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 We all know that Bhadrachalam is in Andhra Pradesh but very few of us know that there is another Bhadrachalam in Chennai. It is called Dakshina Bhadrachalam and is situated in West Mambalam,
Chennai.
This temple is more than 150 years old and was built by a group of saints of Andhra Pradesh belonging to the Haridas Mutt. They were managing the temple for some years but now it is under the fold of HR & CE.
The divine congregation in the temple consists of Ranganathar, Ranganayaki, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Anjaneya and
Narasimhar.
After worshipping Anjaneya, we run into the sanctum sanctorum of Ranganayaki Thayar. Her consort Ranganathar blesses his devotees reclined on the serpent bed.
Yoga Narasimhar assumes great importance during Pradosham and the month of
Karthigai.
There is a small icon of Pattabisheka Rama in a separate shrine and it is said it was the first to be consecrated in the temple.
Lord Kodanda Rama is the presiding deity and is accompanied by Sita, Lakshmana, Anjaneyar. Rama’s bewitching smile attracts the devotees.
There is an interesting story which is intertwined with the spiritual history of the temple. Venkayalu Kuppiah Chettiar was an atheist who did not visit temples. He was afflicted by an incurable disease and was advised to worship this lord. He came to this temple and surrendered himself to the Almighty. Inscrutable are the ways of God. He was cured of his malady. As a token of thanksgiving, he renovated the temple. This miracle happened in 1927.
The temple calendar is packed with spiritual events. The temple teems with devotees during Srirama Navami, Rahmotsavam, Gajendra moksham, Andal kalyanam, Navarathri utsavam, Karthigai Deepam, Maasi Maham and Panguni
Uthiram.
The street in which the temple is housed is called Kodanda Ramar Street and the street adjoining the temple is called Kuppiah Chetty Street, after Kuppiah
Chettiar.
Situated near the Madley Subway on the West Mambalam side, this temple is a ‘prarthana sthalam’.
Usha Raja
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