Arupadai Veedu Temple Complex in Chennai

His Holiness Śrī Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal addressing devotees after Kumbhabhishekam

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipati His Holiness Śrī Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal arrives at the temple to perform Kumbhabhishekam.

Decorated kalasams prior to kumbhashishekam

Kalasams being taken in procession before kumbhabhishekam

His Holiness inspecting the kalasam upon one of the temples

Kumbhabhishekam being performed upon one of the temples

How the Chennai Arupadai Veedu Temple Complex came into existence

In 1984 the sage Kanchi Paramacharya was camping at Gulbarga in Karnataka State border when Dr. Alagappa Alagappan, an Ex-UN Official went to have his darshan. He mentioned to the acharya, "How about having one temple for all the six Padai Veedu temples of Lord Muruga at one place and that too in granite?"

Poster announcing His Holiness Śrī Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal's participation in the Kumbhabhishekam

Arupadai Veedu complex kumbhabhisekam, Madras

The sage looked at him and with his usual smile and said: "Yes, you may build. I will get you the land." With his blessing he ordered the devotee Dr. Alagappa Alagappan. The acharya immediately arranged for an acre of land at Besant Nagar in Chennai near the sea, through the then Chief Minister MGR and HR & CE Minister Mr. R.M. Veerappan.

Dr. Alagappan is the pioneer in building Hindu temples in USA. First he built Maha Vallabha Ganapati temple in New York and was instrumental in building many others like the Venkatachalapati temple in Pittsburgh and Meenakshi temple in Houston. He was advising and helping as well as organizing temple architects (stapathis) from India to build these temples.

Śrī Śrī Maha Periyaval advised Dr.Alagappan to take up the project and guided him well. He has stressed that it is difficult for the devotees to visit all six Padai Veedus when touring Tamil Nadu. He wished it should be in a single seashore site and he was all sure Tamil Nadu would become prosperous on account of it. Swami Malai praharam and temple were built first in 1995 in remembrance of Paramacharya, whose original name was Swaminathan. Another three temples -- the Mahavallabha Ganapati, Palani and Tiruttani temples -- were completed and consecrated in 1998. Three other temples, namely Tiruchendur, Tirupparankundram and Palamudirsolai, have also been completed with the concecration having taken place in the presence of His Holiness Śrī Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal of Śrī Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam on 21st June 2002.

Mr. Muthiah Stapathy, who has built many temples in India and in USA, is the architect of this project. The Mandalabhishekam of the temple was completed on the 4th Aug 2002. Religious discourses, music and dance performances took place on all these 45 days. During the period Tiruppugazh sangams from various parts of Chennai visited the temple and rendered Tiruppugazh songs on Saturdays. It was a rare occasion on the 28th July to listen to the rare compositions of Saint Arunagirinathar sung by six groups.

It is widely believed that Pamban Swamigal, an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga lived in the last century and whose samadhi is very close by, had a premonition that the six temples of Lord Muruga were going to be constructed nearby. Already a number of miracles have been happening in this temple complex.

At Swamimalai in the form of Gurunathan he is blessing students with admission and excellence in their studies. When the Trustees of the temple went to order a Vel from the Vummidiar jewellers, to their great surprise they were told that they had a Vel ready with them especially for Swaminatha Swami. And many other such instances can also be cited.

In this complex Swamimalai is situated at the northeast, Tiruchendur at the east, Palamudirsolai and Tirupparankundram at the south, Palani at the west and Tiruttani in the northwest. The Mahavallabha Ganapati temple is in the center.

This temple complex is attracting a large number of devotees from far and near. In addition to local dignitaries, even devotees from abroad - about fifty Americans led by Guru Bhaskaran Pillai and also Swamis Bodhinatha and Saravanabhavanatha of Sivaya Subramuniya Swami's Saiva Siddhanta Church of Hawaii, USA, have also visited and worshipped in this temple. Thanking Lord Muruga for bestowing this place on the seashore, Smt. Alamelu said that, unlike other places, seashore is ideal for meditation with cool and peaceful atmosphere.

Homams like Skanda Homam, Rudra Homam, and Ganapati Homam are regularly conducted at the request of the devotees. Thai Pusam, Panguni Uttiram, Aadi Krittikai, and Skanda Shashti festivals are celebrated in the traditional way with Kavadi, Paal Kudam, etc. Valli Tirukkalyanam at the temple has become popular with parents of marriageable girls, and many of them have had immediate grant of their wishes.

The Temple Complex is on the shore of Bay of Bengal behind Ashtalakshmi Temple.

Dr. Alagappa Alagappan, Chairman of the Trust, and other members of the family have undertaken this stupendous task. Mrs. Alamelu Arunachalam is the Secretary and Treasurer and Mrs. Parvati Nachiappan is the Joint Secretary.