Holy
Pilgrimage –Temples in Tamilnadu (Chennai City)
Anantha Padmanabhaswami Temple, Chennai
The Anantha Padmanabhaswami Temple is a Hindu temple in the neighbourhood of Adyar in Chennai, India. The temple is located on 2nd Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, near the Fortis Malar Hospital. Dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, the temple is named after the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram and the deity Vishnu is depicted reclining on the mythological five-headed serpent as in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram. The temple was constructed in 1962 on land donated by Chithira Thirunal, the last Maharaja of Travancore and caters to Chennai's Malayali community. The temple is constructed in the beautiful Kerala style and is well maintained to this date.
Within the premises of the temple, lie an yagashala for conducting daily sermons. There is also a statue of Chithira Thirunal, the last Maharajah of Travancore unveiled by Lord Erskine, the then Governor of Madras on September 29, 1939 commemorating the Temple Entry Proclamation.
Angala Parameswari Temple, Royapuram
Angala Parameswari Temple is a Hindu temple located in Royapuram in the northern part of Chennai, India. The presiding deity is the goddess Angala Parameswari. There are shrines to Kasi Viswanatha, Visalakshi, Vinayaka, Bhairava, Navagrahas, Durga, etc. The temple is administered by the Ministry of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple is one of the five holy shrines of the Viswakarma community in Chennai district.
Angalamman Temple, Chennai
Angalamman Temple is a Hindu temple located in the neighbourhood of Choolaimedu in Chennai, India. The temple has two separate shrines for Kasi Viswanatha, Angalamman and Virat Viswakarma. The temple is administered by the Ministry of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple is one of the five holy shrines of the Viswakarma community in Chennai district.
Anjaneya Temple, Alamelumangapuram
The Anjaneya Temple at Alamelumangapuram, a part of Mylapore in Chennai, India was constructed at the directions of Jayendra Saraswathi, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi matha.
History
The idol was installed on March 31, 1985 and consecrated on June 26, 1986.Architecture
The temple has the tallest statue of Hanuman in Chennai - about 14 foot high. The tall Hanuman was made and installed at the request of Jayendra Saraswathi.Uniqueness
The speciality of the temple is the koti archana wherein one crore names of the Hindu god Hanuman are being recited over a period of two years.Anjaneya Temple, Nanganallur
The Anjaneya Temple at Nanganallur, Chennai is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Hanuman. The principal idol of Hanuman is 32-feet tall and sculpted from a single piece of granite. The idol was installed in 1989 and consecrated in 1995.
Sri Maruti Bhakta samajan trust, consisting of people with high spiritual beliefs, wished for this temple. with the blessings of Sri Ragavendra swami and Sri Kanchi Paramacharyar entrenched the 32 foot idol of Sri Anjaneyar in 1989 and consummated the Kumbabishekam in 1995. The distinguished factor of the 32 feet idol is that it was molded out of a single rock.
The main shrine houses Anjaneya inside a Temple Tower 90 feet tall. Anjaneya is facing West and the main entrance is on the West. There is an auxiliary entrance on the southern side used during temple festivals. The main Temple building has path-ways all around the sanctum sanctorum and also a large covered space (Mandapam) for devotees to assemble in front of the Lord for offering worship. On the North-West corner, a full-fledged Sannidhi for Sri Rama has been built and here He has taken abode with Seetha and Lakshmana with Anjaneya in attendance. The Gods are facing East. Rama's role as the protector and ruler is signified here as Rama is seen carrying his bow, hence the name "Kothanda Rama" for the Lord here. On the South-West, a Sannidhi for Lord Krishna with Rukmani and Satya Bhama, all facing East has been built. Even though a Sannidhi for Lord Rama is normally built in Anjaneya temple, rarely a Sannidhi for Lord Krishna is built. Here in our Temple, Krishna Sannidhi is built to remind the devotees that among the Gods it was only Anjaneya who was present in both the Indian epics. In Ramayana, as a direct disciple of Rama and in Mahabaratha, in the flag of Arjuna's Chariot as ordained by Lord Krishna to save it from destruction by the opponents. In the North-East part of the Temple, on a small platform, "Vinayaka" is housed facing East and to his left on a yet another platform 'Naga' has been installed. Saint Raghavendra has taken His abode facing Lord Krishna.
