Madhava Perumal Mylapore Temple Renovation

It is renovation time again at one of the prominent among the Non Divya Desams in the heart of Madras. In the next month or so, Thiruppani works is likely to start at the Madhava Perumal Koil in Mayurapuri (now Mylapore) with consecration early next year. Just over 15years ago, Industrialist Venu Srinivasan, who had by then had had well over a decade of restoring ancient temples was asked if he could restore this temple. At that time, it had been in a bad shape with fading gopuram and vimanas. A lot of what we see today at this temple is an outcome of that restoration exercise undertaken by him back then in 2007. 

The restoration involved refurbishing the Pushkarani on the Southern side, revival of the Nandavanam on the Western side, repair works of the entire flooring as well as painting of the Vimanas and the Eastern Raja Gopuram. The exercise that was started in 2005 took about 18months with the consecration having taken place in January 2007.

Since then Venu Srinivasan, like he has done with service personnel in all the temples where he has under restoration exercises, more famously in Nava Tirupathi and Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html), has been providing monthly Sambhavanai to the kainkaryapakas at the Madhava Perumal temple including the madapalli cook, paricharaka and archakas. He has also assigned a full time day security person at the temple.

The utsavams are now grand as seen from the Rama Navami and Chitrai Brahmotsavam that took place earlier this year. A three day Pavitrotsavam takes place in Aadi.

Maduravalli Parthasarathy lives opposite the temple and has been visiting the temple every day for almost 35 years.  Her husband was the Head of the Commerce department at the Vivekananda College and had served there for four decades. She recalls her association with the MadhavaPerumal temple “Our two daughters who have moved overseas after their marriage are keen for us to be with them in our old age but the peace of the mind that we get when at the MadhavaPerumal temple is unmatched. The temple is beautifully maintained by the TVS personnel. It is neat and cleanliness is of the highest order. When we enter the temple, we can feel the positive vibration.”

Retired professor Parthasarathy who has been closely associated with the Bhattars from the late 1980s is all praise for the devotional commitment of the priests “From Sridhar Bhattar in the early 1990s to Seenu Bhattar and the one now- Sundar Bhattar, they have all very devotionally committed. Every devotee is welcomed with a smile and it gives us a very good feel when we are at the Sannidhi.”

For 67 year old R Govindarajan, a long time resident of Adyar, Madhava Perumal Temple is the go to place whenever he seeks peace of mind. Out of all the temples in the area, he finds a certain unmatched positive devotional vibration when inside this temple "The temple is clean and well maintained. There is not much noise inside the temple and we are able to have darshan in peace. Going around the prakara also provides a devotional experience for you do not have constant chit chats that you find in other temples and you can be on your own finding your peace here."

Maduravalli is delighted that the next Gen Ashwin Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/madhava-perumal-temple-next-gen-bhattar.html) too is following in his appa Sundar Bhattar's footsteps. “He is very friendly and his alankarams are special. We are happy that he has shown interest at this young age to perform Kainkaryam at the temple. Interestingly, even the HR & CE personnel have been very friendly at this temple over the last three decades.”

Last Saturday, the painting team of Venu was at the Madhava Perumal temple to assess the current state of the temple and to take measurements. The painter who has been involved in many restoration exercises that Venu has undertaken in TN temple told this writer that he would submitting his findings soon.

If all approvals are received on time, Balalayam could take place as early as Avani and the entire work could be completed by January. As per the current plan, all the walls will be repainted from scratch and the Raja Gopuram too will wear a fresh look.

The temple that has a rich history attached to it is said to be at least 800 years old (in its current form) though there are views that this temple may have existed around the time of the Azhvaars.  In Brahmmaanda Puranam, under the section Mayurapuri Mahatmiyam, one finds reference to this place as ‘Madhavapuram’. 

One of the first three Azhvaars, PeyAzhvaar, is believed to have been born in the street South East of the Madhava Perumal temple. It is said that Santhana Pushkarani was the sacred tank of Sage Brigu, who lived in the ashram here. The age old belief, as referred to in Mayurapuri Mahaatmiyam, is that couples who bathe here on the full moon day in the Tamil calendar month of Maasi (mid Feb-mid March) and who offer their prayers to Madhava Perumal and Amruthavalli Thaayar will be immediately blessed with children. This is also a Prarthana Sthalam for unmarried people.  Offering prayers to Lord Madhava Perumal who is seen in Kalyana Kolam is said to help one find his or her match immediately. 

In the Tamil calendar month of Aadi, Lord Niranjana Madhava Perumal is seen in a sleeping posture on the lap of Andal- a special event on the 9th day of the Aadi Pooram utsavam. The Prabhandham Ghosti is now increasing in number. The members present the sacred verses of the Azhvaars on five days every month in addition to all the utsavam days. Starting this Saturday, the they will be seen presenting Tiruvoimozhi verses over the ten days of the Aadi Pooram festival. The team has also been strengthened by the moving in from Thiruvallikeni to Mylapore of 75 year old Madhabhooshi Varadarajan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/06/madabhooshi-varadarajan.html).

On the western side of the temple is the Bhoo Varahar sannidhi. A special homam is performed in February every year ahead of the final exams of students. It is believed that Varahar helps student devotees come out successfully in their examinations. While over the last three decades, there were a set of regulars who visited the Madhava Perumal temple, in recent times, the temple has attracted several new devotees with many also invoking the blessings of Varaha Perumal

One of the special features at the Madhava Perumal Koil is the 9 day festival during Panguni when Rama is brought to life with special decorations every day relating to different events/episodes in his life. 

Theppotsavam in Maasi 

PeyAzhvaar Avataara Utsavam in Aipasi 

Chitrai Brahmotsavam 

Moolavar: Madhava Perumal East facing Sitting posture (Kalyana Kolam) 

Thaayaar: Amrutha Valli Thaayar 

Utsavar Deities: Aravind Madhavan, Niranjana Madhavan 

Temple Time: 7am-12noon and 430pm -830pm 

Contact :  Sundar Bhattar@99529 39762/Ashwin Bhattar@7397459680

Madhava Perumal temple is behind Sanskrit College/ Thiru Valluvar Statue in Mylapore and walking distance from MRTS Mundakanni Amman Koil Station.