Mylapore | |
|---|---|
Neighbourhood | |
 | |
  Mylapore  Mylapore  Mylapore | |
| Coordinates:13°02′12″N80°16′03″E / 13.0368°N 80.2676°E /13.0368; 80.2676 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Chennai District |
| Metro | Chennai |
| Ward | 147 |
| Talukas | Mylapore |
| Government | |
| • Body | CMDA |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.914 km2 (1.511 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Demonym | Mylapoorans |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 600 004 |
| Vehicle registration | TN-06 |
| Lok Sabha constituency | South Chennai |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Mylapore[1][2] |
| Planning agency | CMDA |
| Website | www |
Mylapore (also speltMayilapur[note 1]), orThirumayilai,[3] is a neighbourhood in the central part of the city ofChennai,India. It is one of the oldest residential parts of the city. The locality is claimed to be the birthplace of the celebratedTamil philosopherValluvar, and the Hindu saint and philosopher,Peyalvar.[citation needed] It is also believed by Christians to be the place of martyrdom ofSt. Thomas the Apostle, who preached along the Malabar Coast, and established theMalankara Nasrani community.[4]
Mylapore is known for its tree-lined avenues,Kapaleeshwarar Temple,Katcheri seasons, andRamakrishna Matha among many others.[5]St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai which is believed to house the tomb ofThomas the Apostle, is in Mylapore.[6][7][8][9]
The wordMylapore is the anglicized form of the Dravidian wordMayilāppūr. It is derived from the Tamil phraseமயில் ஆர்ப்பரிக்கும் ஊர்Mayil ārpparikkum ūr, which means 'land of the peacock scream'.[10] Historically, peacocks have been known to thrive in the area, which is evident from the several statues in theKapaleeshwarar Temple towers and in the emblem of theSan Thome Basilica.Thirugnanasambandar has also mentionedmayil (peacocks) in his songs inTevaram. Mylapore is also known as Thirumayilai.[citation needed]
Mylapore is an ancient settlement. As the available historical and archaeological evidence show, it could well be the oldest part of Chennai, with written records of early settlements going back to the first century BCE.[11]Thiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet-philosopher, is believed to have been born here in 31 BCE.[12] It was known for its ancient port with a flourishing trade with the Roman Empire, receiving gold in exchange for its products like pepper and fine cloth.St. Thomas the Apostle allegedly died at Mylapore in 72 CE.[6][7][8][9]Ptolemy had recorded in the second century CE that the port of Mylapore was known to the Greeks and the Romans. The Saivite Saints of the seventh century, Saint Sambandar and Saint Appar, have sung about the shrine in their hymns. Mention has been made of the early settlement of Santhome (currently known) by Arab travelers and merchants of the ninth and tenth centuries. Marco Polo visited the place in the late 13th century and left a detailed description of the land, the people along with their customs and religion and also visited the tomb ofSaint Thomas the Apostle in Mylapore (currentlySanthome).[13]
It was considerable maritime time and the ancient German and Greek maps refer to the town as 'Maliarpha'. The later Scottish researchers likeJames Playfair referred it "Meliapour"[14][15] Mylapore was occupied by thePortuguese in 1523, who established theviceroyalty of "São Tomé de Meliapor" or "Saint Thomas of Mylapore." Portuguese rule lasted until 1749, except for a brief interregnum between 1662 and 1687, when the town was occupied by theDutch.
After 1749, theBritish East India Company took possession of the settlement in the name ofMuhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, theNawab of Arcot.[16] In that same year, Mylapore was incorporated into theadministration of the Presidency of Madras. The settlement known as "Luz" developed during this period. The name finds its origins from the 'Nossa Senhora Da Luz' (Our Lady of Light) church built by the Portuguese in 1516 CE. This church is one of the oldest standing Christian structures in all of Tamil Nadu.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the town became the commercial and intellectual hub of Madras city and home to British-educated lawyers and statesmen, the most elite of whom formed theMylapore clique.[17][18][19] Some of the luminaries based in Mylapore includedSir V. Bhashyam Aiyangar,Sir S. Subramania Iyer,Sir T. Madhava Rao,Eardley Norton,Sir P. S. Sivaswami Iyer,Pennathur Subramania Iyer,V. Krishnaswamy Iyer, andSir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer.
