Skip to main content

Koils in Madras

Koils in Madras.

This (16th July 2006) evening 5 PM, we (myself and Vijaya) embarked on a minor tour of "Koils-in-Mylapore."

We went to (1) Shri Veera Anjaneyar Koil, (2) Shri Adi Kesava Perumal Koil, (3) Shri Vedhantha Desikar Koil (both near the Chitrakulam, Mylapore. The (2) and (3) are very ancient koils. On our walk back home, we went to Shri Karpaka Vinayakar Koil, near our house. We walked non-stop for over 2 hours but the experience was most satisfying. An evening well spent, in stead of couch-potatoing in front of the dumb TV.

The place, streets and lanes, the houses around these Koils must be over 200 years' ancient and is a sight to behold. Remember my earlier mail two years ago on an ancient house in Mylapore, transporting us back in the Time machine? Today, we re-visited that place, but not that house. I like to visit such places of heritage, which mirror our culture.

Day before yesterday (14th) we went to Shri Ramakrishna Mutt, and Shri Saibaba Koil in Mylapore and yesterday (15th) to Vinayakar Koil and Iyappan koil. Since coming over to Madras in end Dec 2001, Vijaya and I have explored, by walk, many places and many temples. Apart from the large koils like Shri Kapaliswarar koil, Shri Parthasarathy koil, and Vadapalani Shri Murugan Koil, we have gone to many temples, medium and small.

We started our exploration with Navasakthi Vinayakar koil in Kilpauk, then Shiva-Vishnu koil (also in Kilpauk), Paathaala Ponni Amman koil (in Ormes Road, suggested by Ramamurthy athimber), and Shri Gangadeeswarar koil, Purasaiwakkam. This is a very ancient koil, where Bhageeratha is said to have performed thavam to bring Ganga. The Amman, Shri Pankajakshi Amman looks so beautiful, you wouldn't have the heart to take away your eyes from Her, and Her most benevolent Face.

Later, we read that there is a Vellala St in Purasai where the famous Tamil writers like RK Narayan, Raa ki Rangarajan, Ja Raa Sundaresan, Punithan lived for many years (Even MS lived here for sometime) - we two went, like Columbus, in pursuit of this street of literature. We walked where they had walked years ago. (Today, Saravana Bhavan Hotel is located in RK Narayan's house !!) At the other end of this street, is an ancient koil, Shri Kesava Perumal koil, a beautiful koil. We also went to Iyappan koil at Landon's Rd, Kilpauk, apart from small Pillaiyar and Ponni amman koils.

Shri Iyappan koil, Shri Chandramouleeswarar koil (both in Anna nagar), Shri Saibaba koil (Shenoy nagar) were the other koils we used to frequent while in Kilpauk. We have also gone to Pillaiyar koil and Shri Iyappan koil (both in Mahalingapuram), Ashta Lakshmi koil, Aaru Padai Veedu (Murugan koil), Shri Ratnagireeswarar koil (all in Besant nagar), Maruntheeswarar Koil in Thiruvanmiyur, Mangadu and Thiruverkadu Amman koils, Shri Vengeeswarar koil at Vadapalany, Kali Bari Koil at Ashoknagar.

We have gone to Shri Navasakti Pillaiyar koil (Luz), Shri Anjaneyar koil (Mylapore) earlier also when visiting Madras. Now we are in Madras itself, we have added Shri Anjaneyar koil, at Alwarpet.

I could have forgotten a few, but this sums almost our Temple tour of about 32 temples in Madras in less than 5 years.

God Bless all,
Rajappa
20.35 on 16th July 2006

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Anna Centenary Library, Kotturpuram

ANNA CENTENARY LIBARARY (அண்ணா நூற்றாண்டு நூலகம்) is a newly established State Library of Tamilnadu. It was declared open on 15th Sept 2010. Located in Kotturpuram, Chennai. This last Sunday, 1st May 2011, we hit upon the idea - we will go and see this library. No serious reason, but a sudden whiff of fancy. Vijaya, her old classmate and friend Mrs Prema, and I left house at 3-30PM. A bus upto Madhya Kailash, and an auto thereon, left us at the gates of this huge, beautiful building at 4 PM. From the outside, it was immensely impressive and imposing - maybe of 9 or 10 floors, exquisitely constructed. As we walked the lawns to reach the Main Entrance, the interest in us was bubbling. (Caution: Handbags, Cameras are strictly prohibited. Even waterbottles are not allowed inside the halls.) There is a 5-feet bronze statue of Mr CN Annadurai, in whose name and honour this library is built. This is the Tamilnadu Chief minister Mr M Karunanidhi's pet project and he, as usual, has ov...

Dr. MUTHULAKSHMI REDDY

Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy The road from Adyar Signal to Thiruvanmiyur signal (in Chennai) is called Lattice Bridge Road (LB Road); this English name was re-christened as Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Road long back, but the old English name only prevails now. Who is this Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy? In the princely state of Pudukkottai there lived Narayanaswami Iyer who married a devadasi by name Chandramma - this marriage created a sensation that time. To this couple, eight children were born out of whom four died as infants. Muthulakshmi was one that survived (born: 30 July 1886). M's sister Nallamuthu, learned English, went on to study in UK, became a Professor in QMC, Chennai, and later its Principal - the first Indian principal of QMC. Muthulakshmi went to a school in Pudukottai till the age of 13; later she studied at home tutored by teachers. She passed matriculation in the year 1902. She started dreaming about becoming a graduate. Bur her father, with meagre pension could not send her ...

U Ve Swaminatha Iyer - A Tribute

U Ve Swaminatha Iyer A TRIBUTE to The Patriarch of Tamil. This morning, let me talk about the TAMIZH THATHA, Sri UV Swaminatha Iyer. A tribute, on his 150th birth anniversary. The original texts of a number of literary works of the Sangam period (1st and 2nd Century AD) came to public notice only towards the end of the 19th century, when they appeared in print form. Until then, works such as Aymperum Kaappiyangal (the five great epics) – Silappathikaram, Manimekalai, Kundalakesi, Jeevaka Chintamani, and Valaiyapathi were in the form of palm leaf manuscripts in the possession of scores of families living across Tamilnadu and outside. They didn’t have the skill to read the manuscripts, and, therefore, did not realize the literary worth. The palm leafs were allowed to rot. The need to hunt for the missing palm leaf manuscripts and bring to light the hidden treasure of Tamil literature was deeply felt. Foremost among those who undertook this formidable task was Mahamahopadhyaya Uttamadhana...