Lost, Hidden, and Found Again
The story of Sri Vaikuntavalli Thayar Sametha Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal Kovil spans nearly five centuries — from a shrine saved from invasion, to a village temple silenced by time, to its rebirth through the devotion of a scattered family and community.
A Shrine Saved From Invasion
The Sri Vaikuntavalli Thayar Sametha Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal Kovil is believed to be four to five hundred years old. It stood originally at Chitathur village — the very spot where the Masjid E Bilal stands today — a quiet trace of how the ground beneath it changed hands.
As Muslim invasions swept through the region, the Muslim traders of the village gained the upper hand and moved to take the temple over. Word of this reached the temple's devotees, and under cover of night they carried away the deities of Sri Vaikuntanathar and His consort, ran to the nearby village of Chengad, and lowered them into a well, sealing it over to keep them safe.
What followed was an act of quiet, patient faith: knowledge of the deities resting in that well was passed down from one generation to the next, until — some two to three hundred years ago — they were finally excavated and installed in a temple built for them at Chengad, where they have been worshipped ever since.
A Brahmin Street Falls Quiet
For generations, the small village of Chengad — in the plains near Walaja, not far from the temple town of Kanchipuram — had one street of Srivaishnava Brahmin families, among them the descendants of Chengadu Ramanuja Iyengar and Chengadu Narayana Iyengar, facing a modest temple of Sri Vaikuntanathar and His consorts.
Over time, their children and grandchildren moved away to Mysore, Bangalore, Chennai and Bezwada in search of opportunity, until the Brahmin street was left without a single Brahmin family. When the temple's last resident priest also departed, the doors were locked, and the shrine stood untended for years — its granite idols still serene in the dark, but the abhishekams, archanas and utsavams that once filled the temple fell silent.
Descendants who had since risen to senior positions in Bangalore, Madras and even nearby Vellore largely lost touch with the village their families came from — some giving generously to other temples, but few returning to Chengad itself. It would take a later generation, several of whom had even dropped "Chengadu" from their own names, to finally answer the temple's call.
A Family — and a Village — Come Home
The turning point came when a member of the family, after hearing repeated word of cracking walls and missing temple items, finally made the journey to Chengad. It took over two hours to track down the village official who held the temple key. Inside, bats flew from the darkness, the outer halls were cracked and overgrown, and two rooms once meant for a resident priest had been quietly occupied by others. And yet, by candlelight, the garbagriham was untouched by the bats, and Sri Vaikuntanathar's idol still looked serene and complete — as did every idol in the temple.
Enquiries revealed that the temple fell under the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu, within the jurisdiction of the Endowments Officer for the Walaja area. Through a chain of introductions — including a company connection at nearby Sholingur — word reached Usha Badrinath, a Chennai resident who had spent her childhood in Chengad and had seen the temple in better days. She, Sharath and Mukundan came together, and with a wider circle of well-wishers, an 18-member committee took shape to see the renovation through.
The Government agreed to fund part of the work, a contractor was engaged, and even before the tender was finalised, the temple welcomed its first religious function in years. Contributions were gathered through a newly formed trust, and step by step — wall by wall, idol by idol — the temple was brought back to life. Today it stands fully renovated, with a priest in residence, daily poojas restored, and its festivals once again drawing the devotion of the community that never quite let it go.
- 2009Mukundan, Sharath and Usha Badrinath — descendants and well-wishers of Chengad — form an 18-member committee to renovate the temple.
- 1 May 2009The committee holds its first meeting, discussing renovation costs with a contractor recommended by the Endowments Officer.
- 1 Jul 2009The Sudarshana Homam — the first religious function held at the temple in many years — is performed as work begins.
- 2009 onwardThe Chengadu Charitable Trust is formed, with a bank account at SBI, to receive contributions toward the renovation.
- 31 May 2012The fully renovated temple is re-consecrated, and a priest is appointed to conduct the daily agama rituals.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
The temple's story continues through the devotion of people like you — whether by visiting, sponsoring a seva, or simply learning more about the trust that carries this legacy forward.