Ayodhya Mandapam, West Mambalam, Chennai

Ayodhya Mandapam, West Mambalam, Chennai

Ayodhya Mandapam is a very popular landmark in West Mambalam area in Chennai, the gateway city to South India. Ayodhya Mandapam is common meeting hall type of building-structure specifically made for the purpose of Sath-Sangham (Association of like-minded or common interest on religious development/discourses). The mandapam is managed by Sri Ram Samaj. who also operate Mithilapuri Kalyana Mandapam - a marriage hall, Sri Sitaram Vidyalaya school and Gnanavapi - a place for conducting funeral rites.

History

The Mandapam was constructed in 1964 and initially it was thrown open to the Iyers of Mambalam (a set of Brahmin Community). Later it was made available for all the other communities. Till now it is known for the association/meeting point for Brahmin community. In January 2014, this society was taken over by HR & CE department of Tamil Nadu Government. After protest by the General public, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court stayed the proceedings of the Tamil Nadu Government.

Ayodhya Mandapam

Ayodhya Mandapam is a public hall meant for religious gathering, conducting Hindu rituals/functions and conducting Vedic/Puranic discourses. Ayodhya Mandapam was built in 1964. The main shrine of Mandapam has the bronze idols (Utsava idols) of Ram, Lakshman and Sita. The picture depicting the Pattabhisheka ceremony of Ram is also placed in the main shrine. There are also two small shrines for Hanuman and Shankara Paduka. Steel foldable chairs have been placed in neat rows to seat all those who come every evening at five to chant Vishnu Sahasranamam. This chanting has been going on every evening without fail for very many years.

Activities

Periodic discourses on Vedas and Upanishads as well as several cultural meet-outs are handled throughout the year. In the month of March–April of every year, programmes in connection to Rama Navami Maha-Utsavam is very special at Ayodhya Mandapam.

Contact

Ayodhya Ashwamedha Maha Mandapam,

47, Arya Gowder Road,

West Mambalam, Chennai – 600 033

Phone: +91 44 2489 3077 / 2345 1600 / 04

Email: sriramsamaj@gmail.com

Web: www.sriramsamaj.org

Connectivity

The Mandapam is located in Arya Gowder Road, West Mambalam, Chennai. The Mandapam is on the main road near Ayodhya Mandapam Bus Stop. The Mandapam is located at about 1.5 Kms from Ashok Pillar, 2.5 Kms from Saidapet Railway Station, 1 Km from Mambalam Railway Station, 1.5 Kms from Ashok Nagar Metro Station, 1.5 Kms from T Nagar Bus Terminus, 5 Kms from Guindy, 2 Kms from T Nagar, 11 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station, 8 Kms from Koyambedu Mofussil Bus Terminus, 8 Kms from Egmore Railway Station and 10 Kms from Chennai Airport.

West Mambalam is served by Mambalam Railway station (the busiest station after Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram), providing access to Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore and Tambaram. The nearest bus terminus is T. Nagar. The bus service connects the area to K.K. Nagar, Vadapalani, Iyappanthangal, Poonamallee, T. Nagar and Broadway (via Postal Colony), Mylapore and Vallalar Nagar (via Rangarajapuram) and Saligramam (via Brindavan Street), West Saidapet and Besant Nagar (via Mettupalayam). Other less frequent services connect the area to Taramani, Guindy Industrial Estate, Pattabiram, Tollgate and Kundrathur. Addition to that Small bus operated between Ashok Pillar to Liberty via 4th and 7th avenue of Ashok Nagar, Ayodhya Mandapam, Rangarajapuram. Nearest Metro Rail Station is Ashok Nagar.

Location

Stone House, Ooty, Nilgiris

Stone House, Ooty, Nilgiris

Stone House is a heritage building located in picturesque Nilgiris Hills in Ooty Town in Ooty Taluk of Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. Stone House is one of the most important historic monuments of Ooty. Stone House was the first bungalow constructed in Ooty (India). It was built by John Sullivan and was called Kal Bangala by the tribals (Kal means stone in Tamil). The tree in front of the bungalow is known as the Sullivan's oak.

