Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple

Site Name: Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple
Site Type: Hindu temple
Location:  Besant Nagar, Chennai city, Tamil Nadu state, India
Highlights: A temple enshrining six important abodes of Lord Subramanya
Nearest Railway Station: Chennai
Nearest Airport: Chennai
How to reach: Well connected by road, rail and air
Hotel: All sorts of options are available in Chennai
Restaurants: All sorts of options are available in Chennai

Besant Nagar is a prominent area located in Chennai city in South India. It is popular for Eliots beach located there. There is a popular temple named Ashta Lakshmi temple situated in this area. Around 1 km from that popular temple, a newly constructed temple called as Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple is located. Let us explore about this temple in this article.


Introduction:

Lord Subramanya, the son of Lord Shiva, is a popular deity in Tamil Nadu state of India. He is also called as Skanda, Shanmukha or Murugan. All across the state, there are many important temples dedicated to him. Out of them, six temples are considered as the most important temples of Murugan. They are together called as 'Arupadai Veedu' temples. The Arupadai Veedu Murugan temple in Besant Nagar is a unique temple which enshrines all these six adobes within one complex.

With the blessing, guidance and help from Sri Shankaracharya Maha Periyavar of Kanch Shankara Math, Dr. Alagappan took up the project of constructing this temple. The huge temple was built between 1995 and 2002 CE. 

Temple Layout:

The east facing temple does not have tower (Raja gopuram). The temple has a huge open space area with seven main shrines and few sub-shrines. Maha Vallabha Ganapati shrine is located in the center. Swamimalai shrine is situated at the north east, Tiruchendur shrine at the east, Palamudircholai and Tirupparankundram at the south, Palani at the west and Tiruttani in the northwest. 

The shrine at the center of the temple has big idol of Maha Vallabha Ganapati

Swamimalai shrine has Murugan named as Swaminathar. Swaminathar is big in size. A small idol of Ganesha is found at the entrance of this shrine. The stone idol of big Vel and the elephant  vahan are found facing towards this shrine. This shrine has Ganesha, Durga, Palani Andavan and Murugan in two more forms as the Koshta idols. 

Tiruchendur shrine has Murugan named as Chendil Andavan. The flagstaff and the peacock vahan are found facing towards this shrine. The sub-shrine of small utsava idols of Shanmukha is also found in this temple. This shrine has Ganesha, Durga, Palani Andavan and Murugan in two more forms as the Koshta idols. 

Pazhamudhir Solai shrine has Murugan named as Pazhamudhir Solai Swami. The  peacock vahan is found facing towards this shrine. A big Vel with the image of Murugan embedded on it is found in this shrine. The shrine has many pillars. The pillars as well as the walls have miniature carvings of Murugan in different forms and postures. 

Tiruparankundram shrine has Murugan along with Devayanai and Narad Rishi. The peacock vahan is found facing towards this shrine. The sub-shrine of Satyagirishwarar (Shiva Linga) along with his consort and his vahan Nandi is also situated in this temple. This shrine has Ganesha, Durga, Palani Andavan and Murugan in two more forms as the Koshta idols. 

Tiruttani shrine has Murugan named as Subramanya. The elephant vahan is found infront but facing the opposite direction and not towards this shrine. This shrine has Ganesha, Durga and three images of Murugan seated on peacock as the Koshta idols. 

Palani shrine has Murugan named as Palani Andavan. The peacock vahan is found facing towards this shrine. The sub-shrine of Idumban is also situated nearby.

Some of the other sub-shrines and idols that are found in the temple include Ganesha under the holy tree, Navagraha and Bhairav. There is a mandapa named Kanda Sashti Mandapa situated in this temple. 

The temple is located very near to the seashore. The open space and the temple's proximity to the seashore brings a lot of breeze. Also, it is situated interior in a posh locality of the city, where there is comparatively less traffic and population.

Happy travelling. 





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