Nanganallur Anjaneyar Temple - Chennai

Address

Nanganallur Anjaneyar Temple – Chennai

Ram Nagar, Nanganallur,

Chennai district,

Tamil Nadu 600061

Moolavar

Anjaneyar

Introduction

Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneyaswami Temple is located around 10 kilometers away from the heart of the city, in a locality called Nanganallur. Lord Hanuman. He is also called Anjaneya, because he is the son of Anjana, the young Vanara (monkey) woman, and after him, the temple is named. The cornerstone of the temple was laid around 1989 by a group of devout Anjaneya followers – Sri Maruti Bhakta Samajan. It was finally open for the public in 1995. The most important aspect of the temple is its 32 feet idol. Lord Hanuman has been shaped out of single granite stone and then given shape.

Puranic Significance

The temple itself is only a little more than a couple of decades old. However, the deity of the shrine is apparently a central figure in multiple mythological stories. Within the temple premises, there are temples of both Rama and Krishna, which is a reference to Lord Hanuman being present in both the great epics of religion – Ramayana and Mahabharata. Hanuman was the ardent ‘Ram-bhakt’ in Ramayana, and he was quintessential in Rama winning the battle against Ravana in Lanka.

The lord made a comeback in the Mahabharata and revealed his identity to Bheema. Both of them were sons of the God of Air or Vayu, and thus were brothers by blood. The two met when Bheema was on his way to find a lake, from where he would collect the flowers with the hypnotizing smell that his wife Draupadi demanded. There, Hanuman promised Bheema that he would look over the Pandavas, and perch himself atop Arjuna’s chariot during the war.

The temple was established as per the wishes of a community who were staunch devotees of Lord Hanuman and ardent followers of his path. Sri Maruti Bhakta Samajan is the name of the group. They constructed the towering idol of the deity in 1989, and after the creation of the temple, the shrine and the idol were consecrated in 1995. Ever since, Anjaneya bhakts (devotees) have been visiting the temple every year in large numbers. The main enthusiasts behind the temple were Sri Raghavendra Swami and Sri Kanchi Paramacharyar. It was their spiritual calling to construct the building for their worshipped god. The temple has now been taken over by the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department.

Special Features

The main attraction of the temple is the huge deity of Lord Hanuman, carved out of a single piece of granite. The colossal deity stands 32 feet tall, in dark black color, towering over the rest of the shrines and the devotees. Its specialty lies in the fact that it has been sculpted out of a singular stone piece, without any breakpoint or streamline. In height, it is only second to the idol of Hanuman at Panchavati near Puducherry.
The temple tower of the deity is equally high, almost 90 feet. The sanctum sanctorum connects with the other shrines in the premise via corridors around itself. Among the other shrines, one is for Sri Rama, Laxmana, and Sita. He is connected with Hanuman all the time, and his presence in any temple of Maruti is inevitable. Rama is shown as the protector and ruler here; in the form, Hanuman respects and worships him. So, he has carried a bow and is called Kothanda Rama. But to pay respect to the fact that Hanuman was present in both the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, a Lord Krishna Sannidhi is also built. His two queens Rukmini and Satyabhama accompany Lord Krishna. Hanumana graced the flag of Arjuna’s chariot to save it from any harm or destruction from the opponents Kauravas.
There are two more, smaller shrines present in the north-east part of the temple. Lord Vinayaka or Ganesh and to the left of that shrine, on another platform Naga or the snake lord is established. The abode of Saint Raghavendra is also present, facing the shrine of Lord Krishna. The mandapam or the hall for devotees to gather and offer their prayers is large, and many people together can stand in it.

Festivals

Around five major festivals are grandly celebrated in the temple. One is Ramnavami, which is the birthdate of Lord Rama. It is given the highest amount of importance, only second to Hanuman Jayanti. It is the day Hanuman was born to Anjana blessed by Lord Vayu. The nine days and Vijayadashami or the Navratri festivals is also celebrated here, with much vigor. Sri Krishna Jayanti, marking the birth of Lord Krishna in Mathura and Pavitrotsavam are also big occasions in Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneyaswami Temple.