Arun pointed out that this is closer than I had thought, so we stopped by there. A deserted place at first, then a lady and her son came by and told us that their family had been taking care of this temple for 11 generations, the son’s name is Parthiban (works at HCL chennai, the family lives nearby in a joint set up), his father used to attend to the temple, now his Periappa (Rangaradjou) does. Photos are in the entry corridor.
There are two shrines at the back, on the left is newly built but apparently abandoned, on the right is abandoned with a Mariamman kept outside. The left shrine was built in a way that doesn’t allow a kalasa placement so they’ve left it as is. The wall of the right shrine was a part of a border dispute matter that apparently the other party won, so that, too, remains as it is. The Mariamman is a mis-fit in the temple, was brought by a man who had basically discarded it, but honoured here by the priest as a parivara devata (or part of the family of deities in the temple).
There is a small Vinayaka Shrine to the left of Draupadi amman (she is in a garbhagriha, there is an ardha mandapa, and then an open maha mandapam). To her right, facing south is an utsava murti room – wooden or stucco in the outer area, and brass ones inside, including one of Draupadi herself which Rangaradjou swami says is 1200 years old according to some government department and the pockmarks on the head and face apparently bear testament to its age. The parrot is broken off (another sign of age); “if a parrot then it’s Draupadi”.
Opposite Amman is a small “Por mannan” – the local name given to the “captain” who is really Amman’s brother, Dhrishtadyumna – both were born of fire, to kill Dronacharya. He rises out of the fire fully grown, a crown on his head, bow and sword in his hands. Kunti sits left of him, and Hanuman to the right, facing West, slightly set back in his own shrine.
In the mandapa at the right of the temple as you enter is Parashakti – the sort one finds above the Kalkatta kali in the Angalamman temples. Vahanas “strewn” around, presumably brought out only in Aadi, when the temple has its main Mahotsavam.
Used to be a Dharmaraja koyil, Draupadi amman is frequently worshipped alongside him. The street names attest to this: “Isparin Dharmaradja Covil Street” in Gallicised form, Iswaran Dharmaraja.
The main priest is a lovely, affable man, with many stories related to the myth and lore of the place, with a sprinkling of historical facts about Dupleix having broken the Vedapuriswara Koyil but allowed this one and even bequeathed land near Ginger hotel for their theemidi utsavam in Aadi masam. Some story here about a child having fallen on the neruppu when it was held closer to the “white house” area (he meant white town), the festival being stopped, and then some land bequeathed or permission granted in a ground that is opposite Ginger hotel. They walk from the temple and there and back on that day.
Aadi masam is when the temple has the most visitors. A full 30+ days, every day something happening and the family makes all the arrangements. They also give tokens for people wanting to come and make pongal here, and Periappa said many times that they get 1200 or so tokens – which is to be multiplied by whatever the cost of each may be. There are indeed many cooking stoves in the back, almost long every wall. The cooking goes on all night, people standing from 1130pm onwards, and the puja next morning happening 530/6am.