We decided at last, to walk into the Nandhikeswara temple, which Manivannan Sir from Manimutthumariamman had mentioned a few times. Two younger men are the priests: Sivavijay swami and Sivakadhir swami. Some things we learned:
• This temple is the kula-koyil for Dewan Kandappa/Candappa Moudaliar; it is a samadi koyil for Nadu Shanmuga Velayuda Mudaliar [son of Nadu Sidambara Mudaliar, himself a caste chief, agriculturist and interpreter, belonging to the Tondamandala Vellala community, traditionalist and anti-assimilationist, (1845/1846–1908)]
• All pujas here done in Tamil. Priests were trained by a Tamil Scholar at SRM college, Chennai
• Priest also mentions Dr Sankara Devi who speaks on Pradosham days and other occasions on Saivism at the temple’s invitation.
• Karthikai Thiruvathirai: Manakkula Vinayaka comes here in golden ther now and during Masi maham
• South facing Iswara, like Dakshinamurti
• Siva here is Siddheswarar, Parvati is Siddheswari
• A YouTube video on the temple we found.