Kubera Temple

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Site Name: Kubera Temple
Site Type: A unique Hindu temple dedicated to Kubera
Location:  Ratnamangalam, near Vandalur, near Chennai city, Tamil Nadu state, India
Highlights: A rare temple dedicated to Kubera
Nearest Railway Station: Chennai
Nearest Airport: Chennai
How to reach: Well connected by road from Chennai
Hotel: Go to Chennai or Tambaram where there are lot of options 
Restaurants: Go to Chennai or Tambaram where there are lot of options

Ratnamangalam is a small village located near Vandalur, which is near Chennai city in South India. This locality has a rare temple dedicated to Kubera. Let us explore this  temple in this article.

Highlights:
  • God - Kubera
  • Goddess - Chitralekha and Lakshmi
  • A rare temple dedicated to Kubera
  • 16 forms of Ganesha idols 
  • Navagraha with their respective wives and mounts
  • The idol of laughing Buddha
  • Brahma along with Saraswati - a rare sight
  • Adhrushta Devi idol which is unique

Introduction:

The Kubera temple located in Ratnamangalam village near the popular Vandalur Zoological Park in Chennai city is a temple built in the recent times. The temple does not have heritage significance. However, as the deity is related to wealth and as it is common for people to love anything to do with wealth, devotees throng to this temple in large numbers. 

In Hinduism, Kubera is considered as the Lord of Wealth, a demi-God, one of the eight Lokapals and the king of Yakshas. He was the step brother of Ravana, the villain of the epic, Ramayana. I am not sure if there is anywhere else a temple dedicated to him. Hence, this temple in Ratnamangalam is considered as unique and important.

Temple Layout:

This is a small temple but full of so many idols and most of the idols are related to wealth. The real rupee notes and coins are put up on the walls throughout the entire temple which are visible through the transparent glass.

The main shrine houses Kubera along with his consort Chitralekha. Both of them are found in the sitting posture and each has two arms. Behind them the Goddess Lakshmi is found with four arms. As Lakshmi is also found along with Kubera, this temple is called as  Lakshmi Kubera temple. Both of them are deities of wealth. Kubera's mount mongoose is found in front of the main shrine. It is different sight to find mongoose as the mount for the devotees who would usually find bull, lion or peacock in the typical Hindu temples. nidhi

The following idols are found in the temple. All of them are located in the single prakara around the main shrine. Many of them are unique which cannot be found anywhere else.

  • Ganesha
  • Laughing Buddha
  • Kubera Lingam
  • 16 forms of Ganesha found in circle
  • Navagrahas (nine planets) found along with their respective spouses and mounts - the only other temple where the Navagrahas are found along with their spouses is in Karungulam
  • Ayyappa
  • Hanuman
  • Lakshmi Ganapati in a separate shrine
  • Adhrushta Devi 
  • China Kubera similar to Laughing Buddha is a separate shrine where devotees offer money
  • Brahma and Saraswati together in the niche - a very rare form
  • Venkatachalapati and Padmavathi in the niche
  • Swarna Akarshana Bhairava in the niche
  • Six forms of Kartikeya of Arupadai Veedu
  • Swarna Gauri
Happy travelling.


Location: Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road, Tamil Nadu

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