5/5 Jaikishore S. 2 years ago on Google
Thiruchembur
Murugan
Temple's
location
is
a
paradox:
it
is
in
a
quiet
neighbourhood
(Chheda
Nagar)
in
Chembur
and
yet
right
off
the
Eastern
Express
Highway.
That
makes
it
easily
accessible
while
establishing
a
tranquil
air
almost
immediately
on
arrival.
As
a
result,
parking
is
easily
found
in
informal
spaces.
The
temple
is
meant
echo
one
aspect
of
some
of
the
hallowed
Murugan
Temples
in
Tamil
Nadu.
It
is
a
tall
structure
that
involves
climbing
close
to
100
steps
to
reach
what
is
effectively
the
third
floor
to
get
to
the
sanctum
sanctorum.
In
fact,
the
overall
area
of
the
compound
in
which
the
temple
is
ensconced
is
low
in
comparison
to
what
you'd
expect
from
a
temple.
Together,
these
two
dimensions
make
Thiruchembur
Murugan
a
distinctly
Mumbai
structure:
tall
and
compact.
The
temple
is
30
years
old
at
the
time
of
writing
this
review.
The
path
to
the
top
is
marked
by
many
wall
sculptures
that
depict
scenes
from
the
story
of
Murugan
or
Subramanian.
This
makes
it
an
engaging
climb.
The
sculptures
could
have
done
with
a
more
aesthetic
approach
though.
The
flights
of
stairs
until
the
last
one
are
laid
out
in
a
manner
that
make
it
eminently
doable
for
the
elderly
as
my
aged
father
in
law
remarked.
The
last
set
of
stairs
to
the
sanctum
sanctorum
at
the
top
are
steeper
than
the
rest
but
still
perfectly
doable.
There
is
also
the
option
of
an
elevator.
At
the
top,
what
awaits
the
visitor
is
a
mix
of
subcultures
from
South
India,
lifted
and
planted
in
Mumbai.
There
are
various
shrines
including
the
one
dedicated
to
the
chief
deity
Murugan
accompanied
by
his
two
consorts
Valli
and
Devayani.
There
is
a
larger
space
for
music
and
dance
performances,
and
group
recitals.
In
the
air,
a
melange
of
smells
including
burning
camphor,
vibhudhi,
and
lit
lamps
lend
the
atmosphere
a
sense
of
earthy,
rooted
quietude
and
calm
which
is
another
paradox.
I
suppose
it
is
an
acquired
taste
because
I
can
imagine
the
uninitiated
coming
here
and
experiencing
anything
but
serenity
here.
For
those
who
know
the
feeling,
it
is
a
whiff
of
something
that
has
become
a
part
of
one's
experience
palette.
For
others,
I
suspect
it
still
offers
value
by
way
of
novelty.
To
this
atmosphere,
add
the
resident
Chembur
personae:
Tamil
and
Malayali
devotees
of
all
kinds
but
united
in
their
full-throated
recitals
of
shlokas,
some
morning
hues
and
I
think
the
picture
is
complete.
A
typically
vigorous
Rudram
Chamakam
by
a
group
of
men
was
the
highlight
for
me.
We
lingered
for
a
good
hour
and
a
half
to
savour
this
atmosphere
and
came
away,
energized
yet
calm,
perhaps
the
final
paradox
in
our
visit.
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