Indian Columbus

 When there was some fear of invasion, an Amman (Mother Goddess) icon was shifted from a village named Eendhamukkalooru near Nellore to Perungalathur, the southern outskirts of Chennai. Thus, the Goddess got a temple in her new location in the 19th century CE. Facing the ancient Agasteeswara temple, this temple of the village deity is famous in this locality and a large one.  In the main sanctum, the decapitated head of the Goddess is enshrined.   As per the tradition, the icon was created from holy fire. Hence, she is named Jwalambal. As she belonged to Eendhamukkalooru originally, she is called Eendhamukkal Jwalambal. Besides, there is another Goddess too in the same sanctum. She is found in the sitting posture, and she has four arms. A five hooded serpent is forming an umbrella above her head. It is a new icon. The bronze icons are kept in a sub-shrine in the Maha Mandapa. The Mukha Mandapa has a pillar with many interesting sculptures. The ceiling has carvings of a lot of different

It is traditionally believed that the sage Agastya installed 108 Shiva Lingas in the Tondai region, and all of them are named Agasteeswara. Hence, Chennai city and its suburbs, which were part of the ancient Tondai region, have many Shiva temples called Agasteeswarams. There is one such Agasteeswara temple located in Old Perungalathur, the southern outskirt of the city. The east-facing sanctum enshrines a two feet high small Shiv Linga named Agasteeswara. In Maha Mandapa, the Goddess Akilandeswari is found in a separate south-facing shrine.  Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhava, Brahma, and Vishnu Durga are found as the Koshta deities. Brahma and Durga are new icons. The other three are old images.  Chandikeshwara is found in his usual location in a small south-facing sub-shrine near Durga. There are separate shrines for Raja Ganapati and Muthukumara-Valli-Devasena in the prakara. All the bronze icons are kept in a separate sub-shrine in Maha Mandapa. A stone slab below the holy tree ap

Manimangalam Lake is one of the largest lakes in the suburbs of Chennai. It has witnessed many historical events, such as the Battle of Manimangala. Many saints and seers traveling to Kanchipuram or Sriperumbudur have passed through this lake in ancient times. Plenty of hamlets around Manimangalam used this lake water for agricultural purposes till ten years ago. The lake turns into a photo spot during the rainy season and an ideal place for bird watching. The lake spreads over 750 acres currently, although the original size is much bigger.  It has shrunk over the period due to poor maintenance.  The surplus water of the lake reaches the Adyar river through a channel near Mannivakkam. Happy travelling. Note:  As per a report, there were about 650+ waterbodies in the Chennai region till the 1980s. Today, only a fraction of them exist. Most of those surviving waterbodies hardly have water, and even some of them that have water had been poorly shrunk. In Chennai, there are tank roads with

In Mudichur, on the southern outskirts of Chennai, the Bheemeswara temple is located. It is popularly known as Shiva Vishnu temple nowadays. Not many citizens might be familiar with this temple located interior. However, the temple tank is too huge to miss. Thousands of people who pass by this busy high road would have definitely noticed the tank. Although it is an old temple, it is impossible to believe so, with the maximum amount of current-day concrete repairs and additions.  The east-facing sanctum enshrines a large-sized Shiva Linga named Bheemeswara. The height of Linga must be around five feet.  At the entrance of the sanctum, the images of Ganesha and Subramanya are found. In the outer area, Nandi is found facing the sanctum. The outer walls of the sanctum have the niche images of Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhava, Brahma and Durga. Chandikeswara is found in a small sub-shrine in the usual location near Durga. The south-facing shrine of Vidyambikai with a Simha (lion) vahana in the op

Spread over 3 acres, this expansive and beautiful lily pond in Manimangalam remains unknown, similar to the adjoining Rajagopalaswami Temple to Chennaites. With less pollution and nil encroachment, it magnifies the charm of peaceful Manimangalam. Happy travelling.  Note:  As per a report, there were about 650+ waterbodies in the Chennai region till the 1980s. Today, only a fraction of them exist. Most of those surviving waterbodies hardly have water, and even some of them that have water had been poorly shrunk. In Chennai, there are tank roads without tanks nearby and lake-view roads without any lake in the vicinity. There is a high possibility that even the few water bodies we have today might vanish soon. I thought of visiting the currently surviving waterbodies of Chennai and its suburbs and write about them in my blog as a series.

Mamallapuram is full of monuments. And, the monuments are full of mysteries. Yali Mandapa, which is called Tiger's Cave nowadays, is one such unsolved puzzle of the Pallava creators. Located in Saluvankuppam village at a distance of 5 km north of Mamallapuram, this monument has no parallel. The style is entirely different from all other cave shrines of Mallai. Yali Mandapa is a rock-cut shrine. In fact, it is more a mandapa (pavilion) than a temple. The front face of the boulder has been cut out to form an oblong-shaped east-facing mandapa. It approximately measures 6 feet by 4 feet, with a height of about 6 feet above the ground. Supported by two massive pillars, the mandapa is projected forward. The pillars have rampant lions with riders. On either side, there are two niches without any images are found.  A flight of four rock-cut steps connects the ground with the mandapa. On either side of the parapets, two roughly cut ramping lions are found.  Around the mandapa and two niches

It was a devastating flood. The lake bunds got destroyed in seven places on the same day. Fortunately, the government stepped in immediately. Forty gold coins (called Kaasu) were given to the village council. The fund was used to repair the bunds and avoid further damage. I am not quoting any recent newspaper report, but an inscription dating 1192 CE. The government mentioned here was under the rule of Kulotunga Chola III. The lake referred to here is Somamangalam lake, located in the remote outskirts, south of Chennai. (Inscription reference No. 02 of 1974). Spread over an area of around 250 acres, this lake might appear to be a huge one. But in reality, not even one-third of the original lake remains now. The major part of the lake was already converted into residential dwellings. I believe this lake has been encroached gradually in the last hundred plus years.  Nevertheless, the existing remaining waterbody is indeed beautiful and is pleasing to the eyes. Happy travelling. Note:  As