Mylapore is located a few kilometres to the south of the British-built Chennai city. The neighborhood is bordered byTriplicane in the north,Royapettah in the northwest,Alwarpet in the west, andMandaveli in the south. TheBay of Bengal coast is in the east of Mylapore. It extends for around 4 km from north to south and 2 km from east to west.[citation needed]
The population of Mylapore is estimated to be around 150,000 to 300,000.[20] It has long been a site of cultural importance forBrahmins, which can be attributed to Mylapore's early role as a temple centre.Smartha Brahmins, a sub-sect, were one of the first people to settle in this township.[citation needed] More accurate statistics are not available as Mylapore is not a separate township by itself, but a part ofChennai city. The different neighbourhoods within Mylapore have been distributed among the different wards of the Chennai Corporation.[citation needed]
Mylapore is known for its cultural and religious heritage. Mylapore is home to hundreds of temples, churches and mosques.[citation needed]
Kapaleeswarar Temple is one of the most famous temples of Chennai. The temple was originally relocated by theTuluva dynasty (1491–1570 CE) from the sea shore of Mylapore. The main deity of the temple is Shiva. The temple exhibits exquisite Dravidian architecture. The huge temple is surrounded by traditional crowded street markets selling fruits, flowers, vegetables and traditional brass ware.[citation needed]
Mylapore is known for the Adi Kesava Perumal Temple constructed in honor of Keshava orVishnu, a principal god in the Hindu pantheon and the "Preserver" in theHindu trinity. The temple has an idol of Vishnu accompanied by his celestial consort Goddess Lakshmi. This is the birthplace of Peyalvar. It has sannathis for the thayar Mayuravalli, Chakkarathalvar, Sri Andal, Sri Rama & Anjaneya. It is theavatara sthalam (birthplace) of Peyalvar and has a separate sannithi for the Alvar. During the brahmotsavam the utsavar goes in a procession accompanied by Sridevi & Bhudevi in the mada streets and also gives the chance to see the Theppam festival in the centuries-old kulam (tank). Every year the Parthasarathy Perumal comes to the Kesava Perumal temple and Kesava Perumal too goes to Triplicane along with Peyalvar.[23]
Mylapore has the Srinivasar temple near Chitra Kulam in Mylapore, which is administered by the Vedantha Desikar Devasthanam (SVDD). It is located beside the Adi Kesava Perumal Temple, which has an imposing gopuram that can be seen from quite a distance.
TheEkambareswarar–Kamakshi Koil, commonly known as the Valluvar Koil, is also located in the neighborhood. The Valluvar shrine is located within the Ekambareswarar temple complex and is dedicated to the poet-saintValluvar. Dating back to at least the early 16th century, the temple was extensively renovated in the 1970s.[24] Considered to be the birthplace of Valluvar, the temple is the oldest ever built to Valluvar. The temple also serves as the venue for meetings ofTamil language enthusiasts. While many consider the temple as the birthplace of Valluvar, some consider it as his samadhi (place of cremation).
