Chennai: Sri Aalatchi Amman Sri Sundareswarar Temple, at Sundaravinayagampettai, which is known today as Ekattuthangal, is a temple in which the Amman deity is being worshipped by the people of Reddy Street as the village’s kaaval deivam for many centuries now.
The temple, located on the banks of Adyar river, which is currently at Labour Colony at SIDCO Industrial Estate, was developed and is managed by the people belonging to Reddy Street.
Speaking about the temple’s history one of the resident of Reddy Street said, “The Aalatchi Amman present here is being worshipped for century by the people of Reddy Street and this is the village’s protecting deity. However, some 30-40 years ago, close to the Amman, a Suyambu Sivalinga was found and then people began worshipping both the deities which were under a thatched roof.”
Slowly, the idea to build a temple for the deities was mooted by the people and in 2009, sanctums were built around the deities apart from separate sanctums for Vinayagar, Meenakshi Amman, Murugan, Ayyappan, Saneeswarar and Navagraha. “The temple’s kumbhabhishekam happened in 2009 and later in 2013, sanctums for Ananthapadmanabhaswamy, Anjaneyar, Garudazhvar, Kalaa Bhairavar were built,” said the devotee.
The temple’s entrance is facing south and upon entering, on the left, Lord Sundara Vinayagar can be seen in a separate sanctum, facing east. In the main sanctum, goddess Aalatchi Amman is present in a sanctum facing north, in the direction of Adyar river.
Adjacent to the main sanctum, in a separate sanctum, Lord Sundareshwarar is present in Linga form. Close to it in a separate sanctum facing east, Goddess Meenakshi is present. On the outer walls of the sanctum, Dakshina Moorthi, Vishnu and Durgai are placed.
Opposite to the Amman Sanctum, facing West is the Kaala Bhairavar in a separate sanctum.
The temple also has Ananthapadmanabhaswamy sanctum, in which the lord is in Ananthasayanam. Opposite to it, there are separate shrines for Garudazhvar and Anjaneyar placed next to each other. Next to the sanctums, the Navagraha is placed.
Next to Perumal sanctum, is a separate shrine for Sri Swami Ayyappan. Adjacent to it, Sri Valli Devasena Sametha Subramaniar is present. There is also a separate shrine for Lord Saneeswarar which is placed opposite to the Subramaniar sanctum. Behind the main sanctum, there is a shrine for Sapthamatha, along with Naagar. The temple’s sthala vriksha is Neem tree and Pupil tree.
“During Navarathri, the Amman will be decorated on all 10 days and special abhishekam will be performed. This year from 29 September to 9 October, the abhishekam will take place at 6.30 pm and at 7.30 pm and there will be deeparadhanai,” he said and added that ‘Other festivals in the temple includes, Aadi Thiruvizha , special 108 milk abhishekam during Chitra Pournami, Samvastra Abhishekam during Thai Poosam every year as it was the day the temple’s maha kumbhabhishekam was performed. Kalasabhishekam to all the deities happen at that time along with maha homam and annadhanam.
“For Lord Shiva, during Sivarathri, four kaala pooja will be performed. During the Tamil month of Aippasi, annabhishekam will be done and in the month of Karthigai, 108 Sanghabhishekam will be performed. During Aarudra Darshan and Aani Thirumanjanam, special abhishekam will be done to Lord Nataraja as well, apart from special abhishekams during Pradosham. For Perumal, during the Saturdays in the month of Purattasi, special poojas will be done, special abhishekams during Ekadasi and on Vaikunda Ekadasi, Sorga Vaasal will also be opened. Thirukalyanam to Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar and also Subramaniar is done in a grand manner in the temple. Every Ashtami, abhishekam will be done to Kaala Bhairavar and on all other ocassions like Hanumath Jayanthi, Vinayagar Chathurthi and on Sani and Rahu Peyarchi, special poojas and abhishekams are done to the deities accordingly,” he added.
The temple is open everyday from 7 am to 10.30 am and from 5.30 pm to 9 pm.