Pathala Ponniamman Temple — Attraction in Zone 8 Anna Nagar

Main Deity : Sri Pathala Ponniamman Some of the Salient features of this temple are…. The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. The temple is a little lower than the road level. Sapta Matrikas, and Ashta Lakshmi images are painted on the Mukha mandapam Ceiling. In Sanctum Sanctorum Ponniamman is in a sitting posture holding a Trishul and Akshaya pathra. The lower hands are in abhaya varada hastam. Ponniamman is in in peaceful mood. In koshtams, Dakshina Murthy, Narayani, Brahmi, and Durga. Utsavar are in the antarala. Thulabaram is in the mukha mandapam. In praharam, Vinayagar, Nagars, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Sapta Annanmars ( holding Shield in the left hand and Knife, Kodari Thandam, Sword, Aruva, Trishul, and Gadha in right hands each). Two Shiva Lingas under the Peepal tree and Navagrahas. ARCHITECTURE The whole temple was built with bricks and cement concrete. The Temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam. There are three openings to access the ardha mandapam. A two-tier Salakara Vimanam is on the Sanctum Sanctorum. Stucco images of Amman are on the tala and greeva koshtams. Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniam’s temple vimana was built in Dravida style. HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS It is believed that the original temple may be 200 – 300 years old and reconstructed in the 20th century. Sri Pathala Ponniamman was considered a Grama Thevathai Temple ( Village guarding deity Temple ) of Purasaivakkam & Kilpauk. Maha Kumbhabhishekams was conducted on 30th August 1976, 31st March 1997, 17th March 2008, and 1st May 2017. The 5-Tier Rajagopuram was consecrated during the 2017 Maha Kumbhabhishekam. LEGENDS It is believed that the Amman and Utsavar are got while digging a well for irrigation purposes. Amman came on a devotee and said that She stayed for a long time under this Pathala and waiting for the time to Come out. Hence Amman is called Pathala Ponniamman. It was said that the Aadi month procession would take 6 months to complete, 100 years before, since it has to go to 70 villages around this area. During that time, the procession will start with the offerings from the descendants, who unearthed the idols from Pathala (Well). The Sthala Purana bas reliefs are on the pillars of the mandapam. In addition to this, Shiva Parvati, Dakshinamurthy, Natarajar, Durgai, Hanuman, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, Kala Bairavar are also on...

Pathala Ponniamman Temple is an Amman temple located in Kilpauk/ Purasavakkam.

Powerful divine deity 🙏🙏🙏

Chennappa Nayak belonging to Vijayanagara Empire ruled Madras 350 years ago. During his reign, the British, who had come here to do businesses, acquired land in the Purasawalkam area on lease, for the purpose of agriculture. The area was filled with mango trees and flowering plants. For irrigation, needed plenty of water. So, the British officials ordered to dig a well as a source of water. During digging below a depth of about 30 feet, a big stone of obstacle was found. While removing it from the underground, it was found as a stone image of a deity goddess and also found along with it was an idol of deity goddess, made of 'Panchloha'. People surrounding that area worshipped the two, performed poojas, abhisheks, aradhanas, etc. Later, the stone image was established and consecrated as the main deity goddess with the name 'Pathala Ponniamman' and the Panchloha idol as the utsav...

Pros: Located at very good location. Many transport options to approach. Very neatly maintained temple, seems to be very recently renovated. Good covered front mandapam. Enough space for many devotional and other activities like, weddings, etc. Also a small area available for food arrangements. Many hotels also available nearby for other food arrangements. Cons.: There is no proper parking place. Always very busy traffic area. Temple entrance encroached by some unwanted local people and there pet animals, which gives very awkward feeling while...