Ratnagiriswarar Temple, Besant Nagar – History
In 1969 the residents of Besant Nagar formed a Society
and later registered it under the Societies Registration Act in 1972 under the
name 'Bhaktha Mandali”. Residents of Besant Nagar approached Sri Paramacharya of
Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt to seek his blessings for constructing a small temple. He
blessed the project and foretold that the devotees would find a Shivalinga in
the seashore off Thiruvanmiyur coast. He directed that this idol could be
installed and a temple can be constructed with this Linga. After a search for
over three months, the devotees found the Siva Linga.
Sri Mahadeva Iyer (father of Sri Jayendra Saraswathi
Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt in his poorvashrama) helped the devotees in retrieving
the idol from the seashore and brought it to Besant Nagar. Sri Mahakalikudi
Ramanatha Swamigal installed on the sacred day of Maha Shivarathri on the 7th
March 1970, the Shivalinga at the place where the temple stands now. Sri Paramacharya
of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt named the Siva Linga as 'Sri Ratnagiriswarar' and asked
the devotees to construct a temple with his consort 'Sri Aralakesi'.
Sri Paramacharya instructed that the temple should be
constructed in line with the ancient temple at the Ayyarmalai in Kulitalai in
Trichy District. The first Kumbabishekam for the temple was performed in 1975
by His Holiness Sri Shankaracharya Swamigal of Sakatapuram Mutt, who also
performed the second Kumbabishekam in 1978. Ashtabandhana Maha Kumbabishekam
was performed on 14-9-86 in the immediate presence of His Holiness Swami
Paramarthananda (disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswathi). On the last day of
the Mandalabhishekam Jagadguru Bharathi Theertha Maha Swamigal, Sannidhanam of
Sringeri Mutt, was present and blessed the devotees.
A new Rajagopurarn has now been constructed as per the
directions and guidance of Sri Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. It has
five tiers and is 40 feet high. Padmasri M. Muthiah Sthapathy, a World-renowned
Sthapathy, has constructed this Rajagopuram. The Maha Kumbabishekam for the newly constructed Rajagopuram was
conducted on the 18th June 1992, by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal
and Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt.
