Indian Columbus

Not many who settled down in the neighborhood of Selaiyur locality of South Chennai might know about this temple of Nellore Amman, which is located in a lane in the interior of Selaiyur. Up to 20-25 years ago, this temple was majorly celebrated by the villagers. Those were the days when the temple was surrounded by paddy fields. After harvesting the rice crop, the villagers would bring grains to this temple for prayers. Only then it would be moved to the market or granaries. However, the Goddess is named Nellore (Nel means rice/grain in the Tamil language) Amman, not for this reason. As the image was brought from Nellore in Andhra, she is named accordingly. It is said that the temple is around 400 years old. The current structure is concrete, which should have been built a few decades ago. We don't find any ancient symbols except for the presiding deity's icon. The bust image of Mari Amman was brought from Nellore and installed here. The temple was extended in the last few

IIT Campus in Madras is one of the best-kept secrets, which is one of the very few sites that boast greenery in the city, otherwise a concrete jungle. I would call IIT Campus a small town within the city with a lot of greenery. Some of the city's oldest and most enormous trees are found on this campus. It is spread over 250 hectares of lush green forest. It is unimaginable to find such a vast area with so many avenues in the heart of this congested city. Those who live on the campus may have a different experience of the city. They may say the city is fantastic with many large trees, much cleaner pathways, less population, beautiful birds chirping, deer crossing the roads, and no noise pollution. The experience on the campus is definitely unique. One of the best things about this beautiful site is the lake. This lake which occupies an area of around 8 acres, is the temporary home for many migratory birds. The site which has the most minor human disturbance obviously at

Theosophical Society:  Adyar is one of the best-kept secrets of Madras. This is one of the few sites boasting city greenery, otherwise a concrete jungle. The authorities of the Society need to be applauded for maintaining the site so well. Even during the peak summer time, the trees of the Society are in full bloom. The place is full of heritage-rich structures and has a lot of historical significance. A tranquil walk in the early morning through the beautiful pathways of the Society and resting under the giant banyan tree is a unique experience. Let us explore the history and various places of interest in the Theosophical Society. Theosophy: What does the word "Theosophy" mean? It takes more work to explain in one or two sentences. It is a broad subject. In layman's terms, I would say it is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of divine wisdom. Theosophical Society: An occult movement originated in the 19th century in the US and was called &qu

Dhenupureeswarar temple in Madampakkam locality in Chennai might be artistically beautiful with a lot of historical and legendary background. Siddhar temple might be very popular in the same locality. However, for the locals of Madampakkam village, Venkili Amman is their deity. She is their Grama Devta (village deity). The small temple of Venkili Amman is located on the Main Road in Madampakkam. It's hardly at a distance of half a km from the famous Dhenupureeswarar temple. The sanctum enshrines the Goddess in the sitting posture. Her posture is similar to any other village deity of other temples. A sacred tree with few serpent images is found in the open corridor. Happy travelling.