Wednesday I awoke deciding to forget about my fate for the day and live Chennai to it’s fullest. After a quick breakfast which included some awesome chai, I met Darshan to continue our adventure. He told me he had spoken to an off-duty hotel staffer who had offered, for a small price, to guide us through Chennai. We accepted his offer and off we went to the temple Sri Vadapalani Andavar.
The streets were clear as we left the hotel. But as we got closer to the temple, the traffic started to pick up.
It was a full moon and an auspicious day. Many were going to the temple.
The women in their beautiful sari’s are always a treat, but there are some really interesting men also.
The traffic was crazy around the temple and and there was no place to park the van, so Darshan waited in the van while Raz took me through. We had to walk a ways but it was so worth it. As is always the case in the surrounding areas close to the temples, many women making offerings to sell to the worshippors.
The temple Sri Vadapalani Andavar is dedicated to Lord Muruga.
Here is a statue of Lord Muruga (not at this temple but it gives you reference to what he looks like.) (picture by Redtigerxyz)
Vadapalani temple used to be a small thatched shed some 125 years ago.
The temple was renovated in 1920s and a Rajakopuram (literally means Royal Tower, an entrance that is fit for royalty but especially for the God in the Temple) was built at that time. The temple has grown in popularity believed in part due to the patronage of cinema stars.
According to the Sthala Purana (manuscripts written by scholars describing the importance and significance of pilgrimage and temples), one Muruga devotee by the name Annaswami Tambiran, a great devotee of Lord Muruga, built a small thatched hut with his limited means and kept a Murugan painting for his personal worship. During his meditation and worship, he used to experience some divine power entering his body and inspiring him to utter some mysterious things — whatever he said in his trance was found to be true. His utterance went by the name of arulvak and helped people in many ways, such as by curing diseases and getting them jobs.
The place became popular and offerings in great amount were secured by the head maintaining the temple.
Here is a picture of the offering container. It looked so industrial and out of place!
The temple is accompanied by a large hall. It is one of the premier places for performing marriage ceremonies and about 7000 marriages are performed here annually. Other deities in addition to Lord Muruga, who are worshipped here include Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganesh and Lord Anjaneya.
The temple tank is large with lotuses floating in the clean & pure water. The tank is enclosed by a protective wall and has steps to facilitate those who want to bathe.
As we left the temple, I was so grateful to have been a part of the mornings festivities!
As we were driving away from the temple, I assumed we were heading for the beach, which was the plan in our earlier discussion outside the hotel. Darshan remembering the conversation we had the day before in our six-hour drive to Chennai, decided to change the plans. He said, “I know you could not go into the temples because you are not a Hindu, but I do have a place that you can go into.” Lo and Behold, around the corner to my surprise was a beautiful white cathedral.
Seeing me see it, he said, now here is a place you can go into. We all had a great laugh!
San Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai (Madras), India. It was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, over the supposed tomb of St Thomas, an apostle of Jesus. In 1893, it was rebuilt as a church with the status of a cathedral by the British. The British version still stands today. It was designed in Neo-Gothic style, favored by British architects in the late 19th century.
St Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, arrived in Kerala (the southern most state in India) from Judea in 52 A.D. and preached between 52 A.D. and 72 A.D., when he was martyred on St. Thomas Mount.
San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore. In 1956, Pope Pius XII raised the church to the status of a Basilica Minor, and on 11 February 2006, it was declared a national shrine by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. The San Thome Basilica is a pilgrimage center for Christians in India.
The church also has a beautiful garden with this huge sign. I have to complement myself on the photography here…looks like I caught God shining down on us here. Always blessed.
Our next stop is the beach and then heading back to Bangalore with a couple of surprises!
Thanks for reading and sharing with your friends. Check me out at www.thebalancedyogi.com for all my blogs and info. I am also now expanding my schedule to offer more private one on one yoga lessons as well as private and corporate classes. You can also schedule an Ayurveda consultation by calling me at 972-658-1600. Let me know if you have an interest.
I also want to thank my sister Jackie Kogan for editing these blogs. You have been a great help.
Blessings,
Peggy