The Sri Siva-Vishnu temple in T. Nagar has been renovated and consecration will take place on June 24. The premises wears a new look with certain portions reconstructed and the rest refurbished and freshly painted.
Behind the origin of the temple is a story of dedication, munificence and ost important the blessings of Paramacharya. In 1932, the sage visited Chennai making the Sanskrit College, Mylapore, as base. Presenting a discourse at the Co-operative Society Hall, he came across devotees who made a request for a temple in T. Nagar. Paramacharya agreed that there was a need for a temple and the local inhabitants started making efforts in that direction.
It was in 1935 that the Mambalam Sanmarga Samvardhini Sabha was found to collect funds and take care of the construction. Paramacharya initiated the process by giving Rs. 11to Loganatha Iyer blessing him. T. Ramanatha Iyer was the Sabha’s first president and Loganatha Iyer secretary. A request was made to the authorities seeking grant of land between Usman Road and Natesan Street and Collectors R.M. Sundaram and V.N. Kudwa obliged.
The plan for the temple was shown to Periyava, who advised construction of shrines for Vinayaka, Subramanya, Siva, Parvathy, Narayana and so on. A shrine was set up for Ganapati under zinc roof. Loganatha Iyer, a railway employee dedicated himself to the task, arranging materials and supervising the work. Many industrialists and philanthropists joined hands with Iyer, lending physical and monetary assistance.
Conscration took place on June 21, 1945. Paramacharya, who was at Tirukarugavur at that time could not attend the ceremony but sent yantras for all the deities. Thousands of people from all over the city attended the kumbabishekam. The 45-day mandalabishekam was marked by discourses presented by eminent scholars.
The temple was expanded over the years. In 1960, a hall to conduct discourses was built and Sri Jayendra Saraswati opened it. Senior residents still recall the 108-day discourse on Mahabharata that Sri Anantharama Dikshitar presented the hall named Vedaranya Mahamantapam. Consecrations were conducted in 1976 and 1985 (in the presence of Paramacharya, after the construction of the Rajagopuram).
The renovation committee takes this opportunity to seek funds for the maintenance of the temple and conduct of pujas and rituals at all the shrines. Demand drafts and cheques drawn in favour of MSS Sabha- Kumbabishekam A/C, Siva-Vishnu temple, 172/90, Usman Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600017. For details contact president 9840824960 and manager 9283412358.
The Mahakumabishekam festival gets under way on June 20. Consecration for the various shrines will take place between 11.45 and 12 noon. The deities will be taken in a procession at 9 p.m.