Hanumath Jayanthi: This is the most significant Utsavam of the Temple. This Utsavam goes
on for a period of 15-17 days during which "Laksharchana"for Lord
Anjaneya is performed. Hanumath Jayanthi normally falls between Dec 15-Jan 14.
Sri Rama Navami: Sri Ramanavami is celebrated for 9 days with Japam, Homam and
Abishekam. During the Ramanavami festival, Laksharchana for Lord Rama is also
performed. Ramanavami normally falls between Apr 15-May 14.
Gokulashtami: Gokulashtami Celebrations are held for 8 days. The reason
for Krishna's birth and the deeds by him as an
avatar are highlighted during this festival through Pravachanam on Narayaneeyam
and Bhagavatham. Japam, Homam and Abishekam are performed as also the
Laksharchana. Gokulashtami normally falls between Aug 15-Sept 14.
Location: Nanganallur is located about 10 Km from the city and 5 Km from the
Airport. The Temple
is accessible by road and by suburban trains stopping at Pazhavanthangal
Railway station.
Temple timings: Morning - 5.00am to 12.00pm
Evening - 4.30pm to 9.00pm
Temple Phone Number: +91-44-22671410, 22671420
Temple Contact Address
No : 1, 8th street Ram Nagar,
Nanganallur,
Chennai - 600 061.
Luz Anjaneya Temple, Mylapore
The Luz Anjaneya Temple is the oldest temple to Hanuman in the city of Chennai, India. It is located in the neighbourhood of Mylapore in the district known as Luz.History
The Luz Anjaneya temple was constructed by Salivahana Chettiars from Mysore who migrated and settled down in Mylapore in the 18th century. With land granted by the Nawab of the Carnatic, the Chettiars constructed two Vinayaga temples. While digging a well, they found the self-manifested idol of the Hindu god Hanuman. As a result, they constructed a Hanuman temple on the spot. A shrine to the Hindu god Rama was constructed within the complex in 1954. The temple celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2000.Apparswami Temple, Royapettah
Apparswami Temple is a Hindu temple built in honour of Apparswami, a 19th-century Saivite saint. The temple, situated on Royapettah High Road, is built around his tomb over which a shivalinga was set up by his chief devotee Chidambaraswamy.Ashtalakshmi Kovil, Besant Nagar, Chennai,
The Ashtalakshmi Kovil is an Hindu temple, which lies on the shorelines near the Elliot's beach, in Chennai, India. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, who, according to the Hindu mythology, is the giver all eight forms of wealth, namely, offspring, success, prosperity, wealth, courage, bravery, food, and knowledge. The sanctorums are depicted on a multi-tier complex in such a way that visitors could visit all the shrines without stepping over any of the sanctorums. The temple was constructed on the wishes of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati swamigal of Kanchi Mutt.In this temple the eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi are present in four levels. The shrine of Mahalakshmi and Mahavishnu is in level two. One starts the worship from here. One can take the stairs and the path leads to third floor which has the shrines of Santhanalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi, Vidyalakshmi and Gajalakshmi. Then again take a few steps and we reach the shrrine of DhanaLakshmi, which is the only shrine on the fourth floor. Exiting the main shrine, in the first level, there are shrines for Aadilakshmi, Dhaanya lakshmi and Dharyalakshmi. The temple also has Dasavathara's(10 incarnations of Vishnu), Guruvayoorapan, Ganapati, Dhanwanthari and Anjaneyar deities.
Renovation
At 2012, the temple was renovated at the cost of
7 million. Another 1.6 million was spent on conducting
the Jeernotharana Ashtabandana mahakumbhabhishekam, a Hindu ceremony. A
total of 32 kalasams were newly laid in the temple, including a gold-plated
5.5-foot-high kalasam atop the sanctum sanctorum.
