Sri Chennamalleswaran & Sri Chenna Kesawa Perumal Temple
The English set their feet on Madras during 1645. At the time the temple was located at the Place where High Court stands now.
The lands were measuring 270' x 270' = 72,900 sq. ft. and it was donated by one Mr.Nagappan, who was working as agent for the East India Company, to one Mr. Narayana Iyer on Aug. 1646, and one Mr. Bery Thimmappa had constructed the temple, and donated the same to Mr. Narayana Iyer on 24th April 1648. (Monday, Tiriyodisi, Chirai month 28th, Sarvadarai year, Salivahana 1569 24 - 4 - 1648)1
Between 26th October to 9th November 1645, the East India Company entered an agreement with the then King of Chennai, Sri. Ranga for doing trade with Chennai. In that Agreement, King Sri Ranga, put a condition that English should print its coin, and one of the coin should bear the symbol of Chennakeswara Perumal with two Devis.
This temple was removed by English during 17572. Due to this an unrest prevailed among the Public and a case was filed against East India Company.3 The Court ordered the company to allot a land for the temple, and was alloted at Peddu Naiken Pettah, and a land measuring 24,000 sq. ft. was allotted at Gongu Ramaiah street. (Present Devaraja Mudali Street). The People who were residing at that time there, were allotted another land and a sum of Pagodas 565.254 was given as compensation to the residence to shift their houses. Apart from this, the company gave pagodas 1173 for temple construction, and Publics, Merchents, Mirasdaus, Jamindars donated to amount Pag. 9275. The Then Company Agent Mr. Manali Muthu Krishna Mudali donated Pag. 5202, and took charge as Dharmakartha of the temple. The total amount for construction of the temple costed Pag. 15,650. It took 4 years for compleation of the temple, and Kumbabishekam was held during 1780 Mr. Manali Muthu Krishna Mudali died during 1792.
The East India company gave Pag. 500 every year to the temple for festivals, etc., The Temple management collected a Tax of Pag. 800 every year from the traders and Public. The Maha Raja of Kalahasti donated Pag. 100 every year.
The Post of Agent, Mr. Manali Muthu Krishna Mudali was holding at that time, that Mr. Mudaliar will collect the tax on behalf of the company from the public and hand over the entire amount to the East India Company, and for this he was paid a handsome amount as commission.
Mr. Manali Muthu Krishna Mudali was having a Property if 100 caunis of land at that time5 (one cauni = 24 grounds = 57,600 sq. ft.). Apart from this Mr. Muthu Krishna Mudaliar was holding lands at Manali where he prepared salt. These lands were leased to Mr. Muthu Krishna Mudaliar by the East India Company. In tenture of time, it was registered in favour of Mr. Muthu Krishna Mudali.
Mr. Manali Muthu Krishna Mudaliar had three sons, namely Thambiappa, Ponnaiah, and Solaiappan.
After Mudaliar's death during 1792. His eldest son Chinnaiah Mudali, took change of the temple Dharmakartha.
Mr. Chinnaiah Mudaliar had two sons by name Mr. Chinna Muthu Krishna Mudaliar, and Lakshmana Mudali.
Mr. Chinnaiah Mudaliar died during 1818, after which the Dharmakartha Post should have been given only to Mr. Chinna Muthu Krishna Mudali. (But Mr. Thambiappa, next brother of Mr. Chinnaiah took charge of the temple with the help of the then collector Mr. Murrey.) Mr. China Muthu Krishna Mudali was holding office during 1817 for few months only, and at that time he minted a copper coin of value Half Anna with Raman and Lakshmanan alone. (The Pose that they are going for vanavasa to live in the forest). He stayed as Dharmakartha of the temple. (He gave this letter to the company on 06 – 01 – 1817 and took charge on
06–02–1817. He minted the Raman & Lakshmanan copper coin during April 1817 (Rama Navami day). But, Mr. Chinnaiah Mudali took change (snatched the Dharmakartha Post) from Chinna Muthu Krishna Mudaliar during August / September 1817 with the assistance of Mr. Murrey, the then Collector of Madras, and started receiving funds from East India Company and collected donations from the merchants and Public.
Mr. Chinna Muthu Krishna Mudaliar was forced to vacate the office of Dharmakartha, and returned to Manali to look after this lands at Manali. Mr. Thambiappa died during 1833, and Mr. Thambiappah’s son Mr. Appa Rao Mudali took change as Dharmakartha of the temple.
Mr. Chinna Muthu Krishna Mudali filed a suit in the court on
12–10–1833 through his advocate Mr. Teed, for the Dharmakartha Post.
By the mean time Mr. Lakshmana Mudali younger Brother of Mr. Chinna Krishna Mudali also filed a suit, on 18– 01 –1834, through his advocate Mr. Vivash, for his share in the Manali Estate.6 and Prayed that the Judgment on Dharmakartha's case should not be delivered until he gets his Judgment..