CHENNAI: The Prasanna Venkata Narasimha Perumal on Perumal Kovil street in Saidapet is one of the numerous shrines in this busy area. The temple is believed to be approximately five to six hundred years old. This corresponds to the era when the Vijayanagara empire extended over most of South India.
Vijayanagara monarchs like Krishnadeva Raya and Achyuta Raya (16 th century AD), were devotees of Venkatesvara at Tirumala (Tirupati) and therefore many temples for this deity were built in the Tamil country also. This Vishnu temple in Saidapet was constructed by the Balija Chetty community.
The main deity, Prasanna Venkata Narasimha Perumal is enshrined under the Ananda Nilaya Vimanam in a standing posture flanked by consorts Sri Devi and Bhu Devi. The small sanctum for Rama (Raghunatha) seen close by, is said to be the first image to have been worshipped in this temple. Hence, this place was originally called Raghunatha Puram.
The original Anjaneya shrine opposite this Rama temple is situated on the banks of the Adyar river, some distance away. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped here as Alarmelmangai Thayar. It is said that the utsava murti of Thayar was discovered under the ground in the temple premises when it was being built. Parthasarathi Svami from Tiruvellikeni comes to this temple in the Tamil month of Thai.
The beautiful wooden temple chariot (ther or ratha) which is 36 feet tall and used during the annual festival, is seen near the gopuram. Nearby is a hall called Ramanuja Vijaya Vilasam, now known as Ramanuja Koodam, which, according to an inscription, was constructed in 1901. In worship here is a beautiful Thanjavur painting of Rama Pattabhisekam.
Chithra Madhavan
cityexpresschn@gmail.com
The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture