05th March
2017.
Even
though I had been to this temple earlier, this visit is a part of Triplicane (
Thiruvallikeni - thiru - alli - keni- திரு
அல்லி கேணி ) Heritage walk, to learn about
historical point of view. This is the 61st Divya
desam of 108 Divya desams of Lord Vishnu. 3 Alwars, Pey Alwar, Thirumazhisai
Alwar and Thirumangai Alwar ( all the three lived 5th Century
to 8th century
) has sung pasurams / மங்கலாசாசனம் on this
Lord. Also they mentions that the sea was very near to the temple and corals &
pearls are washed on the sea shore. The temple is being called in the name of
Urchavar instead of Moolavar.
Moolavar
: Sri Venkata Krishnan
Urchavar
: Sri Parthasarathy
Thayar
: Sri Lakshmi as Sri Vedavalli Thayar
Some
of the important features of this temple are...
The
temple is facing east with a temple tank in front, with neerazhi mandapam with
rain water harvesting ducts ( might have built during Vijayanagar period
). There is a 4 pillar and Vijayanagara period mandapam ( the maha mandapa
pillars has the relief of Vishnu’s avatars, Kannan and Krishna leelas, since
the temple is dedicated to Venkata Krishna may be 200 to 300 years old ),
Thirumangai alwar with sword and shield, Thanvadhiri with amrutha kalasam, are
in front of the 5 tier Rajagopuram. Palipedam, Dwajasthambam and Garudalwar
Sannadhi are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Kannadi room ( Mirror room) and
Paramapatha vassal.
In
sanctum panchaveera cult consists of Balarama, Venkatakrishnan, son and grand
son.The moolavar is with mustache ( made with pachai karpooram – chamber ) and
the original moortham is without mustache. First neivedyam is
being offered for Yoga Narasimhar and the neivedyam will not contains
the chilli/ powder.
Sannadhis
for Venkatakrishna facing east, Yoga Narasimha facing west ( the bell in this
sannadhi do not have tongue, since Narasimhar is in Yoga ), Gajendra Varadhar (
sitting on back of Garuda ), Varaha, Narasimhar and Ranganathar. Sri
Ranganathar is in reclining position on adhiseshan. The sanctum is in
rectangular shape. Sannadhis of Varaha, Narasimha facing each other, Alwars in
the elevated level of sanctum mandapam. Rukmini is on the right side of
Varadhar.
Thayar
Sri Vedavalli is in a separate sannadhi facing east on the right side of
moolavar. Sannadhi for Yoga Narasimhar, Ramar, Gajendra Varadhar and
Andal are in the prakaram. The Temple chariot is the biggest in Chennai city
with images of Ashta thik balakas, Vishnu’s avatars, dancing horses, yazhi,
Garuda, etc, A 17th century painting also found out in
the recent years.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
was believed that the moolavar sanctum was build during Pallava Period. The
earliest inscription available is 808 CE, Nandivarman Pallava Period. It states
that the temple existed before. The inscription in fragment stones
available are Dantivarman ( 779 – 830 ), 23rd year of
Rajaraja deva, Kulothunga III, ( 1012 to 1044 CE ) of Chozha period,
Vijayanagara Kings ( 1586- 1616 CE ), Vijayanagara King Rangaraya Deva Maharaj
I ( 1578 – 1586 CE ), Pandiya King Maravarman aka Thirubhuvana Chakravarthy
Kulasekara Deva, etc. The inscriptions are in both Tamil and Telugu.
These fragments are kept on display in the north side of moolavar
sanctum wall.
The
temple was used during the battles of Golkonda, by the French and Dutch. Eminent
personalities like Sri Ramanuja, Swami Vivekananda ( He had written a
letter to one Mr Azhagiya Singar of this temple, who used to come to Madras and
stayed at Ice House close to this temple ) and mahakavi Subramania Bharathi (
who was hit by the temple elephant and fell ill and died latter) have also
worshiped lord of this temple.
The 32 kal mandapam outside Parthasarathy Temple was built in the year 1851. This was constructed by Mannivakkam Somasundara Mudaliar during the years 1851 to 1855. Mudaliar by his will dated 7th March 1848 appointed Pondicherry Srinivasa Pillai and Vannamamalai Satakopachariar as executors. Among the wishes expressed in the will are the construction of 32 Kal mandapam outside Parthasarathy Swamy Pagoda. The estimated cost was Rs.20000/-. The mandapam was completed after his death. These photographs of Frederick Fiebig taken in the year 1851 must have been taken during its construction as evident from the granite pillars, stones, sarams and workers. The flooring of the mandapam was done by one Vijayarangam Pillai in 1905. A sculpture of Mudaliar along with his wife is there in one of the pillars of the Mandapam facing temple. He was also on the board of Trutees of Pachaippas Trust during those time.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS:
The
temple kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 12.30 Hrs and 16.00 Hrs to 21.00 Hrs
CONTACT
DETAILS:
Temple
office phone numbers are 044 28442462 and 28447042
HOW
TO REACH:
Just
walk able distance from MRTS railway station.
1.5
KM distance from Beach road Bus stop.
Town
buses are available from various parts of the city
