“Another string of burglaries in Raja Annamalai Puram,” the headline blared. But there is far more to Raja Annamalai Puram than unfortunate news. Raja Annamalai Puram, or R. A. Puram as it is often called, is a neighborhood in Chennai with a rich history.
Raja Annamalai Puram got its name from S. Rm. M. Annamalai Chettiar. He was a banker and philanthropist who once owned most of the land here. Raja Annamalai Puram stretches along the northern banks of the Adyar River. It goes from Saidapet to the Bay of Bengal coast.
Mandavelipakkam is often considered part of Raja Annamalai Puram. The postal code for both is 600028. Raja Annamalai Puram adjoins areas like Mylapore and Alwarpet.
While exploring Raja Annamalai Puram, you might stumble upon the Sri Siddhi Buddhi Samedha Sri Karpaga Vinayakar Temple. It is on Second Street. This temple was established around 1960. Kanchi Paramacharya guided its creation. It started small. Over time, with the support of devotees, it grew. Now, it is a landmark in Raja Annamalai Puram.
The Raja Annamalaipuram Baktha Jana Sangam manages the temple. This registered trust has an elected Executive Committee. Besides daily pujas, the temple hosts functions. These include Januvasam and Sashtiapthapoorthi. They also hold musical concerts during festivals like Maha Sivarathiri.
Interestingly, the temple has a relatively short history of less than 60 years. It is said that in 1957, Senior Sankaracharya stayed here during a paadhayatra. He asked his disciples to build a temple for Vinayagar. Avibakthammal and her husband Vaidhyanatha Iyer helped construct the temple. The Kumbabhishekam happened on June 12, 1960. Since then, the temple has been renovated and expanded several times.
The main deity here is Karpaga Vinayagar. He is with his consorts Siddhi and Buddhi. There are shrines for Guruvayoorappan and Durga. You will also find Anjaneyar, Subramanyar, Dakshinamoorthy, and Sridevi Bhoodevi Sameda Lakshmi Narayanan.
So, while headlines might focus on unfortunate events, remember the history. Think about the philanthropy of Annamalai Chettiar. Remember the devotion that built the Karpaga Vinayakar Temple. Raja Annamalai Puram is more than just a location. It is a place with stories and spirit.