALLI DEVASENA SIVA SUBRAMANIYA SWAMY TEMPLE : 

Sri Valli Devasena Siva Subramanya Swamy temple on the mint street. People call this as Malai Koil and the reason is not known.. The reason may be the front arch is constructed like a hill.  It was told that the temple was constructed by the Viswakarma community who are worked in the mint factory. On the entrance arch Valli & Devasena are on the elephant. Valli Devasena Subramaniar wooden relief can be seen on the dwajasthambam. One of the  inscription tablet  is paved on the floor without knowing its value...

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RETTAI PILLAYAR TEMPLE: A temple dedicated to Rettai (Two) Pillayar. Sannadi for Subramaniyar and Shiva Sannadhi are on both side of Vinayagar Sannadhi. The temple has the contributions of Mayilai Azhakappa Mudaliars and the details are not known, but the name is written on the entrance. Vimanas are looks very old and the sanctum was constructed with bricks. Dwarapalakas looks odd and are not in regular form.

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Hero Stone on the back side of the sanctum

MINT BUILDING :  During 1841/42 The East India Company moved it’s coin making facility to this building now in dilapidated condition. Later this became the Government Press which still functions. The unit which was used to produce gunpowder was transformed into a Mint for which the work began in 1804 CE. The building was completed in 1807 CE, but the mint machineries were made available only in 1841 CE. Now, a new building was constructed in the same premises called ‘Government printing press’ and is being used for the print requirements of the Government. 

Description courtesy Sri Venkatesh Ramakrishnan
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SRI VALLALAR HOME: Sri Ramalinga Adigal aka Vallalar stayed here between  1825 to 1858 AD ( 33 years ).In this place only he had seen Lord Muruga Peruman in the mirror. 

It was told that annadhanam is being served to 100 people's daily, apart from bhajans and important functions like his birth star of Chithirai on every month. We are fortunate  that we had the dharshan on his anniversary day.

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JAIN TEMPLES : The mint street was dominated by the Jains with lot of their Temples. It was an awesome sight to see the young boys and girls wearing crown like head gear on Sundays and going to the temples.

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---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sri Velleeswarar Temple, Karaneeswarar Temple, Malleeswarar Temple, Sri Virupaksheeswarar Temple, Valeeswarar Temple, Sri Theerthapaleeswarar Temple and Kapaleeswarar Temple - The Saptha Sthana Temples Visit, Mylapore and Triplicane 7 TEMPLES, 7 TALES – MYLAPORE FESTIVAL 2017.

08^th January 2017

This 7 temples heritage walk was organised by the Sundaran Finance Mylapore festival 2017 on 8^th January 2017 and Curated by Ms Padmapriya Baskaran and assisted by Parantharami Mani and Vaithiyanathan.  The 7 temples are saptha sthana  Shiva Sthalangal in and around Mylapore. All the temples are of more than 1000 years old, each one has rich heritage and history / tales. Even though there is no evidence to these tales, people believes the same.

TEMPLE -1, TALE -1.

SRI VELLEESWARAR TEMPLE, MYLAPORE  

The tale associated to the temples is.....

The Mahabali Chakravarthy, who was a mouse in his previous birth a mouse helped for continuous burning of nandha deepam in a Shiva temple. When he is about to give 3 feet of land to Vishnu in Vamana Avathar, his Guru Shukracharya warns the foul play of Lord Vishnu. He ignored the warning and  was about to give, Shukracharya took the form of bee and blocked the eye of the kamandalam, through which water has to flow. Lord Vishnu used tharbai grass and clear the hole in the process Shukracharya’s eye sight was gone. Latter Shukracharya worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple got back his eye sight.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

TEMPLE -2, TALE – 2. SRI KARANEESWARAR TEMPLE

The tale associated to this temple is..

This is one of the 7 shiva temples in and around Mylapore. A Brahmin used to perform regular poojas to Lord Shiva. Due to his devotion towards Lord Shiva, Lord showed him, that he is the cause for everything. Hence the Lord Shiva is called as Karaneeswarar. Also another saying that the temple was constructed as per Kaarana ahama one of the 28 ahamas.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

TEMPLE-3, TALE-3. SRI MALLEESWARAR TEMPLE

The tale associated to the temple is...

The Prarthan one of the Shiva devotee  from Ayodhya does a penance in this place with full of jasmine flower bushes.  Lord Shiva appeared and blessed him. Since Shiva was from the Jasmine flower bushes, called as Sri Malleeswarar. There is also another story that when Indra obstructs the homam sending absaras, Lord Shiva appeared and blessed  and grant child.

Somas kandar is in the form of Kalyana Sundarar in this temple.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

TEMPLE-4, TALE -4. SRI VIRUPAKSHEESWARAR TEMPLE

The tale associated to the temple is...

The Story related to Poombavai, who wants to marry a Shiva devotee. Her father Sivanesan Chettiar constructed this temple exclusively for her to worship Lord Shiva and wished her daughter to marry Thirugnanasambandar. When she died due to snake bite at the age of 12,  her father kept the ashes in a urn/pot and waited for Thirugnanasambandar’s arrival. The rest of the story related to Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE 

TEMPLE-5, TALE -5. SRI VALEESWARAR

The tale associated to this temple is...

Gowarthana maharishi installed Lord Shiva of this temple. Vaali also worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and was granted the boon  getting 50% of the enemy’s power,  whoever  going to fight against him  will be transferred to Vaali. So No one could defeat him.   This is the “sathru Samhara sthalam”.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE 

TEMPLE -6, TALE-6. SRI THEERTHAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE

The tale associated to this temple is ....

During the marriage of Lord Shiva with Parvati, Agasthiyar was asked to go to south to balance the earth. On the way he was felt uneasy and rested under a vanni tree at Mylapore. Lord Shiva advised him to create 64 theerthams and do abhishekam to Him after taking bath in the sea. He was relieved off from uneasiness.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE 

TEMPLE-7, TALE-7. SRI KAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE

The tale associated to this temple is...

The rest of the story associated with Virupaksheeswarar temple is continued here. With ashes of Poompavai, Sivanesan Chettiar waited for Thirugnanasambandar’s arrival. When he heard that Thirugnanasambandar had come to Thiruvotriyur and asked him to pay a visit to Mylapore. On arrival he was briefed about Poombavai’s unfortunate’s death. Thirugnanasambandar asked Sivanesan Chettiyar to bring the urn and sung a hymns connecting Poompavai. Poompavai came alive  out of the pot. When Sivanesan Chettiar requested him to marry his daughter for that Thirugnanasambandar declined and said she becomes his daughter since she came alive because of him.

This is also a birth place of Vaayilar nayanar who had done service to Lord Shiva of this temple.     

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

  ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sri Padmavathi Thayar Temple to Sri Venkatesa Perumal Temple at Tirumala – Tirupati Padayatra 2017.

...a Continuation post to Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Narayanavanam

5^th January 2017.

After a long walk from Narayanavanam to Tiruchanur and a night halt at Vadamalapeta reached Tiruchanur. After taking bath had the darshan of Sri Padmavathi Temple.

This time we had not visited any of the Tirupati town temples. After a small pooja at the start point of the foot steps, Alipiri, started out trekking. This time I fixed a target of climbing to 1000 steps without stop. On reaching 1000 steps revised my target to 1500. Beyond 1000 steps the step are little steep and bag on my back also pulls me down. But able to beat my previous record and stopped only at Gaali gopuram at 2080 steps. Really I was very happy to make it.

After getting accommodation kept our belongings in the room and had the darshan of Sri Balaji. It was a 2 hours waiting period  to have the darshan. Thanks to Lord Balaji.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---