View source for Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Chennai

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}



{{Infobox temple
| name               = Chennakesava Perumal Temple
| image              = Chennakesava Perumal Temple.jpg
| alt          = 
| caption            = Chennakesava Perumal Temple
| map_type        = Tamil Nadu
| map_caption        = 
| map_size           = 200
| coordinates        = {{coord|22|9|23|N|71|46|19|E|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| other_names        = 
| proper_name        = Chennakesava Perumal Temple
| country            = [[India]]
| state           = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district           = [[Chennai District|Chennai]]
| location           = [[Chennai]]
| elevation_m        = 
| deity  = Chennakesava Perumal ([[Vishnu]])
| primary_deity_Godess = 
| utsava_deity_God   = 
| utsava_deity_Godess= 
| Direction_posture  = 
| Pushakarani        = 
| Vimanam            = 
| Poets              = 
| Prathyaksham       =

| festivals= 
| architecture       = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity  = 
| monument_quantity= 
| inscriptions       = 
| year_completed         = 
| creator            = 
| website            = 
}}

'''Chennakesava Perumal Temple''' is a [[Hindu]] temple situated in the [[George Town, Chennai|George Town]] neighbourhood of [[Chennai]] city, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. It is dedicated to Chenna kesava [[Perumal]].<ref name="Officialweb">{{Cite web|url=http://chennakesavaperumaltemple.tnhrce.in/|title=Chenna kesava perumal temple, Chennai.|last=|first=|date=|website=Official temple website|publisher=|access-date=30 January 2017}}</ref>
There is the nearby [[Mallikesvarar Temple, Chennai|Chenna Malleeswarar Temple]]. They are twin temples.The temple was the first to be built in the new settlement; since the construction of Madras city by the [[British East India Company]].<ref name="srinivasacharipxxix">[[#Srinivasachari|Srinivasachari]], Introduction, p xxix</ref>  Chennakesava [[Perumal]] is a manifestation of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]]. And considered as the patron deity of Chennai, Chenna pattanam may be named after the Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple. The word 'chenni'  in Tamil means face, and the temple was regarded as the face of the city.<ref name="Srinivasan2002">{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/02/28/stories/2002022800030400.htm | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Face behind the name | date=28 February 2002| author= Srinivasan, T.A }}</ref>

== History ==
Sources about the history of this temple have the following:
* According to Srinivasan, T.A <ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> The Original twin temples' ( Chenna kesava perumal and [[Mallikesvarar Temple, Chennai|Chenna Malleeswarar]] ) location was later occupied by the [[Madras High Court|High court]] building.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> The original twin temples' history dates back to 1646 CE.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Grants made to the original twin temples by  [[Beri Thimappa|Beri Thimmappa]] (dubash meaning interpreter, to [[Francis Day (Madras)|Francis Day]]) and Nagabattar were recorded.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Attack by other European powers and attack and looting of temples by [[Hyder Ali]]'s forces caused the devotees to relocate some vigrahams to the [[Thiruneermalai|Thiruneermalai Temple]]. The twin temples were demolished by the [[English east india company|British]], for the purpose of security and expansion of the nearby [[Fort St. George, India|Fort St.George]].<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> Manali Muthu Krishna Mudaliar, translator for Lord Piccode, built new twin temples in 1700 CE in a different location<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/> (at Devaraja mudali Street, later called [[George Town, Chennai|Sowcarpet]]). He donated his lands, used his own funds to build and he refused the money from the British, accepting only land from them.<ref name="Srinivasan2002"/>
* According to the official<ref name="Officialweb"/>  Chenna Kesava temple website: "The original Chenna Kesava perumal temple was located even in the 17th century AD in the place where the [[Madras High Court]] is currently located. When the original temple was present, there were a lot of problems in Chennai such as invasion by French and [[Tipu Sultan|Tippu Sultan]].The [[British East India Company]] demolished the original temple in 1757 AD. Due to public outcry,  the British East India Company donated land and some money to Manali Muthu krishna Mudaliar, who built the new Chenna Kesava Perumal temple in the year of 1762, at a different location i.e at Devaraja Mudali Street in [[Sowcarpet]] area of Chennai city. Along with this Vishnu temple, he also built a temple for Shiva - [[Mallikesvarar Temple, Chennai|Chenna Malleeswarar temple]], thus Chennai got twin temples at Sowcarpet."<ref name="Officialweb"/>
* According to Srinivasachari.C. S,<ref name="srinivascharip25">{{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari|year=1939| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras|page=25}}</ref> The Mallikesvarar Temple was constructed by Alanganatha Pillai, assistant chief merchant to the [[British East India Company]], in the 17th century AD.<ref name="srinivascharip25"/> The temple is first mentioned in a document of 1652 as "Mally Carjuns Old Pagoda".<ref name="srinivascharip25"/> It is also believed to be the Muthialpet Pagoda depicted in a Madras map of 1710.<ref name="srinivascharip25"/>
* According to Muthiah.S,<ref name="Muthiah2012 ">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article2960548.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=S. | last=Muthiah | title=The 'Town Temple' resurrected | date=4 March 2012}}</ref> the Chennakesava Perumal Temple was constructed in 1646.<ref name="Muthiah2012 "/>
* According to the Times of India article,<ref name="TOI_ChennaiHigh2010">{{cite news 
    | title = Chennai High: Where history beckons 
  | newspaper = The Times of India 
  | location = Chennai
  | publisher = The Times Group 
  | date = 27 August 2010
  | url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-27/chennai/28292743_1_pillars-fort-st-george-madras/2
  | accessdate = 20 Jan 2013}}</ref> The twin temples of Chenna Kesava and [[Mallikesvarar Temple, Chennai|Chenna Malleeswara Swami]] were originally built by [[Beri Thimappa]], the dubash who brokered the deal between [[Francis Day (Madras)|Francis Day]] and the local chieftain for the small strip of beach that was to become the city of Madras. The city's name "Chennai" is said to have been derived from these temples.<ref name="TOI_ChennaiHigh2010"/>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Chennai|Hinduism}}
* [[History of Chennai#1750s to the end of the British Raj|History of Chennai in 1700s.]]
* [[Timeline of Chennai history]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==

* {{cite book | title=History of the city of Madras written for the Tercentenary Celebration Committee| first=C. S.|last=Srinivasachari|year=1939| publisher=P. Varadachary & Co.|place=Madras|ref=Srinivasachari}}

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{Places of worship in Chennai}}
{{List of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Chennai]]