Madhava Perumal Temple is dedicated to Hindu godVishnu. Constructed in theDravidian style of architecture, dedicated toVishnu, who is worshiped as Madhava Perumal and his consortLakshmi as Amirtagadavalli. According to some, the temple is believed to be the birthplace ofPeyalvar, one of the first three of the twelveAlvar saints of the sixth to ninth century CE.[citation needed]
Sri Ramakrishna Mutt, is the oldest center of the Ramakrishna Order in the South India. SriRamakrishna is the main deity of the temple. Architecture of the temple is a blend of Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Rajput, and Christian styles. The sprawling campus contains several huge quiet halls fordhyana, the Sanskrit word for meditation. The book store on the campus sells books on Indian epics - Ramayana and Mahabharatha, talks, travels and works ofRamakrishna Paramahamsa andSwami Vivekananda, as well as the philosophy ofVedanta along with monthly magazines. The monks conduct lectures and interviews in English on Sunday evenings from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.[25]
San Thome Basilica, built over the tomb ofThomas the Apostle, is aRoman Catholic minor basilica atSanthome in the city of Chennai. Thomas is traditionally believed to have sailed toMuziris in modern-dayKerala India in 52 CE.[9][26] TheSaint Thomas Christians or Nasrani Christians of Kerala are believed to have been converted by St Thomas. Tradition has it that Thomas was killed in 72 CE at Mylapore and his body was interred here. His relics were moved to Edessa in the third century.San Thome Basilica was built over his original tomb in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, and rebuilt with the status of a cathedral by the British in 1893 which still stands.[7] San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the Madras-Mylapore Roman Catholic Archdiocese. In 1956,Pope Pius XII raised the church to the status of a MinorBasilica, and on 11 February 2006, it was declared a nationalshrine by theCatholic Bishops' Conference of India. It is an importantpilgrimage center for theSyrian Christians ofKerala. The church also has an attached museum.[27]
Church of Our Lady of Light is a Roman Catholic shrine in the locality. It is commonly called as Luz Church by the locals, which derives from the Portuguese name Nossa Senhora da Luz. Built in 1516 by the Portuguese, it is one of the oldest Churches in the city and its foundation stone marks as one of the oldest European monuments in India. The history of the church dates back to the 16th-century legend of safe arrival to land by missionaries. The church is located very near to the Santhome Basilica, where Apostle Thomas is believed to be buried.[citation needed]
Although at the time the church was built, the locality was a thick forest, now it is part of a bustling metropolitan area. This 16th century European architecture building consists of patterns of Gothic arches and Baroque ornamentation. The feast of Our Lady of Light is celebrated on 15 August every year.[citation needed]
Mylapore is regarded by many as the cultural hub of the city. Mylapore is the home of music sabhas (cultural organizations) and musicians. December is often set aside as theMusic Season when regular and continuous kutcheris are organized by the Sabhas in Mylapore. There are performances byCarnatic Music vocalists and artists during this period. TheParthasarathy Swami Sabha in Mylapore is the oldest Sabha (Assembly) in Tamil Nadu. TheMadras Music Academy in the north of the district is an important nucleus of art events in the city. Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan Auditorium conducts cultural events. The Mylapore Fine Arts located near Nageshwara Rao Park is another Sabha.[citation needed]
The 10-dayPanguni Brahmotsavam, a series of procession events of the Kapaleeshwarar temple and related shrines around the temple during the Tamil month ofPanguni (March–April), is the most important annual event of the neighbourhood. People from around the country and abroad participate in the events.[28] The main deities of the Kapaleeshwarar temple, including Shiva, Parvathi, and Nandhi taken on a 13-meter-tall chariot,[29] led by Vinayakar chariot and followed by the attendant pantheon of nayanmars (Shaivite saints) in a series of palanquins and other deities of the surrounding shrines including Mundagakanni Amman, Kolavizhi Amman,Vasuki with Valluvar, Draupadi Amman, Ankalaparameshwari Amman, Vairamudi Swami, andChintadripet Muthukumaran are taken in procession.[29][30][31] TheArubathimoovar on day eight draws the maximum crowd during which the 63nayanmars along with the idol of philosopher-saint Valluvar as the 64th nayanmar are taken in procession.[28][30][32][33] The festival is dated back to 7th century CE.[34]
Nageshwara Rao Garden is known for its play area, shrubs and cultural events.
Mylapore Website provides news about arts and culture of Chennai City.[35]
The Mylapore Times, a weekly neighbourhood newspaper, covers issues relating to the neighbourhood of Mylapore.
Mylapore is also known for its South-Indian food. There are many famous eateries in Mylapore that are thronged by people.
The Mylapore assembly constituency is part ofChennai South (Lok Sabha constituency).[36]
There used to be a tram line running through Kutchery Road from Santhome via Luz, Mylapore.
Mylapore is connected to other parts of the city byMTC buses, with connections includingChennai Central,T. Nagar,Tambaram,Broadway,CMBT,Vadapalani.
Thirumayilai Railway Station, on theMass Rapid Transit System network, connects Mylapore toChennai Beach to the north andVelachery on the south.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)
Neighbourhoods adjacent to Mylapore | |
|---|---|
