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Author:
Publication: The Times of India
Date: August 19, 2012
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/15552727.cms?intenttarget=no
The city is growing, but many of its historic temple shave not kept pace with the development. While some have been demolished to allow smoother flow of traffic, a few others have disappeared from public memory.
For example, Koyambedu is known for its vegetable market but not many are aware that it has two ancient temples, Vaikunthavasa Perumal and Korungalishwarar, said historian Chithra Madhavan in her presentation on Saturday about lesser known temples in the city.
"Korungalishwarar was built during the time of the Cholas and has many inscriptions that talk about the reign of Chola kings," she said in her talk, organized as part of the ongoing Madras Week celebrations. "The large mandapam of this temple with tall, monolithic pillars, which belong to the Vijayanagar era, is full of sculptures depicting episodes from epics and puranas," she said.
The Thiruvalishwara temple at Padi and the Masilamanishwarar temple at Tirumullaivoyal have Chola vestiges in the form of inscriptions and sculpture, she said. There are more such examples all over the city. "Madambakkam has Dhenupurishwarar temple dedicated to Siva. Many Chola and Vijayanagara inscriptions on the walls revealits antiquity," she said.
Though Mylapore is known for its temples, the most famous being the Kapaleeswarar temple, not many know that there are more ancient places of worship. Although much renovated, the Karanishwarar and Virupakshishwarar temples on Bazzar Street belong to an ancient time as understood from the inscriptions found there, she said. You don't have to go to Thanjavur or Madurai to see historic structures. It's all in your backyard, she said.
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