The Executive Officer
Sri Mahalakshmi Termple
Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600 090
Ph: 91 - 44 – 24917777
Bairagimadam Temple, Chennai
Bairagimadam Temple is a Hindu temple located in Muthialpet in Chennai, India. The temples was constructed in the 17th century by Ketti Narayana, a son of Beri Thimappa and dedicated to Venkateswara. It is opined that the Bairagimadam temple might be the one mentioned as "Lorraine's Pagoda", Lorraine being a corruption of Narayana, in the British maps of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Chennai
Chennakesava Perumal Temple (Tamil: சென்னகேசவ பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில்) is a Hindu temple situated in the city of Chennai, India. Dedicated to Chennakesava Perumal, a manifestation of the Hindu god Vishnu and the patron deity of Chennai, the temple is the first to be built since the construction of Madras city by the British East India Company. Chennapattanam was named after the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple; the word chenni in Tamil means face, and the temple was regarded as the face of the city
History
The city's regional name "Chennai" is said to have been derived from these temples.The Chennakesava Perumal Temple was constructed in 1646
Chintadri Pillaiyar Kovil, Chennai
Chintadri Pillaiyar Kovil is a Hindu temple in Devaraja Mudali Street in Georgetown, Chennai. The temple is dedicated to Ganesa and was constructed in 1717. The temples is situated close to the Mallikesvarar Temple and was the site of a dispute between the Komati Chetti and Beri Chetti communities in the 18th century.
Ekambareswarar Temple, Chennai
Ekambareswarar Temple, Chennai is a Hindu temple situated in the city of Chennai, India. It was constructed by Alanganatha Pillai, chief merchant of the Madras factory of the British East India Company
Location
The Ekambareswarar Temple is located in Mint Street and is flanked by two Jain shrines and a Kandaswami Temple.History
The Ekambareswarar Temple was constructed by Alanganatha Pillai, a dubash in the service of the British East India Company in the 1680s. The temple is marked in a 1710 map of Madras city as "Allingall's PagodaEttampadai Temple, Chennai
The Ettampadai - எட்டாம்படை is a temple of Murugan in India which is located in the town of Triplicane, of Chennai.
Mythology
This Temple is the ancient temple in South India. The Lord Murugan kalvettu in this temple is only placed in Kandhaswamy temple and Thiruporoor Murugan Temple. In early days pilgrims refreshen up while carrying KAVADI.This land of this temple was donated by Ms. Pachayammal, later it was maintained by Dharmakartha Mr.K.S.Kathirvel Pillai and Mr.K.Subramaniyam.To restructure this temple the devotees of Murugan ( Thiruvallikkeni Thirumuruganadiyargal", started a Devotional Musical Organization named as "BHAJANASHWARA" in the year of 1978.From the remuneration they started initial structure of this temple.
The Temple
The Temple is situated in Triplicane, Chennai. ETTAMPADAI is the temple in Triplicane, chennai, India of Lord Muruga. This temple is called as eighth Padaiveedu of Lord Muruga.In the first inner prahāram, or ambulatory, around the heart of the temple, shrines are Pillayar, Shiva, Ambika, Sri Kanaka Durka, Navagraha's and besides one to the Ancient Pillar of Lord Muruga.
Festivals
Besides regular services, days sacred to the god Subrahmanyan are celebrated with pomp and splendour every year, and are attended by throngs of devotees from all over South India. Some of these festivals are the Thai-Poosam, the Vaikhashi-Vishakham and the Soora-Samharam.PANGUNI UTHIRAM பங்குனி உத்திரம் festival is the most famous festival at "Ettampadai Murugan temple, Triplicane". The six-day celebration includes homams ஹோமம், devotional music இறை பாடல்கள், nadhaswara concert நாதஸ்வரம், kavadiattam காவடியாட்டம், special abhishekam அபிஷேகஹம் and annadhanam அன்னதானம் on the festival of PANGUNI UTHIRAM.
