Chennai: The Sri Karumari Tripurasundari temple, one of the ancient temples in the city, is awaiting Kumbhabhishekam. The temple management has appealed to philanthropists to contribute generously and help the conduct of the consecration in a grand manner.
Founded by Sri Mahatripurasundari Nikethanam at Samiyar Thottam, Ashok Nagar, Sri Karumari Tripurasundari temple has an attractive three-tier Rajagopuram. The presiding deity is Tripurasundari and she is flanked by Selva Ganapathy and Selvamurugan.
An important feature of the temple is the emerald-studded crystal Lingam (spatika Lingam). Pradosham is celebrated on a grand scale. The Lord is taken out in a procession on the Rishaba vahanam.
Devotees wait to collect the abisheka tirtham (from the Lingam) which is believed to bestow benefits. There are separate shrines for Siva, Ganapathi, Muruga, Durga, Navagraha, Anjaneya, Perumal and Thayar. On Hanumath Jayanthi day, the idol is decorated with one lakh and eight vada mala.
To the left of the Hanuman on a higher floor is the shrine for Lord Venkataramana and Padmavathy Thayar. There are also idols for Lord Hayagreeva and Goddess Lakshmi. There is a sannadhi for Sarabeshwarar.
The important annual festival is Tirukkalyana Utsavam on Panguni Uthiram day every year. The utsavam is being celebrated ever since the temple was founded by the Nikethanam in 1974. During Navaratri special pujas, abishekams are performed and the deity appears in various alankarams in the evenings.
"Among the festivals, the unique and interesting one is observed during the Thai Amavasai. During this festival the songs composed by Subramaniya Iyer who later came to be known as Abirami Battar (priest of Goddess Abirami) who through his devotion made the Goddess convert Amavasai into Pournami, is celebrated in a grand manner," says Venkata Subramaniam.
