Prasanna Varadaraja Perumal Temple - Aminjikarai, Chennai

Aminjikarai is an old locality situated on the banks of the river Cooum in Chennai city. It was initially called Amaindakarai. Shenoy Nagar and the famous Anna Nagar were part of Aminjikarai once.

In a lane near the Lakshmi bus stop in Aminjikarai, the twin temples of Ekambareswarar and Prasanna Varadaraja Perumal are located. There are many twin temples across Chennai, such as T Nagar, Koyambedu and Tambaram. Similarly, Aminjikarai also has twin temples, but they are less famous than the other twin temples of Chennai. As Ekambareswarar and Varadarajar temples are located in the same locality, like Kanchipuram, some call Aminjikarai North Kanchipuram.

This article focuses only on Prasanna Varadaraja Perumal temple among these two temples.

As per historian Sri. Muthiah, this temple is hardly 100 years old. However, as per the temple authorities of Ekambareswarar temple, it was built by Sri Sengalvarayar Mudaliar, who belonged to the Poonamallee Kondai Kati Vellalar family in the 1650s or 1660s. As per them, Prasanna Varadaraja Perumal temple was older than Ekambareswarar temple. I too believe that this temple must have been built in 1600s and not in the 20th century CE. At the same time, I don't think this temple is ancient; it does not appear to me that it was not built during the Vijayanagara period or the Nayaka period.

The east-facing temple has five tier tower. The flag staff, bali peetha and Garuda are found facing towards the sanctum.

The east-facing sanctum enshrines the idol of Prasanna Varadaraja Perumal. The icon is 3-4 feet high and the deity is in the standing posture. The utsav murti of the same deity is found along with his two consorts in the sanctum.

In Maha Mandapa, the sub-shrines of all twelve Alwars are located on one side. On the opposite side, the idols of Ramanuja, Manavala Mamuni, Nathamuni, Mudaliyandan, Koorathalwan and Alavandar are found. 

The Goddess is Perundevi Thayar. She is found in the separate east-facing shrine in the northwest corner of the prakara. Her idol is big in size and is very beautiful. Andal is found in a separate shrine in the southwest corner of the same prakara. 

The other sub-shrines in the temple include Rama-Sita-Lakshmana, Sudarshana with Yoga Narasimha on the back side, Krishna, Hanuman, Rama Padam, Srinivasa Perumal and Ranganatha-Sri Devi-Bhoo Devi. The bronze images of all these deities are found in the respective shrines. The utsav murti of Srinivasa is found along with his two consorts.

On the inner side of the entrance walls, the icons of Ganesh and a Goddess who holds a discus and conch in her arms, having a serpent hood above her head, are found.

Happy travelling.