The Aarupadaiveedu Temple Trust comprises of Dr. Alagappa Alagappan (Chairman), Mrs. Alamelu Arunachalam, Mrs. Parvathi Nachiappan, Mr. Ganapathi Sthapathi and Dr. Venkatachalam. And all the six sanctum sanctora are being built with NRI (Non-Resident Indian) philanthropic funds.
About Aarupadaiveedu Temple :
The Arupadai Veedu Murugar temple is located in Besant Nagar, on the Bay of Bengal shore, near the Ashtalakshmi temple. This temple complex, a granite structure was built in Chennai with the sole purpose of awarding the devotees an opportunity to worship all the six Murugas in one shrine. Dr. Alagappa Alagappan started the venture with the blessings of Sri Sri Maha Periyavaal of Kanchi Mutt. The Swaamimalai praahaaram was built first in 1995. The Mahaavallabha Ganapati sannadhi, the Palani and Tiruttani praakaarams were completed and consecrated in 1998. Finally the Tiruchendur, Tirupparankundram and Palamudirsolai sannadhis were completed in 2002 & the consecration took place in the presence of His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam on 21st June 2002.
The Swamimalai temple is situated at the northeast, Tiruchendur at the east, Pazhamudirsolai and Tirupparankundram at the south, Palani at the west and Tiruttani in the northwest. The Mahavallabha Ganapati temple is in the center.
Attraction of Aarupadaiveedu Temple In Chennai :
There are innumerable temples for the Lord Muruga in Tamilnadu, but Aarupadaiveedus literally means six fighting fields, the six highly revered shrines of Lord Muruga, are considered as most important. The deities in these six well known temples shows different stages in Lord Muruga’s life, to narrate in Palani near Madurai, Muruga as Dhandaayutapani, an angry child, in Swamimalai Muruga as offering advice to his father known as Swaminathanaswamy, Bala Subramanya Swami and Senthilandavar after the destruction of Surapadman and worshipping Lord Siva in Tiruchendur, after destroying the asura Surapdman in Tiruttani (Bala Subramanya Swami), Subramanyaswami after marrying Deivayaanai in Tirupparankundram, with the wifes Valli and Deivayaanai in Pazhamudirsolai close to Alagar Koyil in Madurai.
A newly constructed Arupadai Veedu Murugar Temple is located at Besant Nagar, on the shores of Bay of Bengal, in Chennai. Arupadai Veedu Murugar Temple offers the devotees an opportunity to worship all the ‘arupadai veedus of Muruga’ in a single shrine. Thaipuyam, Panguni Uthram, Aadi Karthikai and Skanda Shashti are the major festivals celebrated here amid much pomp and religious fervor. The festivals are celebrated in traditional style with Kavadi Attam and Paal Kudam.
It is believed that Lord Muruga showers all blesses over the devotees who visit and offer prayers in these six temples. These temples attract lot of people from various places in India and abroad.
Features Aarupadaiveedu Temple In Chennai :
The Arupadai Veedu Temple complex is built only recently in granite, making it somewhat of a rarity in this region. Temples of this type are more likely found in the neighboring state of Karnataka. The architecture is spare and does not in the least bit resemble the intense, lavish, color-splashed temples so unique to this region. Its close proximity to the sea, definitely adds to its charm.
The morning I visited, I pretty much had the place to myself. A handful of priests were getting everything ready in anticipation of the tour busses arriving around 10 AM, bringing pilgrims who would expect to receive their blessing. The woman at the gate was busily threading garlands ahead of the expected influx.
Location of The Temple :
History of The Temple :
About 18 years ago the sage Kanchi Paramacharya was camping at Gulbarga in Karnataka State border when Dr. Alagappa Alagappan, an Ex-UN Official went to have his darshan.