CHENNAI : Chettipunyam, near Singaperumal Kovil, has a small Vishnu temple dedicated to Devanatha Perumal. The main deity, Varadaraja Svami is in a standing pose with four arms, the upper hands holding the sankha and chakra; the lower right hand in the pose of assuring devotees of protection (abhaya hasta) and the left hand resting on the waist (kati hasta). Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi flank the deity.
The processional image (utsava murti) is Devanatha Perumal who holds the prayoga chakra (the discus held in the pose of being hurled) and the sankha in the upper hands. The lower hands are in abhaya hasta and kati hasta. The temple takes its name from this deity.
The utsava murti of Yoga Hayagriva (Vishnu as the fountainhead of knowledge) is also seen in this sanctum and attracts hundreds of worshippers. According to traditional accounts, the Mudumbai family and the Kidambi family who lived in this village constructed this temple. The utsava vigrahas of Devanatha Svami and Yoga Hayagriva were brought to Chettipunyam by the Mudumbai family in 1848 from Thiruvendipuram (Cuddalore).
The Rama sanctum has beautiful stone images of Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Anjaneya. The utsava murtis of these deities were originally gifted to Ramasvami Iyengar, of the Mudumbai family who served in the court of the Maratha ruler, Serfoji Maharaja of Thanjavur. He worshipped the images in his village Vandalur, and later installed them in the temple at Chettipunyam.
It is said that King Serfoji asked his sculptor to fashion these images like the utsava-vigrahas of the Rama temple at Vaduvur (near Mannargudi), which are exquisitely beautiful. This processional image of Rama at Chettipunyam has a raksha tied on the right ankle. It is believed that Sage Vishvamitra tied a raksha to Lord Rama’s leg after the latter vanquished Tataka.