Bairagi Madam Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple,
Sowcarpet, George Town – The Temple
The temple has three sections. The
Mutt which enshrines the North Indian style white marble idols is the first
structure. It has an east facing entrance. The magnificent temple of
Tiruvengamudaiyan Venkatesa Perumal is the second structure. It has three
entrances in the east, north and south directions. Within this temple complex,
near the temple tank, a small separate North Indian style temple is located. It
has its own small entrance. In Sanskrit ‘Bairagi’ means ‘Sanyasi’. Since
Perumal appeared before a Sanyasi, this holy place is known as ‘Bairagi
Venkatesa Perumal Koil’. The Temple is administered by lesser known Bairagi
sect.
Bairagi Mutt:
The mutt has east facing
entrance. The sanctum enshrines very beautiful marble idols. The white marble
idols of Ram with Lakshman on his right side and Sita on his left side is
enshrined in the sanctum. (It should be noted that Ram has Lakshman instead of
Sita on his true right side, which is not usual). Behind the idols of Ram
Parivar, the black marble stone idols of Vishnu and his three consorts are
found. Vishnu is normally found with his two consorts, namely Sri Devi and Bhoo
Devi. However, in this sanctum, his third consort Neela Devi is also found.
Vishnu has two arms and
holds conch and discus. He is found in the standing posture. All his three
Devis are found seated. Each of them hold a kid on her lap, which is unusual. An
idol of Krishna keeping his two arms in stylish way on his hip is also found in
this sanctum. It is made of black marble. Few bronze idols of Krishna in
various postures are also kept in the same sanctum.
The Tulsi Madam (the holy
altar with the Tulsi plant) that is found in this mutt is one of the oldest
surviving Tulsi Madams of Chennai city. The red colored idols of Hanuman and Ganesh
are found in the prakara. A big red colored relief image of Hanuman found on
the wall of this mutt is very interesting.
Temple Towers:
Adjoining to the Bairagi
mutt, the main entrance of Tirvengadamudaiyan temple is located. It faces the
east direction. Five-tiered tower with lot of interesting stucco figures is
found at this entrance. The south facing entrance has three-tiered tower. There
is another entrance at the north direction.
Mukha Mandapam:
The Mukha Mandapam is very
long and wide. It is designed like a chariot. The pillars are full of figures
of elephants, horses, Yazhis, lions and soldiers. The sculptures in this mandapam
appear like late Vijayanagara or Nayaka style.
Tirvengadamudaiyan
Temple:
Presiding Deity is called as Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal
/ Tirvengadamudaiyan. The Vimaanam of this temple is known as Padma Vimanam. The
east facing sanctum enshrines the gigantic seven feet image of Tirvengadamudaiyan.
He is found in the standing posture and has four arms holding conch and discus
in his two upper arms. He resembles similar to Tirupati Balaji. The Utsava
idols of Tirvengadamudaiyan called Venkatesa Perumal and his two consorts Sri
Devi and Bhoo Devi are also found in the sanctum. There is no flag staff in
this temple. Instead, a Deepa sthamba is found.
Garuda is found in Maha Mandapam area, facing towards
the sanctum. Here the poojas are performed as per the regulations opted at the
Tirupati temple. In the sanctum sanctorum there are five Perumals called
‘Pancha Perars’. The Lord wears on his chest a chain engraved with
108 Lakshmi figures. On the Saturdays of the Purattasi month,
special pooja is performed by adorning the Lord with medicated
camphor. At the front mandapam appears Lord Ranganatha. On the
first day of the Purattasi Brahmotsavam, Sri Ramanuja and Chakkarathalwar go for
the Flag-hoisting function. This is quite significant.
On the fifth day of the festival, the ceremony of the
Lord garlanding Thaayar with the Lakshmi-engraved chain is
conducted. At that time the doors of the sanctum are closed and the
devotees cannot have the darshan of the Lord. This is done on the
basis that the Lord should be worshipped along with Thaayar only. That
night ‘Garuda Seva’ is performed. On the Panguni Uthiram day, the Lord appears
along with Sridevi, Bhudevi, Alamelumangai Thaayar and Andal.
Alarmel
Mangai Shrine:
Mother is called as Alarmel Mangai. Her beautiful and big
image is enshrined in a separate shrine in the south-western corner of the
prakara. Her bronze idol is found in the same shrine. She is donned with the
garland worn by the Lord and is beautified. Generally, in the Vishnu
temples the Lord alone appears in the Garuda Seva. But, in this
temple, Thayar appears in Garuda Seva. During the Karthigai month,
the Theertha Utsavam for nine days is performed for the Thayar. At
that time, she alights on the Garuda carrier and goes around the prakaram. There
is a separate female-Garuda carrier for this purpose.