History

John Sullivan started building Stonehouse in 1822. He acquired land from the Toda people at ₹1 (1.4¢ US) an acre. This plot was initially covered with lush green Pine trees, ferns, lichens and orchids. The mansion reveals a sloping roof painted in Green while the architecture is kept simple yet resembling a typical British Cottage that probably houses a cozy fireplace in the sitting room. Unofficially it was from the Ooty Stone House that the modernization of Ooty began. This is the first house to be constructed in Ooty. After independence, it was the official residence of the Principal of the Government Arts College, Ooty. Now it is converted into Government Museum.

Government Museum

The Government Museum is housed in Stone House. It is a small museum and one of two state-run museums in Ooty. It has a delightful collection of stuffed animals and birds, mounted hunting trophies along with regular exhibits of ancient coins, metal wares, rock samples, wood carvings etc. It also showcases artefacts of the tribal communities of the Nilgiris, the Todas, Badagas, Kurumba and Irula tribes with separate sections devoted to each tribe.

The models of Toda hut and temple are interesting with diagrams of the architecture used in building them. There are some rare and unusual exhibits like bamboo manuscripts which are manuscripts made on bamboo strips, and colorful puppets made from leather and used in traditional shadow play (Bommalaatam & Nizhalaatam).

There is a copper embossed plate with intricate details depicting Sethu Bandanam, an important occurrence described in detail by Sage Valmiki in the Ramayana involving the building of a bridge across the sea by the Vanara Sena to reach Lanka and rescue Sita.

Connectivity

Stone House is located at about 1 Km from Charing Cross Bus Stop, 3 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 4 Kms from Ooty, 3 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 19 Kms from Coonoor, 29 Kms from Kotagiri, 50 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station and 87 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Private Taxis are available from Ooty and Coonoor to reach this place.

Location

Ooty Racecourse, Nilgiris

Ooty Racecourse, Nilgiris

Ooty Racecourse is a highland race course, located in Ooty Town in Ooty Taluk of Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. It is built for summer racing in the hills. The course stands at an altitude of 2,268 m above sea level. The race course is adjacent to the railway station in the heart of town. The races are conducted in the summer season, from April to June, when it has been traditional to come to the hill station to escape the summer heat. The course occupies over 55 acres in the centre of Ooty.

The course is about 2.4 km long and is one of the most famous race courses in India. The main event of the racing season is "The Nilgiri Gold Cup Race", a traditional and popular race. To commemorate 125 years of racing in this hill station, a special race for "The Post Centenary Silver Jubilee Cup" was run in 2011. A fire occurred at the race course in March 2011, believed to have been started by a cigarette butt, but was put out without harm to the horses.

Ooty Racecourse is located at about 500 meters from Ooty Bus Stand, 500 meters from Ooty Railway Station, 1.5 Kms from Ooty, 20 Kms from Coonoor, 30 Kms from Kotagiri, 51 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 84 Kms from Coimbatore and 88 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Ooty is well connected to Coimbatore, Kerala and Karnataka.

Location

Nagaraja Temple, Manjakombai, Kundah, Nilgiris

Nagaraja Temple, Manjakombai, Kundah, Nilgiris

Nagaraja Temple is a Hindu Temple located in Manjakombai (Manihada) Village in Kundah Taluk near Ooty Hill Station in picturesque Nilgiris Hills in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. The deity in this temple is considered a powerful. The temple lies in a calm and serene location surrounded by fresh air which creates a perfect environment for worship and meditation.

Legends

Construction of this Temple:

The people of Manjakombai began digging the ground for collecting sand in order to build a temple in the place. On digging for a few meters, they heard a sound and is said to have found a Nagaraja idol and a couple of caves beneath the ground. A rock is believed to have obstructed the construction work on further digging, which upon removal had revealed the presence of a live snake. A temple for the Goddess and Nagaraja were later raised in the same place. It is that snake which is still believed to be alive.

Underground Tunnel between Nagaraja & Heddhai Amman Shrine:

There is yet another specialty attached to this temple. A live snake is believed to reside within the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Nagaraja. It is also believed that this snake had created an underground pathway or tunnel between the Nagaraja temple to the Heddhai Amman Temple in order commute between the two shrines.

Sri Rama foot Print:

According to hearsay, while Lord Rama was passing through this temple, he has left his print of his feet on a rock here during his 14 years Vanavasa – forest life. There is also a feet symbol on a rock confirming this faith. A large number of Rama devotees visit this temple. The high monkey population in the locality support the Ramayana theory.

