Sindhu: starting place!

2025-12-02T23:29:00Z

starting place!

New page

{{Short description|Shiva temple in Chennai district, Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Mallikesvarar Temple
| image = Chennamaleeswarar temple1.JPG
| alt =
| caption = Mallikesvarar Temple Temple
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|13|5|2|N|80|16|12|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = {{lang|ta|மல்லிகேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில்}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Chennai District|Chennai]]
| locale = [[Chennai]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Mallikesvarar Temple
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Mallikesvarar Temple''' (<small>{{langx|ta|மல்லிகேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில்}}</small>) or '''Mallikarjunar Temple''' (<small>{{langx|ta|மல்லிகார்ஜுனர் திருக்கோவில்}}</small>) is a [[Hindu]] temple situated in the neighbourhood of [[George Town, Chennai|George Town]] in the city of [[Chennai]], [[India]]. It is one of the first<ref name="Officialweb"/> Hindu temples to be constructed<ref name="srinivasacharipxxix">[[#Srinivasachari|Srinivasachari]], Introduction, p xxix</ref> in the British settlement of Madrasapatnam. There is the nearby [[Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Chennai|Chenna kesava perumal]] Temple. They are twin temples. This is also called Chenna Malleeswarar temple. Chenna pattanam may be named after this deities. The word 'chenni' in Tamil means face, and the temple was regarded as the face of the city.<ref name="Srinivasan2002">{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/02/28/stories/2002022800030400.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111064537/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/02/28/stories/2002022800030400.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 January 2013 | location=Chennai, India | title=Face behind the name | date=28 February 2002| work=[[The Hindu]] | author= Srinivasan, T.A }}</ref>

== History ==
Sources about the history of this temple have the following:
* According to Srinivasan, T.A<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> The Original twin temples' ([[Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Chennai|Chenna kesava perumal]] and Chenna Malleeswarar) location was later occupied by the [[Madras High Court|High court]] building.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> The original twin temples' history dates back to 1646 CE.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Grants made to the original twin temples by Nagabattar and Thimmappar were recorded.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Attack by other European powers and attack and looting of temples by [[Hyder Ali]]'s forces caused the devotees to relocate some vigrahams to the [[Thiruneermalai]] Temple. The twin temples were demolished by the British, for the purpose of security and expansion of the nearby [[Fort St. George, India|Fort St.George]].<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Manali Muthu Krishna Mudaliar, translator for Lord Piccode, built new twin temples in 1700 CE in a different location<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> (at Devaraja mudali Street, later called [[George Town, Chennai|Sowcarpet]]). He donated his lands, used his own funds to build and he refused the money from the British, accepting only land from them.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/>
* According to the official<ref name="Officialweb">{{Cite web|url=http://chennakesavaperumaltemple.tnhrce.in/|title=Chenna kesava perumal temple, Chennai.|last=|first=|date=|website=Official temple website|publisher=|access-date=30 January 2017}}</ref> Chenna Kesava temple website: "The original [[Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Chennai|Chenna kesava perumal]] Temple was located even in the 17th century AD in the place where the Madras High Court is currently located. When the original temple was present, there were a lot of problems in Chennai such as invasion by French and [[Tipu Sultan|Tippu Sultan]]. The British [[East India Company]] demolished the original temple in 1757 AD. Due to public outcry, the East India Company donated land and some money to Manali Muthu krishna Mudaliar, who built the new Chenna Kesava Perumal temple in the year of 1762, at a different location i.e. at Devaraja Mudali Street in [[George Town, Chennai|Sowcarpet area of Chennai city]]. Along with this Vishnu temple, he also built a temple for Shiva - Chenna Malleeswarar temple, thus Chennai got twin temples at Sowcarpet."<ref name="Officialweb"/>
* According to Srinivasachari.C. S,<ref name="srinivascharip25">{{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari|year=1939| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras|page=25}}</ref> The Mallikesvarar Temple was constructed by Alanganatha Pillai, assistant chief merchant to the East India Company, in the 17th century AD.<ref name="srinivascharip25"/> The temple is first mentioned in a document of 1652 as "Mally Carjuns Old Pagoda".<ref name="srinivascharip25"/> It is also believed to be the Muthialpet Pagoda depicted in a Madras map of 1710.<ref name="srinivascharip25"/>
* According to Muthiah.S,<ref name="Muthiah2012 ">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article2960548.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=S. | last=Muthiah | title=The 'Town Temple' resurrected | date=4 March 2012}}</ref> The Chennakesava Perumal Temple was constructed in 1646.<ref name="Muthiah2012 "/>
* According to the Times of India article,<ref name="TOI_ChennaiHigh2010">{{cite news
| title = Chennai High: Where history beckons
| location = Chennai
| date = 27 August 2010
| url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-27/chennai/28292743_1_pillars-fort-st-george-madras/2
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130216064735/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-27/chennai/28292743_1_pillars-fort-st-george-madras/2
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 16 February 2013
| newspaper = [[The Times of India]]
| accessdate = 20 Jan 2013}}</ref> The twin temples of Chenna Kesava and Chenna Malleeswara Swami were originally built by Beri Thimappah, the dubash who brokered the deal between [[Francis Day (Madras)|Francis Day]] and the local chieftain for the small strip of beach that was to become the city of Madras. The city's regional name "Chennai" is said to have been derived from these temples.<ref name="TOI_ChennaiHigh2010"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Hinduism}}
* [[Heritage structures in Chennai]]
* [[History of Chennai#1750s to the end of the British Raj|History of Chennai in 1700s.]]
* [[Timeline of Chennai history]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* {{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari|year=1939| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras|ref=Srinivasachari}}

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{Places of worship in Chennai}}
{{List of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Chennai]]

Mallikesvarar Temple - Revision history

Sindhu: starting place!