Temple Visits of Parantharami Mani

         Thiru Kolathamman & Vembuliamman temple, Aminjikarai. This is  more than a 250 year old temple with  powerful Ammans. Thiru Kolathamman is the  senior of the  two and has her sannidhi facing North. Vembuliamman  is in a beautiful  human form facing  East  sitting  on a pedestal. There are separate  shrines for Vinayakar  and Anjaneyar. As per Palani, the  fifth generation temple  priest the Amman was the  Grama Devathai  protecting Aminjikarai  village. The  Annual  Aadi festival  is celebrated with pomp and grandeur. There is a Kalvettu inside  Vembuliamman  shrine  dated Saka era 1745 corresponding to  1823 AD which  mentions about the  endowments made by one Chetpet Visaka Venkatachala Naicker  his wife and two sons for temple and tank renovation. This Kalvettu  of 1823 puts to rest the  story doing the rounds that Chetpet  was named after T. Namberumal  Chetty  ( from Chettiar Pettai ) the  builder of many classic buildings  of  Madras in 19th  century  sin

       Periyapalayathamam Temple,  Royapettah.  This temple is situated in one of the by lanes of Peters Road near  New College. It is more than 250 year old temple with a powerful God in full human form. The temple has a beautiful Madras terraced mandapam in the front with teak wood beams. The  importance of this  temple lies in the  fact that  one of the 27 wells dug by Francis Whyte Ellis (1777-1819) Collector of Madras in the  year 1818  to remove water scarcity of Madras is situated in the temple. Ellis was the first person to identify the separate identity of Dravidian languages and a great scholar of Tamil. He was a member of Madras Literary society and founder of College of Fort . St George. The epigraphical inscription relating to this dated 1818 which was originally in this temple is now at Thirumalai Naicker Mahal Museum,  Madras.

       Nandeeswarar Temple  Adambakkam. This temple is situated near St . Thomas Mount  railway  station.  Although the temple is said to be constructed during  Chola era there are no epigraphical inscriptions to correlate it. However it is said there is  a reference to this temple in Thiruvotriyur temple. The legend of the temple says that one Bringi  Munivar a devotee of Siva was doing penance in the  nearby hill. The Lord gave  darshan to him in the form of Nandhi and hence the temple is known as Nandeeswarar Temple.  The  area came to be  known  as ' Bringi Malai and later  Parangi  Malai.  There are two entrances to the  temple in East and South  and Nandeeswarar faces East. Amman Avudai Nayaki( Gomathi) is facing south. There are shrines for Pillaiyar,  Subramanyar, Navagraha and Durgai.  Bairavar is inside the  Praharam and Vishnu is at the  back of Main Sannidhi. During days of Pradosham  a Cow  circumbulates the  temple. There is a holy tank on the  south side of the

     Sri Vedanta  Desikar  Devastanam  Srinivasa Perumal Temple,  Mylapore.  This temple though popular in Mylapore may not be known in other parts of Madras. Although the age of the temple is not clear the Idols of Vedanta  Desikar  and Lakshmi  Hayagrivar has been in existence here for more than 350 years. That is why the Raja Gopuram of the temple is facing North outside their Sannidhi. Lord Srinivasa Perumal and Thayar  occupied the temple as per their will. The  shrine of Srinivasa Perumal was constructed in 1924 by Kasthuri Srinivasan of the " The Hindu ". Perumal is in standing  posture 8 feet tall. Other shrines came later. There are separate shrines for Rama, Ramanujar, Chakrathazwar, Yoga Narasimhar,  Andal.  Anjaneyar Sannidhi is at the  entrance. The  temple was renovated extensively  some years back  and Samproshanam done. The  life history of Vedanta  Desikar with narration  is painted beautifully on the  walls of inner shrine for younger generation

        Chinnakadai Mariamman Temple  aka Renuka Parameswari Temple.  This temple is situated at the junction of  Mint Street and NSC Bose Road and is in existence since 1775AD.  It is a powerful God as per locals. The main sanctum of the temple consists of Mariamman with only head above the earth as in any Amman temple  and also in full human form called Renuka Parameswari. There is also a shrine for Siva called Viswañathar with his consort Visalakshi. The steps of the temple is said to be powerful since the God was originally there. Most of the shop owners in the area open their shop only after a visit to the temple.  Saint Vallalar used to visit it in 19th century. A garland of lemon with chillies hung in the house or shop after pooja here is supposed to remove all evils.

