Chennai: Four ‘Maha Kumbhabhishekams’ within a short span of 36 years is something marvelous and the Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple, Kotturpuram, which achieved this rare distinction is also unique in having a 200-year-old idol of Lord Ganesa as presiding deity.
More recently, it shot into prominence when it attracted the attention of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who was said to have visited the shrine two times. The temple is gearing up for the fifth consecration on June 9. Yagasala poojas, in view of the kumbhabhishekam, commenced on Tuesday evening.
Though the enthralling bright-coloured Rajagopuram of the Varasiddhi Vinayakar temple could not be missed while traversing through the Kotturpuram bridge (across Adyar river) on Gandhi Mandapam Road, the beautifully gracing Lord Ganesa with His trunk twirled towards his left and adorned with golden crown and ears, is a divine sight to behold. The nearly one-and-a-half feet high idol is placed on a pedestal.
“He is very powerful and is much venerated by the devotees here. The stone idol of Vinayaka is about 200-years-old. The few grantha letters behind the idol have worn out. Here He is known as 'Vellam Kaatha Pillaiyar' and also Visa Pillaiyar as he protects the people from deluge and grants the wish for visa to take up foreign assignments or trips,” explains G. Sabapathy Sivam, the chief priest of the temple for the last 25 years.
“The idol of Ganesh, which we obtained from Mahabalipuram, was initially kept under the arasu maram (Ficus religiosa or sacred fig or Peepal tree) under a thatched roof. During the 1976 floods, the entire area was inundated and the idol fell down. Later, we decided to erect a structure for the God,” says G. Madhavan, a hereditary trustee of the temple.
The first Maha Kumbhabhishekam was held 1980. The consecration ceremonies were conducted in 1992 and 1995, when the Rajagopuram was erected and 2004.
The fifth Kumbhabhishekam will be performed by T.K. Baalamani Sivacharyar under the guidance of G. Sabapathy Sivacharyar on June 9 between 10 and 11.30 am, in the presence of the Kanchi seer Sri Jayendra Saraswati.
Jayalalithaa is said to have visited the temple two times, according to Madhavan.
The temple became famous after she visited it in 2012. In October 2014, she stopped briefly opposite the temple and offered prayers while priests performed deeparadhana. The Chief Minister has been very helpful, adds K. Selvaraj, secretary of the temple management committee.
About seven to eight employees of Venus Pictures got together and established the temple on a half-a-ground land gifted by industralist M.M. Arunachala Chettiyar.
According to V. R. Krishnamurthy, who initially served as priest for 25 days, the idol of Ganesh had been placed under a shrine behind the Arasa maram, near which a sannadhi for Anjaneya had been established. The temple also has shrines for Muruga, Dakshinamurthy, Surya Bhagwan and Kanaka Durga.
