Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Vedanta Desikar Temple), Mylapore – The Temple

Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Vedanta Desikar Temple), Mylapore – The Temple
The Temple is located right next to the Kesavaperumal temple and sharing a wall with it. This is a fairly big and well-maintained temple with many shrines with north facing Rajagopuram (tower). A small tank is located near the temple entrance. The temple has bali Peetha, flag staff and Garuda similar to that of any other South Indian temple. The temple is 300 years old. As seen it is a Vadakalai temple initially. The Temple originally enshrines only Swami Desikan and Lakshmi Hayagriva’s Archa Vigrahas. A Vigraha of Vedanta Desikar was moved from the Kesavaperumal temple.


In 1924, Sri Kasturi Srinivasan Iyengar built sannidhis for Sri Srinivasa Perumal and Padmavathy Thayar. Lord Srinivasa Perumal and Thayar occupied the temple as per their will. The sanctum enshrines the 8 feet gigantic idol of Srinivasa Perumal in the standing posture with four arms. Next to his shrine, on the right side, there is a separate shrine for the Goddess Alarmel Mangai. Both the main shrines face the east direction. The Alarmelu Mangai Thayar Vigraha is huge and very captivating.


Inscriptions of some important renderings (slokas) by the great acharya are graved on the temple walls. The shrine of the great teacher Vedanta Desika is the one that faces north and it is the first shrine one sees in the temple. This shrine houses the stone idol and the Utsava (bronze) idol of Vedanta Desikar are found. The shrine also has the bronze idols of Lakshmi Hayagriva - the upasana God of Vedanta Desikar. Lakshmi Hayagriva was modelled on the idol of the Mysore Parakala mutt was later brought and installed. (The Parakala mutt is also located in Mylapore (opposite road to Mylai railway station)).


There are Shrines of Anjaneyar, Ramanuja, Garudan, Peyazhwar, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Lakshmi Narasimha, Bhashayakarar, Sudarsana, Yoga Narasimhar behind Sudarsana, Andal, Azhwars and Acharyas. Anjaneyar Sannidhi is located at the entrance of the Temple. The Anjaneyar sannidhi has a Vimanam, with icons of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana above the entrance, and of Anjaneya in the corners of the vimana. Lord of medicines, Dhanavanthri is also present in the pillar of the front mandapam.


In the sannidhi of Rama, Silver idols of Sri Rama (Pattabhisheka Thirukolam), Lakshmana, Sita along with Bharatha and Shatrugna offer the devotees a vivid darshan. Peyazhwar is considered to be born in a well at Mylapore near the Madhava Perumal Temple. This temple has a normal shrine for him as well as a small cave like shrine inside the temple well near the Dwajasthambam. It is interesting to watch the Thirumanjanam being performed inside the well. The life history of Vedanta Desikar with narration is painted beautifully on the walls of Inner shrine. The Brindavan Mandapam of the temple on the South is exquisitely beautiful. The temple has a Pasu Madam also.