        Chengazuneer Pillaiyar Temple, Mint Street, Park Town.  The temple is situated near Southern Railway Headquarters. As per the temple priest it is 300 year old temple. Legend has it that members of the Parvadharaja (Fisherman) community while fishing in the sea a km away caught hold of the Pillaiyar statue in the net built a temple on Thangasalai Street and consecrated the statue. The Moolavar is with Siddhi Buddhi and the amman is called Kollur Amman. There is separate shrine for Iyyappan, Daskshinamoorthi, and Valli  Devasena samedha Murugan. The Rajagopuram was constructed in 1995.  There is an inscription dated Saka era 1768 corresponding to 1846 AD mentioning about the gift of house, lands and shops by  Sivan Padava(Sembadava) mamuni Gothirathar. It was informed that the Kalvettu was originally in the Thinnai of the entrance before the Rajagopuram was constructed. There is a beautiful depiction of the marriage of Siddhi Buddhi daughters of Brahma on the walls of t

        Adikesava  Perumal Temple, Chintadripet. It is situated in Arunachalam Street a main thoroughfare linking Egmore with Mount Road.  This temple was built in 1740 by Dubash Angappa Naicken.  Chintadripet was developed as a weavers village in 1734 by East India Company on land acquired  from  Sunkumara Chetty since he fell out of favour of Governor George Morton Pitt.The Village was inhabited by Weavers, Spinners, Washers and Dyers along with Brahmins for attending the temple. The main deity is Adikesava Perumal with his consorts Sreedevi and Boodevi in standing posture. Thayar is Adilakshmi housed in a separate shrine. There are separate shrines for Andal, Anjaneyar, Chakrathazwar and Ramanujar. The temple has a common wall and tank with its twin temple Adipureeshwarar.  The Oonjal mandapam of the temple is architechturally beautiful.  It can be reached easily from Egmore Railway station.

Adipureeswarar  Temple  Chintadripet.  Chintadripet was developed as a weavers  colony in the year 1734 by the  East  India  Company. Many  weavers  were settled in the village  along with other communities. The temple was built in the year 1740 by Audiappa Naiker in whose name a road is there. The  presiding deity is Adipureeswarar in big Linga form facing  East with  Dwarakapalas  on either side. Goddess Thirupurasundari is facing  East and there are separate shrines for  Vinayaka, Murugan with Valli and Devasena, Agasthiya and Thayumanavar. There is an inscription dated 1860 in Theertha Vari  Mandapam  mentioning about the construction of Mandapam by one Parthasarathi  son of  Venkatasamy  Naiker.  The  temple is off Arunachalam  Road and can be reached easily from Egmore railway  station.

Madhava Perumal Temple,  Mylapore.   This  is more than a 800 year old temple. The main deity is called  Kalyana Madhavan and thayar here is called  Amirthavalli. The  sthala puranam of this temple says that Saint Brigumuni had its ashram here and Goddess Lakshmi incarnated as his daughter Amirthavalli and married Lord Vishnu here. Because of this the Lord is called Kalyana Madhavan. One of the earliest alwars  Peyalwar was born near here in a 60 feet well called  Manikairavam. There are separate shrines for Thayar, Andal , Bhuvarahan,  Rama and Senai Mudaliyar. The  priest of the temple informed that there are epigraphical inscriptions dating to 11th to 13th century in Moolavar Sannidhi,  Senai Mudaliyar  Sannidhi  and on the  steps outside  Thayar Sannidhi. The inscription outside Thayar Sannidhi mention about one Vadana Perumals donation for lighting lamp in the temple. The Rajagopuram is a recent addition built 50 years back. The temple follows Thengalai tradition. It