CHENNAI: Atop a small hillock off the main road in Medavakkam is a temple for Srinivasa Perumal which is several hundred years old. The date is attested by the presence of several old granite pillars in the main mandapa in front of the central sanctum-sanctorum (garbha-griha) and also by traces of epigraphs on the west and north outer walls of this shrine.
These inscriptions possibly date to the 16th-17th centuries AD which coincides with the rule of the Vijayanagara monarchs and their feudatories in South India. Unfortunately, the details of these stone records cannot be made out as they extremely weather worn.
The main deity, Srinivasa Perumal is a small image, facing east, holding the Sankha and Chakra in his upper left and right hands respectively. His lower right hand is in varada hasta (boon-giving pose) while the lower left hand is in kati hasta (resting on the waist). This deity is believed to be swayambhu or self-manifested. The large processional image (utsava murti), flanked by Goddesses Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, is worshipped as Arulvanna Perumal.
To the right of the principal shrine is a sanctum for Goddess Lakshmi worshipped here as Padmasini Thayar while to the left is the shrine for Andal. There is a sanctum for Adi Varaha (the third incarnation of Vishnu). Just as in Tirumala (Tirupati), where the devotees first worship Varaha and then proceed to the temple of Venkatesvara, here too, many first go to the sanctum of Adi Varaha and then to the central shrine. Adi Varaha is believed to be swayambhu. There are sanctums for Rama, Venugopala (Krishna) and Sudarsana (the discus of Vishnu). A large number of festivals are celebrated in this temple.
Processional image
The utsava-murti is worshipped as Arulvanna Perumal
Old inscriptions
A few weather-worn epigraphs are seen here
Code of worship
The rules of the Pancharatra Agama are followed in this temple
Know Your City
You can reach Medavakkam by going to Velachery and proceeding towards Tambaram. Going in this direction, you can see a tall archway to the right of the main road indicating the way to the temple.
Chithra Madhavan
cityexpresschn@gmail.com
The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture