Ananya’s Nana Nani is a thoughtfully designed senior living community in Coimbatore, developed in multiple phases in the district. Recently it inaugurated its 7th phase near Thondamuthur, and also organized the consecration ceremony (Mahakumbabishegam) of the Sri Kalyana Subramaniya Swamy Temple located within the premises.
One of the residents of Phase 5, Ramadoss, who attended the ceremony at Phase 7 identified “a rare and intriguing idol” of a deity Sumitra Chandar installed in the temple. He wrote to The Covai Mail about this idol and its spiritual value. Sumitra Chandar, according to him, is not a deity one commonly find in every temple, which makes its presence here all the more special.
“Sumitra Chandar is worshipped in Murugan (Subramanya) temples as one of the Goshta Moorthis—the deities installed along the inner walls of the temple. He is considered a form of Chandikeswarar, a highly revered figure in Shiva temples,” he wrote.
In Shiva temples, the Goshtam (inner circumambulatory wall) typically houses deities like Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, and Durga. In Murugan temples, Sumitra Chandar finds his place either near the sanctum of Lord Murugan or within this sacred inner corridor.
Devotees who attain the elevated spiritual status of Chandikeswarar through intense devotion to Lord Shiva are revered in different forms and names. Sumitra Chandar is thus understood as one among these sacred manifestations in the lineage of Chandikeswarar.
“Next time you visit the temple, take a moment to look beyond the obvious. Sometimes, the most fascinating stories lie in the quiet corners—waiting to be discovered,” he ended.
