Chenna Malleeswarar Temple is one of the few temples in Chennai city of South India, which was built during the British period. When the British East India Company occupied Madras (Chennai), they had to destroy Chenna Kesava temple, a Vishnu temple.
About Malleeswarar Temple In Chennai :
Malleeswarar Temple is one of the few temples in Chennai city of South India, which was built during the British period.
When the British East India Company occupied Madras (Chennai), they had to destroy Chenna Kesava temple, a Vishnu temple. Currently, you can find Madras High Court in the same site. Due to public outcry, the British donated money and land to Manali Muthu Krishna Mudaliar, the last chief merchant to East India Company. He started constructing Chenna Kesava temple in 1762. Along with the Chenna Kesava temple, he also constructed a temple for Lord Shiva named Chenna Malleeswarar temple. Thus, the twin temples of Chennai of British period came into existence. There is a theory that the city Chennai is named after these twin temples of Chenna Malleeswarar and Chenna Kesava. They are even referred as Pattinam temples.
Attraction Of Malleeswarar Temple In Chennai :
The temple is located between DevarajaMudali street on the east, NSC Bose Road on the North, Nainiappa Naicken street on the west and Rasappa Chetty street on the South.
This is one of the three temples that were popular even before the arrival of the British. This Shiva-Vaishnav twin temple was initially located near St George fort but the British demolished it to expand their army. Due to the public outcry, the temple was then shifted to the Devaraja Mudali street. In the process, the Vigraha of this Perumal temple got mixed up with the 4 idols of the Thiruneermalai Perumal temple and the idol of Thiruneermalai temple was brought here by a mistaken identity but remains here since then. There will always be a good fragrance of jasmine at the Malleeswarar temple. All the 63 Nayanmars are present in a separate shrine.
Both the temples referred to by old-timers as “Pattanam Koil” and Pookadai Koil,” were demolished by the British and later, re-built. They are located in what was once called George Town. The Mada Veedhis around them are today known as China Bazaar or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road (North Mada Street), Devaraja Mudali Street (East Mada Street), Nainaiappa Naicken Street (West Mada Street) and Rasappa Mudali Street (South Mada Street). With the famous Kandakottam Kandasami Koil in the South Mada Street, the Kumarakottam Sri Vaania Sivasubramania Swami temple in the North and the Ekambareswarar temple in the West, the entire area could well be described as a temple city. Now, with the hustle and bustle of urban life and thousands of shops selling a variety of wares, this city hub has become congested.
Location :
The Malleswarar Temple is located in the Bazaar Road in Mylapore, Chennai. From the Mylapore Tank bus stop, take the Kutchery Road and from there the Bazaar Road.
Description :
The Malleswarar Temple is dedicated to Sri Shiva as Malleeswarar and Divine Mother Shakti as Maragathambal.
Shrines and Deities:
Main Shrines:
- Lord Shiva as Malleeswarar (மல்லீஸ்வரர்)
- Devi as Maragadambal (மரகதாம்பாள்)
Sri Brahma:
- Sri Brahma (பிரம்ஹா)
Sri Shiva:
- Sri Dakshinamurthy (தட்சினாமூர்த்தி)
- Sri Nataraj (நடராஜ)
- Sri Kala Bhairavar (கால பைரவர்)
Devi:
- Devi Durgai (துர்க்கை)
Sri Ganesha:
- Sri Selva Ganapathy (செல்வ கணபதி)
- Sri Maha Ganapathy (மஹா கணபதி)
- Sri Bala Ganapati (பாலகணபதி)