Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
NORTH ZONE
A landmark on Vellala Street
|
Over the years, Vellala Street has changed from being a quiet bylane of Purasawalkam High Road to a noisy commercial area. But one landmark still remains - the Srinivasa Perumal temple. A look at its history and activities.
|
IN THE early years of the 20th Century, No.1, Vellala Street, Purasawalkam, was home to R.K. Narayan, R.K. Laxman, and their cousin Sridhar, who is well-known to readers of Ananda Vikatan as Marina and Baranidharan. Not only has the house in which they grew up fallen victim to the passage of time, but Vellala Street itself has changed drastically from being a quiet bylane to a noisy commercial one, off Purusawalkam High Road.
But one landmark still remains, and that is the Srinivasa Perumal temple. Originally there was a bhajanai koil here with a small stone idol which can be seen even today in the main sannidhi. The bhajanai koil was built more than 300 years ago. The present temple came into existence in 1850. Legend has it that Lord Srinivasa appeared in an old man's dream and ordered that a temple be built for him at the site of the bhajanai koil. Since a bell also appeared in his dream, it was inferred that Lord Srinivasa also wanted an idol of Vedanta Desika to be installed, since Desika is considered to be an incarnation of the bell at Tirumala.
Accordingly a temple for Lord Srinivasa was built by Jagannatha Chettiar, to whom the bhajanai koil belonged. The idol of Lord Srinivasa is more than seven feet high.
The thayar is Alamelu Mangai, and there are also separate sannidhis for Andal, Chakrathazhvar, and Bhaktha Anjaneya. The dwajasthambam is 48 feet high, and is made of teakwood brought from the Anamalai forest.
This Vadakalai temple celebrates Desikar utsavam in Purattasi. The Brahmotsavam takes place in January and every year Laksharchanai is organised in April.
The temple is said to be the abhimaana sthalam of the Nithya Kalyana Perumal temple of Tiruvidandai, and it is said that the sataari of the temple came from Tiruvidandai.
The last samprokshanam of the temple took place in 1995. A chariot for the temple was also made that year.
Every year in the month of Margazhi, a Tiruppavai contest for children is held at the temple and prizes awarded to them. This contest which has been taking place for the last 20 years, draws participants from as far off as Tirunindravur.
Every month on Bahula Panchami, Carnatic music concerts take place in the temple.
The temple has been under the management of the Chettiar community right from the beginning. The present trustee M. Nataraja Chettiar takes a keen interest in the day-to-day administration.
The temple has a small garden, a ghosaala, and also a vahana mandapam.
The temple has had a madaipalli since the 1930s. Many of my great-grandfather's clients who came from outside Madras made it a point to buy the prasadams sold at the temple. Especially popular were puliyodarai, Kanchipuram idli and roasted channa. The cook, Raman, was so well-known for the food he made that his name acquired the prefix "pathukadai", and he was always referred to as "pathukadai" Raman. The madaipalli still maintains an excellent standard, but prasadams are sold only on Saturdays.
The temple has for three consecutive years, won the award given by the Mylapore Academy for the cleanest temple in the city.
SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARI
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