The Temple

Presiding Deities of this temple are Lord Nagaraja and Goddess Heddhai Amman. A separate shrine dedicated to Goddess Santhanalakshmi is also found in this temple. The feet symbol of Lord Rama is revered highly by the devotees. Banyan tree is the holy tree of this temple while Santhana Kulam is its holy spring.

Hero Stones

Rare hero stones, mostly dating to a period between the 2^nd and 14^th century can be found near Manjakombai Nagaraja Temple in Melur. The hero stones and dolmens are the only ancient monolithic structures found in the upper plateau of the Nilgiris, and a few stones, carved more recently, even tell of the British’s arrival in the Nilgiris. Most other hero stones are found at lower altitudes, in areas bordering present-day Karnataka. Most of the stones date back to the 11^th and 14^th century during the time of the Hoysala and Vijayanagara dynasties, whose militia, along with their families, settled here.

The carvings show the valour of those who died protecting their people and cattle from carnivores such as tigers and leopards. The Kurumbar tribes, who are renowned for their stone-carving abilities, are believed to have a historical link to the site as well and could have been the first settlers in this particular region to have carved the earliest hero stones. Unfortunately, the picturesque location of the hero stones, surrounded by beautiful Shola forests, have also led to them being ignored and not being protected for their historical and cultural value.

Temple Opening Time

The temple remains open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Festivals

The annual fire pit (generally called flower pit) festival is celebrated in the temple on May 1st and 2nd. On the days of fasting, every devotee must wear only yellow or red coloured clothes with a sacred garland around their necks. Women devotees should at the least have a red or yellow coloured towel adorning their necks. It is believed that a devotee, who walks on the fire pit when fasting, would receive the immense blessings of the deity. Their wishes and desires are said to get fulfilled. The crowd turn up for this festival easily exceeds fifty thousand. A large number of devotees throng the temple on new moon days too.

Prayers

Pilgrims are attracted to this the temple due to its serene location and greenery, which makes this an ideal place for getting mental peace and happiness. On performing the necessary pujas in the Nagaraja shrine, devotees usually take a piece of white cloth and a lime to the shrine of the Goddess Santhanalakshmi. Going around this shrine, they tie a tiny toy cradle with this white cloth in the temple’s tree for child boon. There is also a belief that people addicted to liquor and tobacco are cured of these bad habits on offering their prayers to the deities here.

Those childless couples, who were blessed with a child on worshiping this deity, usually undertake to walk on this fire pit as a mark of devotion and gratitude to the deity. Tonsuring is also done by the devotees as a mark of respect to this god. People affected by various Naga Doshas (adversities in their horoscope due to snakes) offer milk to the anthill, which is considered scared. Following this ritual continuously on all the new moon days (Amavasya) is said to relieve the person of Naga Doshas.

Contact

Nagaraja Temple,

Manihada - Manjakombai,

Kundah Taluk,

Nilgiris District – 643221

Phone: +91 423 228 6258

Mobile: +91 94869 04422

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 21 Kms from Kundah, 23 Kms from Ooty, 23 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 24 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 25 Kms from Coonoor, 45 Kms from Kotagiri, 50 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 84 Kms from Coimbatore and 89 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Ooty is well connected to Coimbatore, Kerala and Karnataka. Private Taxis are available from Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri to reach this place.

Location | Photos

Bas Relief Panel of Elephants, Peacock and Monkey, Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu

Bas Relief Panel of Elephants, Peacock and Monkey, Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu

Bas Relief Panel of Elephants, Peacock and Monkey is situated at the back side of  Trimurti Cave Temple, located in Mamallapuram Town in Chengalpattu District of Tamil Nadu. The rear side wall of the Trimurti Cave Temple has a beautiful bas relief panel where two elephants and their cubs along with a monkey and peacock are found. The family of elephants were depicted in the lower part and the realistically-carved peacock and monkey are found a little above.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/10/bas-relief-panel-of-elephants-peacock-and-monkey-mamallapuram-connectivity.html

Location

References

https://puratattva.in/2010/08/03/mahabalipuram-the-workshop-of-pallavas-part-i-45