Pilgrims after first having taken a strict vow of abstinence, come barefoot, by walk, from distant towns and villages. Many pilgrims also bring a litter of wood, called a Kāvadi, borne on their shoulders, in commemoration of the act of the demon Hidumba who is credited by legend with bringing the two hills of Palani to their present location, slung upon his shoulders in a similar fashion. Others bring pots of sanctified water, known as theertha-kāvadi, for the priests to conduct the abhishekam on the holy day.
Poojas
Darshan hours are from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00p.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8.00. p.m. On festival days the temple opens at 4.30 a.m. till 10.30 p.m.Annual festivals
- 1 SKANDHA SHASHTI
- 2 VAIKASI VISAKAM
- 3 SESHADRI SWAMIGAL JAYANTHI
- 4 PANGUNI UTHIRA PERUVIZHA 25th Year Celebration (28–31 March 2010)
ISKCON Temple, Chennai
ISKCON Temple Chennai is a Vaishnava temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is located on the East Coast Road at Akkarai, Sholinganallur in southern Chennai. Built on 1.5 acres of land, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Chennai is the largest Radha Krishna temple in Tamil Nadu. It was formally inaugurated on 26 April 2012.
History
ISKCON founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who carried the message of Lord Chaitanya to various parts of the world, was very keen to establish strong centers in India. In 1971, when he returned to India after his success with Krishna consciousness in the Western world, he directed Giriraj Maharaj to go to Madras and preach activities, resulting in many enlisting as life patrons. Prabhupada wrote in a letter,In Madras we wanted to start a center and it was almost settled that the Chief Justice (Veeraswamy) would give us a place. So actually, if it is possible to open a center in Madras that would be very nice
Prabhupada visited Madras in February 1972 and delivered lectures. In 1975, a centre was opened at 50 Aspiran Gardens, 2nd Street, Kilpauk, which was later shifted to Kilpauk Garden Road. In 1988, the centre moved to T. Nagar, where the congregation of Chennai ISKCON increased greatly. During a morning walk on 18 December 1975, Prabhupada remarked: "Now our European and American boys are preaching in South India and big, big acaryas have received them."
In January 1976, Prabhupada visited Madras again and lectured in AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai and in the house of the then Chief Justice Veeraswamy. Inspired by the positive response to Krishna consciousness in Madras, Prabhupada wrote a letter to his disciples in Madras:
In Madras we have to construct a very gorgeous temple… Now immediately find out some land and begin the construction. Never mind what the cost will be. We are not concerned with the amount of money, but we want a very attractive temple. The money should come from the gentlemen of Madras
However, the effort to fulfill the desire of Prabhupada to build a "gorgeous temple" in Chennai did not prove fruitful until 2000 when devotees serving under the leadership of Bhanu Swami located 6.5 acres of land in Injambakkam and acquired immediately for construction of the temple. The temple was built solely on donations received from people in Chennai. The construction of the first phase of the project began on 17 March 2002. The temple has been built with the support of about 8,000 life patrons and contributions from devotees. Built on 45,000 sq ft of land, the temple cost
100 million.
The prana pratishtha (deity installation) ceremony, when the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha and their sakhis—Lalitha and Vishaka—were installed in one of the three teak-wood altars in the main hall, and Kumbhabhishekam were performed on 26 April 2012. After the Kumbhabishekam and Maha mangala arati—the first decorated darshan of the deities—flowers were showered from a helicopter over the gopurams built in the Kalinga style with a Sudarshana Chakra on the top of the tallest tower. The idols in the temple on Burkit Road, T. Nagar unit have also been shifted to this temple.
At the time of inauguration, the temple was still under construction with a 90-ft-long construction, which was to function as the kitchen and annadhan hall, nearing completion.
The temple
ISKCON Temple Chennai is part of the Centre for Spiritual Art and Culture and is located off the East Coast Road at the Hare Krishna land, Sholinganallur. The deities worshipped in the temple include those of Rukmini and Krishna. The image of deity Satyabhama, one of the eight wives of Krishna, is also housed in the temple premises. Other deities worshipped in the temple include Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra and Gaura-Nitai. ISKCON Chennai also promotes and protects traditional art and craft of South India.Spread over an area of over 1.5 acres, the temple is constructed on five levels. There is a 7,000 sq ft temple hall on the first floor, an auditorium for cultural and spiritual programmes on the ground floor and a prasadam hall in the basement.
In the temple hall, there are three teak-wood altars which house the deities of Lord Krishna with His consort Radharani, Lord Chaitanya with Lord Nityananda and Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. These deities have been sourced from Jaipur and Orissa. Designed under the guidance of Sri Bhanu Swami, the temple has imbibed various attributes from Vedic scripture and is inspired by the Pallava architecture.
The primary purpose of the temple to transform the material self-centred identity into a spiritual identity of unconditional love is graphically represented by means of a magnificent chandelier that projects various colours on the walls and ceiling. The chandelier has 500 Himalayan quartz crystals supposedly meant to intensify the spiritual energy in the temple.[4]
The temple also has a book shop near the portico, where books and souvenirs on spirituality and Hindu philosophy are sold. The temple is open from 7:15 am to 8:00 pm.
Jagannath Temple, Chennai
A Hindu temple dedicated to the divine trinity Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra in Chennai, India. The temple located in Kannathur off the EC Road by the seaside is built in Kalingan style reminiscent of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. The temple has shrines dedicated to Shiva, Ganesh, Bimala. The annual Rathyatra is the main festival celebrated.
The citizens of Chennai need not go all the way to Puri to worship Lord Jagannath, for a temple is now here at Reddy Kuppam Road, Kannathur, off New Mahabalipuram road. The main deities of this temple are Lord Jagannath, Devi Subadra and Lord Balabadra. One can pay obeisance to Lord Yoganarasimha as well. The other Sannidhis in this temple are those of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Devi Gajalakshmi and Devi Vimala. There is also a Navagraha sannidhi. A huge dhwaja sthambha stands majestically at the entrance to the main shrine.The shrine is made up of black granite from Kancheepuram and white marble from Rajasthan and built in Oriya style. The temple precincts are aesthetically beautified with green lawns and flowerbeds that lay over an area of one acre. The flowers from the garden alone are used for the pooja. Even the priests are from Orissa and they chant the slokas in Oriya. The pooja is also performed in the Oriya style.
This temple was consecrated seven years ago, on January 26, 2001. It is a replica of the Jagannath temple at Puri. The deities of this temple are also made from the wood of the neem tree from which the original deities of Puri were made.
The most important festival is the rath yatra, which is celebrated on the same day as in Puri. The deities of the temple, Lord Jagannath, Devi Subadra and Lord Balabadra are taken around the Kannathur village during the rath yatra.
Unlike Puri, there is a single rath, made of stainless steel, which is decorated with wood and cloth. Prof. S.N. Majhi, Managing Trustee of the temple says with an element of justifiable pride that this is the only temple in the world to have a stainless steel rath for Lord Jagannath.
The best of traditions of Orissa’s paintings still lives in Pata Chitras. It is a living art form that exists in Orissa since many centuries. These special paintings with vegetable dye depicting stories from epics are found in ancient as well as in modern temples of Orissa.
The Jagannath temple in Chennai also has Pata Chitra paintings on the walls and ceilings of the shrine of Lord Jagannath. The incarnations of Lord Vishnu are also depicted.
The devotees of Chennai are now privileged to have the darshan and benign grace of the Lord of the universe, Lord Jagannath, in their neighbourhood.
Lord Jagannath,
Reddy Kuppam Road,
Kannathur, Mahabalipuram, Devi Subadra, ord Balabadra,
ord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Devi Gajalakshmi,
Devi Vimala
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great devotees
, wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the
collection )
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