Glimpses into a glorious past
According to records, the temple of Goddess Thirupurasundari and Lord Soundareswarar, in Saidapet, Chennai, belongs to the seventh century. As the ancient religious abode is reminiscent of the temple of the Lord in Thirunaraiyur, near Chidambaram, on the banks of the Cauvery, it is also referred to as Vada (North) Thirunaraiyur.
Once upon a time the Vinayakar Sannidhi faced west and the Lord’s and his Goddess’s shrines faced east. It is said that in the 12th century a merchant named Sadhayan organised daily pujas and maintained the temple.
So the place was named Sadhayapuri after him. Later King Saiyadhullah Khan, it is believed, made Chennai a trading hub and included places such as the seaport town of Mamallapuram, Kanchi, Arcot and Vellore, and built mosques and palli vaasal at these places. As a result both religious fervour and trade developed.
From the 15th to the 17th centuries repair and maintenance works were regularly taken up. Renovation on the five-tier rajagopuram of the temple, now under the control of HR&CE is going on and devotees may contribute to the cause.
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