Minjur, close to Chennai, was known as Mauncharanyam (in Samskrit, Mauncha is a type of grass and Aranyam is forest) as this variety of grass once grew here in abundance. Minjur is also called Vada (north) Kanchi as it is situated north of Kanchipuram, where the famous Varadaraja Svami and Ekamranatha temples are situated and Minjur too has two temples of the same names.
The presiding deity Varadaraja Perumal in the Vishnu temple, approximately seven-and-a-half feet high, flanked by Sridevi and Bhudevi, holds the conch and discus in the upper hands while the lower right hand is in abhaya hasta (blessing devotees) and lower left hand is in gada hasta (resting on top of a mace). Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as Perundevi Thayar just like in the Varadaraja Svami temple, Kanchipuram. Sanctums for Andal and Sudarsana (with the image of Yoga Narasimha at the rear) are also here.
A few Chola inscriptions have been discovered, the earliest of which dated 973 AD, belongs to the reign of Madhurantaka Uttama Chola (973-985 AD). It states that this Vishnu temple, known as Chola-kula-sundara-Vinnagar, was constructed in 973 AD. Another inscription, dated 1016 AD, is of the time of the Chola Emperor Rajendra I (1012-1044 AD), and records a gift of land for festivals.
The most famous festival is the Brahmotsavam in the Tamil month of Vaikasi which is celebrated at the same time as the Brahmotsavam of the Varadaraja Svami temple in Kanchipuram. The Garuda Sevai in Minjur is famous, and devotees who witness this celebration in Kanchipuram, later visit the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Minjur on the same day. The temple chariot is very unique since it has sculptures of both Siva and Vishnu and is used by both the Varadaraja Perumal and Ekamranatha temples.
Chithra Madhavan
cityexpresschn@gmail.com
The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture