Saturday, April 12, 2008

Nandhambakkam Sri Kothandaramar

Nandhambakkam is located on the Mount Poonamallee Road just about 2 kms from Guindy Kathipara junction of Chennai city. This temple is located just 100 meters from the main road on the opposite side of Chennai Trade Center.

Nandhambakkam has a beautiful temple for Sri Rama and the temple is connected with Ramayana. When Sri Rama was proceeding towards Sri Lanka in search of Sita Devi, He happened to pass through this place. This place was then called as Brindhaaranyam.

During that period, an ancient sage called Bringi Rishi was performing penance in this part of the country. He was doing penance from the hill nearby. The hill got its name as Bringi Malai (Bringi Hill) as sage Bringi was staying there for years. The name later corrupted to become Parangi Malai which is presently called as St. Thomas Mount.

Knowing that Sri Rama is passing through his place here, Bringi Rishi went and invited Sri Rama to stay with him for few days before proceeding. Sri Rama agreed to be the guest of Bringi Rishi and stayed here. Bringi Rishi created a small Nandhavanam (means garden) for the comfort of Sri Rama and the place came to be known as Nandhavanam itself, which later changed as Nandhambakkam. The neighboring place to Nandhambakkam is called Ramapuram, which is said to have got its name after Sri Rama’s stay here.

This story of this place is said to be mentioned in the ‘Aaranya Kaandam’ of ‘Kamba Ramayanam’ (Ramayana written in Thamizh by ancient poet Kambar).

Later, an ancient Vishnu devotee called Thirukkachi Nambi (1180 AD) wished to construct a temple for Sri Rama at this place and made a small temple for the Lord.

During Krishna Devaraaya’s Rule one of his territory heads called ‘Sanjeevi Raayar’ renovated this temple and made it bigger.

Sri Rama here is seen along with Lakshmana, Bharatha and Chathrugna in Pattaabishega posture. Sri Sita Devi is seen sitting on Sri Rama’s lap and looks so beautiful. All are seen facing south. Sri Anjaneyar is seen facing the Lord towards north.

In the same place, Sri Srinivasa Perumal is seen facing the east.

There is a beautiful Nandhavanam (garden) outside the sanctum on the southern side. Sri Krishna is seen here as a child inside the garden. He is called Nandhavana Kannan here.

There is another shrine for Sri Anjaneyar (Sri Hanuman) on the praakaaram. Here Sri Anjaneyar is very tall in the standing posture.

There is a beautiful temple pond opposite to this temple. This is called ‘Bringi Rishi Theertham’, which is very large in size and needs maintenance.

Sri Ramanavami is celebrated in a very grand manner in this temple.

13 comments:

  1. Honestly neve knew aboutthe temple having been born and brought up in chennai for several years. Really feeling ashamed. Hope Rama will Bless to have his Dharsan over there.
    Thank you for sharing such wonderful information.
    Regrds
    Somasekharan

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  2. Sri Saravanan,

    Thanks a lot for your wonderful service. We are greatly indebted to you for providing such rich info on the temples of TamilNadu. Sitamma on lap of Lord Rama reminds me of Bhadrachala Rama in AP.

    Warm Regards,
    Aravind.

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  3. Hi,

    I am living near Nandambakkam at Porur & feeling ashamed for not knowing of a great Sri Ramar temple nearby. Thanks a lot for your service

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  4. Hi saravanan,
    Nice of you to have collected such a lot of info
    and enthusiastically posting it to. I visited this temple only after visiting your site though I live close by.
    Great and noble work. Keep it up.
    Sampath.

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  5. Mr Saravanan,

    Good job done by collecting such a wonderful information. May divine blessings shower upon you.

    Raghunatha Rao Baskaran

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  6. I went there two days ago. It was truly divine experience to be there. I just wish I can go there often and spend more time in the temple. Hare Krishna, Hare Rama..

    Vijay Srinivas

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  7. Hi Thanks for the update. I went to this temple 2 days back. Its a very good temple and Sakrathalwar sannidhi is very nice in this temple.

    Temple timing : 7.15 am to 10.30 am & 5.00 pm to 8.15 pm

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  8. DEAR BAKTHAS
    IN THIS TEMPLE THEY PERFORM CHAKRATHALWAR HOMAM EVERY MONTH. CAN ANY ONE TELL ON WHICH DATE THEY PERFORM
    REGDS
    SRIVATHSAN

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  9. VERY NICE TEMPLE

    C.R DASS

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  10. Iam excited chanting rama nama. I pray for early darshan vijayalakshmi

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  11. VERY MUCH INTERESTING,CAN ANYONE WHO VISITED THE TEMPLE INFORM WEATHER RAMAR KALYANAM IS REGULARLY PERFORMED IN THIS TEMPLE?

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  12. very good temple and when u visit try to see shiva ling and ganapathy in garba gudi of the temlple as it is very old it is very difficult to find best of luck this is equally valid to shree bhadrachalam temple .

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  13. I am living near Porur 20 Years i am very very feeling ashamed for not knowing of a great Sri Ramar temple nearby. Thanks a lot for your service.
    NARAYANASAMY.D

    ReplyDelete