Utsavar:
Utsavar is Venkatesa Perumal. There is an interesting
legend behind the Utsavar. Laldas was worshipping the Lord after building the
temple. Once the Lord appeared in his dream and indicated that he was
lying as an image in the nearby garden. Laldas recovered the image and
installed here. During the Purattasi Brahmotsavam, the Utsavar is taken to
that place from where he was retrieved. At that time, he is called as the ‘Lord
who goes to his birthplace’ – ‘Pirappitam Chellum Perumal’. Special poojas are
performed there.
Special poojas are conducted to ‘Sayanaperar’ for three
days during Vaikasi. When this pooja is performed, without anybody
seeing it, the Lord is veiled with seven curtains. After all the poojas
are completed the Lord is placed near the Utsava moorthy and worshipped by
offering him seven types of fruits. During that time only, we can worship
Him.
Ranganathar
Shrine:
In Ardha Mandapam, there is a separate south facing
shrine of Ranganathar. He is found in the reclining posture. Sri Devi and
Bhoo Devi are found along with him. Brahma is found seated on lotus that
emerges out of his navel.
Lakshmi
Narasimhar Shrine:
Lord Lakshmi Narasimhar is in separate sanctum facing
west. Under His feet is the ‘Narsimha Yantra’. Generally, in the temples
the abishekam water will be given to the devotees in their hands. But in
this sanctum, the water is sprinkled on the devotees. The belief is that
the water will cure diseases.
Tirumangai
Alvar Shrine:
There is a separate shrine for Tirumangai Alvar with his
wife, Kumudavalli in the temple.
Mandapams
and other Shrines:
There are three important mandapams found in this
temple. The mandapam located in the south-western corner has three shrines
namely Alarmel Mangai, Lord with Mother Sita and Lakshman and Varadarajar
with his consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. There is another mandapam located in
the north-western corner has three shrines namely Andal, small images
of Nardana Krishna with his consorts Rukmini and Bhama and Varaha in
the standing posture.
The third mandapam is located in the north-eastern
corner of the temple. There are three shrines situated here. They are Manavala Mamuni,
Lakshmi Narasimha and Puri Jagannath. In Puri Jagannath shrine, the small
images of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra are found, similar to Puri Temple. Narasimha
Yantra is found in Lakshmi Narasimha shrine. All the sub-shrines enshrine
the stone as well as the bronze images of the deities.
The mandapams are full of pillars with so many beautiful
and interesting sculptures. Apart from these mandapams, the pillars with
carvings are found all over the temple. Paramapatha Vasal (entrance) is located
between the first two mandaps, which is painted beautifully in vibrant colors. Anjaneya
is found in a separate shrine near the first mandapam.
Vahanas
(Vehicles):
The Vahanas that carry the bronze images of the deities
during the festivals and processions are very big and impressive. For example,
the elephant vahana is almost in the size of an elephant calf. Garuda Seva is
about Garuda carrying Vishnu during the procession. In this temple, unusually
Alarmel Mangai is carried by Garuda during the procession. Interestingly, Garuda
vahana which carries the Goddess is in the female form.
Vaishnavite
Saints Shrines:
There are many sub-shrines in the Mukha Mandapam and in
the prakara for Vaishnavite saints that include Alavandan, Pillai Lokacharya,
Koorathalwan, Ramanuja, Mudaliyandan, Tiruvarangaththu Amudanar, Tirumangai
Alwar, Kumudavalli, Madura Kavi Alwar, Nammalvar, Nathamuni, Bhutat Alwar, Periyalvar,
Periya Nambikal, Senai Mudaliyar, Pei Alwar, Poigai Alwar, Thirupaan Alwar,
Tirukkatchi Nambi, Araiyar, Tirukoshtiyur Nambi, Empaar Bhattar, Tirumalai
Nadan, Nampillai, Periyachan, Nanjeeyar, Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai, Tirvai
Mozhi and Manavala Mamuni. All the sub-shrines enshrine the stone images as
well as the respective bronze images of the Vaishnavite saints. Not many Vishnu
temples in Chennai enshrine such a large number of Vaishnava saints. This
should also be considered as one of the highlights of this temple.
Mural
Paintings:
There are many beautiful mural paintings found on the
walls across the entire temple. The painting of Paramapadanathan with Sri Devi,
Bhoo Devi and Neela Devi as well as the one that depicts Ram in Pattabhishekam
ceremony are notable paintings.
North Indian
Temple:
The holy temple tank, called as Varaha Pushkarani, is
located on the north side of the temple. On the banks of this tank, a small
North Indian type temple is found. It is constructed probably in the 20th
century CE. The images of Shiva Linga, Hanuman, Sapta Matas, Kartikeya, Ganesha
and Ambika are enshrined here. It is called as Hanuman temple and Shiva temple.