Tuesday 3 January 2023

Sri Vallieswarar Temple /அருள்மிகு வள்ளீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், Vasantha Press Road, Urur, /ஊரூர் / Besant Nagar, Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

This series of posts consists of temples  contains 18th to 20th Century inscription recorded in “Chennai Ma Nagara Kalvettukkal -  சென்னை மாநகர கல்வெட்டுக்கள்”, Published by Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department.

The total complex consists of this Sri Vallieswarar, a Shiva Temple, A Mariamman Temple facing west, a Maha Vishnu as Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple facing east and  Sri Ponniamman Temple facing North are side by side, Of the above Sri Ponniamman Temple is the oldest. These three temples are in Urur Village, now as a part of Besant Nagar & Adyar.


Moolavar  : Sri Vallieswarar
Consort    : Sri Kamakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are...
The temple is facing east with out any entrance arch or Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the temple. Moolavar is in a raised sanctum sanctorum. In deva Kostas Dakshinamurthy and Maha Vishnu.  

In praharam sannidhi for Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Suriyan, Navagrahas, Bairavar, Ayyappan.


ARCHITECTURE
The complete temple was constructed with bricks. The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, ardha mandapam and a meta colour sheet mukha mandapam. A two tier vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. In Vimana tala Koshtas are with Shiva & Parvati, Maha Vishnu and ArdhaNareeswarar. Greeva Kostas are of sala style  and there is no maha nasis.


HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The temple is believed to be constructed in mid 20th Century. Some of the sannidhis are added at a latter date.

LEGENDS
It is believed that worshiping Shiva will increase the strength to face challenges and to face enemies. It is further believed that, Vali might have worshiped Shiva of this temple and Shiva was called Valeeswarar, the same was got corrupted to Valleeswarar.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from oru kala pooja, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham and maha Shivaratri Days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
Since oru kala Pooja is conducted the opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH
The temple is on Vasantha Press Road in Urur, a part of Adyar, now as Besant Nagar,  Near to Theosophical Society and Besant Gardens.
The temple is about 1.4 KM from Adyar Bus Terminal, 2.2 KM from Kasturba MRTS Railway Station, 3 KM from Kotturpuram MRTS, Railway Station and 9.9 KM from Chennai Central.
Nearest Railway Station is Kasturba MRTS Railway Station. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Ambal Vimanam and Mariamman Temple on the right side
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Monday 2 January 2023

Sri Ponniamman Temple / ஸ்ரீ பொன்னியம்மன் கோயில், ஊரூர் / அடையாறு, Vasantha Press Road, Urur, Besant Nagar ( Adyar ), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

This series of posts consists of temples  contains 18th to 20th Century inscription recorded in “Chennai Ma Nagara Kalvettukkal -  சென்னை மாநகர கல்வெட்டுக்கள்”, Published by Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department.


This Ponniamman Temple complex consists of Sri Vallieswarar, a Shiva Temple facing east, A Mariamman Temple facing west, a Maha Vishnu as Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple facing east and this Sri Ponniamman Temple. Of the above Sri Ponniamman Temple is the oldest. These three temples are in Urur Village, now as a part of Besant Nagar & Adyar.

The Presiding Deity  : Sri Ponniamman

Some of the salient features of this temple are….
This temple is facing North.  Trishul, balipeedam and Simha vahanam are in the mandapam. Usually Vinayagar and Murugan sannidhis will be at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum, but here bas relief of 4 people of which two are male and two are female on the left  ( Probably the Donors ) and Sri Valli Devasena Murugan are on the right side of the sanctum sanctorum entrance. Amman’s various forms are in the koshtas.

Amman is in sitting posture with Pasa angusam and lower hands are in abhaya varada hastam.

Donors ...?
Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar

ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. Total temple was reconstructed completely with bricks during recent years. The sanctum sanctorum is on a raised adhistanam and two tier salakara vimanam is on it.  Stucco images of Amman’s various forms are in the salai and greeva kostas.


HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
This temple was built in 1890 CE. As per the inscription this Kirama Devathai Temple was Constructed by Kirama Mirasudhar Ponnappa Mudaliar, of Thuluva Vellalar Community. The original inscription reads as...
  1. ஊறூர்
  2. கிறாம தேவதை ஸ்ரீ
  3. அகிலாண்டகோடி
  4. பிரமாண்ட நாயகி  
  5. பொன்னியம்மாள்
  6. ஆலய கையிங்கிறிய
  7. கூட்டம் ஊறூர் கிறா
  8. மிராசு துளுவவே
  9. ளாள பொன்னப்ப
  10. முதலியார் அவர்க
  11. ளால் நிரவேரினது
  12. 1890 ளூ ஆகஷ்டு மா
  13. சத்துக்கு சரியான
  14. மிழ் விக்குருதி ளூ
  15. ஆடி மீ 18

LEGENDS
This is a Village Guarding deity of Urur Village, now a part of ( Adyar ) Besant Nagar and 6 other Villages.  Another Mariamman temple is adjacent to this temple built at latter date.

It is believed that Ponniamman is very powerful and devotees worships for Child boon and removal of marriage obstacles.


POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from oru kala pooja, special poojas are conducted on Fridays and Aadi month Fridays.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

Since oru kala Pooja is conducted the opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS
 
HOW TO REACH
The temple is on Vasantha Press Road in Urur, a part of Adyar, now as Besant Nagar, adjacent to “Theosophical Society” and “Besant Gardens”.
The temple is about 1.4 KM from Adyar Bus Terminal, 2.2 KM from Kasturba MRTS Railway Station, 3 KM from Kotturpuram MRTS, Railway Station and 9.9 KM from Chennai Central.
Nearest Railway Station is Kasturba MRTS Railway Station. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Mariamman Temple with Ponniamman temple on the background

Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sunday 1 January 2023

Siddhi Buddhi Vinayagar Temple / ஸ்ரீ சித்தி புத்தி விநாயகர் கோயில், near Karaneeswarar Temple Tank, Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

There are many temples within Chennai City, which are not very popular, but they have more than hundred years of history. The available inscriptions are recorded by the Tamil Nadu archaeological Department. So decided to visit these temples also. Even-though, many Vinayagar Temples were built  throughout Chennai, but few has history and this Siddhi Buddhi Vinayagar temple  at west Saidapet is very unique in all respects.
  
PC Website

Presiding  Deity        : Sri Siddhi Buddhi Vinayagar.
Consorts                  : Sri Siddhi & Buddhi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…
The temple is on the south west corner of the Sri Karaneeswarar Temple Tank facing South.  Moolavar Vinayagar is in standing posture. Siddhi and Buddhi are on both sides. A Vinayagar in sitting posture is in front of moolavar. Deva kostas are without images.


ARCHITECTURE
The temple is on an elevated level with sanctum sanctorum and ardha mandapam. The temple was reconstructed during 2019, completely with bricks. An eka tala  vesara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Stucco images are in the greeva kostas.





HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
A 30th January, 1884 CE ( 18th, Thai Month, Subanu year ) inscription records the endowment of nidhya / daily poojas by Ka Sundarammal. For the same the rent received from a house at Saidapet ( Karani ) and Shops at Mambalam Reddipettai are given to the temple. From the inscription, it is evident that the temple might have been constructed before 1884 CE. The Original inscription reads as …..
  1. ஸ்ரீ சித்தி வினாயகர் துணை
  2. ௲அ௱அ௰௪ ளூ ஜனவரி மீ
  3. ௩௰ உ சுபானு ளூ தை மீ ௰அ
  4. சைதாப்பேட்டை தாலு
  5. க்கா காரணி கிறாமத்தில் யெழுந்
  6. தருளியருக்கும் காருண்ணிய
  7. ஈஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில்
  8. கொளத்தற் திரு மேலண்டை
  9. திருக்கோயில் கொண்டிருக்கும் ஸ்ரீ சித்தி புத்தி
  10. வினாயகருடையந்த்திய பூஜை தரும கயிங்கரி
  11. யத்திற்க்கு ஷைடி கிறாமத்தலிருக்கும் காரணி தரும
  12. லிங்க முதலியார் பார்யாள் சுந்தரம்மாளாகிய நா
  13. ன் ஷைடி வினாயகருடைய நித்திய பூஜை கயிங்கரியங்
  14. களுக்கு குறவு யில்லாமல் நடக்கும் பொருட்டு
  15. யென் மனப்பூர்வமாக ஷைடி காறணி கடை
  16. வீதிக்கி வடக்கு சத்திரத்திர்க்கு தெற்க்கு யென்னு
  17. டைய மைத்தொரு கடைக்கு மேற்க்கு கொ, வேலப்ப
  18. முதலி கடைக்கு கீழேக்கு யிதீன் மத்தியிலிருக்க
  19. ப்பட்ட யென்கடையின் குடிக் கூலியினாலும்
  20. மாம்பலம் றெட்டிப் பேட்டையில் றோட்டுக்
  21. கு கிழெக்கு குறுசத்துக்கு தெற்க்கு கொமரப்பதேவ
  22. ரவர் வீட்டிற்கு மேற்கு அழகப்ப முதலி
  23. யார் காலி நிலத்திற்கு வடக்கு யிதின் மத்தியில் கட்டி
  24. யிருக்கும் வீடு கடை யிதுகளின் குடிக்கூலி வரும்
  25. படியினாலும் மேல்கண்ட வினாயகா பூஜை க
  26. யிங்கரியத்திற்க்கு நாளது தேதியில் நான் யெழுதி
  27. வையத்திருக்கும் தரும ஸாஸனத்தில் கண்டிருக்
  28. கும்படி சரியாக நிறவேரிவரும் பொருட்டும் யிதை
  29. பாவத்து புண்ணிய ஸீலர்களும் அரிந்து ஷெடி  
  30. யிங்கரியம் நிறவேத்த வருபவர்களை சீர்திருத்
  31. தும் பொருட்டும் யிந்த ஸிலாஸாஸனம் ஸ்
  32. தாபிக்கப்பட்டது ஷைடி ஸாஸனத்தில் கண்ட
  33. படி தருமத்தை நிறவேற்றி கொண்டு வருகிற
  34. வர்களில் யெவர்களாவது விருத்தமாக
  35. நடத்திநால் சிவதுறோகத்தில் போகக் கடவா
  36. ர்கள் மேல்கண்ட சொத்துகளுக்கு மேல்கண்
  37. கயிங்கரியம் தவிர் யெனக்காப்பது யென் வாரிசுக
  38. ளுக்காவது யினி யாதொரு பாத்யதையும் யில்லை
  39. கா சுந்தரம்மாள் கொடுத்தது
(1. மற்றொரு? கடைக்கு மேற்கு என்று இருக்க வேண்டும்., ஷைடி – மேற்படி என்று படிக்க வேண்டும் )



Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on  14th June 2019. 

LEGENDS
In South India, Vinayagar is considered as a Brahmachari or bachelor, hence it will be rare to see Vinayagar with his two consorts Siddhi and Buddhi, the daughters of Prajapati Visvaroopan.  In Ganesha Purana and Mudgala Purana, Vinayagar has two consorts Siddhi and Buddhi. Means the Knowledge and wealth. But as per Siva Purana and  Matsya Purana, instead of Siddhi and Buddhi, they were called as Riddhi and Buddhi. The legend little further mentions that Vinayaga has two sons namely Subha and Laba (சுபம், லாபம் )

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from oru kala pooja special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurti day.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between  07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH
This Siddhi Buddhi Vinayagar temple is on the south west Corner of Sri Karaneeswarar Temple in Saidapet.
The Temple is about 250 meters from Saidapet Sub-Urban Railway Station, 10 KM from Chennai Central Railway Station and 8.1 KM from Koyambedu.
Nearest Railway Station is Saidapet.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE




--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---