A brief history of the Sri Kasi Nattukkottai Nagara Chatram, Varanasi
'Somaley'
Nagarathars are a The Nattukkottai Chettiars or leading community of bankers and merchants hailing from Tamilnad (Madras State) and doing business all over India and the countries of South East Asia. They are reputed as builders and restorers of the great Temples of South India, which often reach palatial proportions.
HOLY KASHI
Kashi or Varanasi is one of the few living cities of the world whose traditions run back to the concept of gods and the divine origin of things. The religious outlook of Indian might have undergone some modifications through changes over a period of several thousands of
years, but the importance of Kashi in the sphere of religion still remains undiminished of pilgrims Millions overflowing with religious ferver from all over India come here for a dip in the holy waters of the Ganga and for a Darshan of Sri Vishweshwara the presiding deity of the place.
Thousands come here every year to take their residence in this holy city after retirement from active life and spend their last days in meditation and renunciation with a devout faith in obtaining Salvation (Moksha) in the end. Ages since people from the farthest corners of India have come and settled here and have brought with them their culture and traditions. So one can find every part of India represented in the different quarters of the city, and all the important place of pilgrimage represented by different temples with the presiding deities installed therein.
In the Puranas we find location of about 800 temples of different parts of India in Varanasi, of which the important ones can still be identified.
Varanasi has also been the most important centre of learning and culture where the sages and seers from different parts of India congregate in large numbers to learn and to preach their ideas.
From time immemorial Varanasi has been the cosmopolis of India and still continues to be the capital of India’s religion and culture.
Varanasi is not only a sacred place for the Hindus but the Buddhists, Jains and the Sikhs also hold it as their sacred place of pilgrimage..
DAILY PUJAS
Nattukkottai Chettiars have been doing rich and lavish Pujas for Lord Viswanath, thrice a day, at 4 a.m., From about 1820, the 11.30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Thus, three out of the four main services of the Viswanath Temple are carried out by this Chatram, which is a charitable institution founded for the purpose. These daily services have become so famous that devotees coming for Darshan of Vishwanath Ji have always made it a point to attend the “ARTI” service particularly in the evening (the Bada Puja or Artha Jama Puja) which is conducted on behalf of this Chatram.
The abovesaid Trikala Pujas and the service in the Temples of Lord Viswanath and Mateswari Annapoorna have been performed without any break for nearly 150 years now. Even during the Quit India Movement of 1942 and the consequent Curfew imposed in Varanasi, the Nattukkottai Chatram obatined special permission from the District Magistrate of Varanasi to enable its staff to go to the Vishwanath Mandir.
ABISHEKAMS
Abishekams of Milk, Honey, Ghee, Sandal, Rosewater, Perfumed Articles etc., all supplied by the Chatram. The services are done to the accompaniment of Nadhaswaram or South Indian Shenoi, which is a characteristic musical instrument used in the Temples of Tamilnad. For the regular observance of these services, the Chatram has on its payroll a staff of Hindustani Brahmins and others. Silver vessels, decoration articles and valuable ornaments have been donated by the Nattukkottai Chettairs to the Vishwanath Mandir through the Chatram. The articles for preparing the daily food (Bhoj) of the Lord are supplied by the Chatram every day and taken in a procession. The kitchen-hall in the Viswanath Mandir has been built out of the funds of this Chatram. The Visalakshi Mandir owes its present stately building to the munificience of the Nattukkottai Chettiars; in appreciation of their devotion, His Highness the Maharaja of Kashi gave them a plot of land on which the Visalakshi Mandir has been built.
FLOWER-GARDEN
A flower Garden is maintained by the Chatram on a large scale in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of flowers to the Viswanath Mandir. A Goshala was run for several decadas; since 1941, milk is purchased from milkmen who use the Goshala premises and supply milk promptly and regularly for Abhishekam to the Deity.
CHATRAM-BAVAN
Constructed in Gudowlia, not far the Viswanath Temple, in The house-warming mony took place on August 24, It is the Centenary of this that is being celebrated now, Wing of Hindu Sadhus and mijis, the Brahmins and the Annadhan is a regular and portant feature of Chatram vities. Until the outbreak of ilities with Japan, Annadhan offereed in an extensive ner. Due to the break in mmunications between India and Burma since 1942. the inflow of funds from Chettiars in Rangoon stopped. After resumption of mmunications in 1947, various estrictions have been placed on mittance of moneys from Burma, As a result, Annadhan is done on a moderate but comparatively smaller kale. But, all the other activities of the institution continue undiminished Within the precincts of the Chatram is located the Nagareswar Temple, designed on the pattern of temples in Tamilnad. Here, on Karthik day every month, the vigraha of Lord Subramanya is seated in a silver peacock (which, incidentally, is India’s National Bird) vahana to give Dharshan to devotees.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
For ages, Kashi has attracted Hindus from every nook and corner of India and abroad. With the vast increase in transport facilities, thousands of pilgrims from Madras State and Ceylon flock to this Holy City; to them all the Nattukkottai Chatram is a home away from home and they congregate here in large numbers all the year round. The Chatram has living rooms, kitchen rooms, dining halls, prayer halls, verandahs, quadrangles and rooms for storage of large quantities of Ganges water for Abishek of Lord Viswanath brought regularly from Suddha Ganga at Prayag.
Apart from pilgrims, lodging is given in the Chatram also to Hindu as students appearing for Vedic, Hindi and other examination conducted by the Banaras Hindu University and other Temples of Learning in Varanasi. Some poor students who were fed by the Chatram are now serving in the Banares Hindu University in its Sanskrit and Indology Departments distinguished scholars. Chatram also acts as the agency of the people of Madras State for performance of various ceremonies like the litting of Moksha Deepa for departed souls and for giving offerings to dead ancestors, Ganga water is sent by the Chatram to various temples in Tamilnad and to individuals both in and out of India. The In views of its vital role in the history of the Viswanath Temple and the fact that so far a sum of fifty lakhs of rupees has been spent by the Chatram authorities in religious charities in varanasi, the Chatram was appointed as Receiver of the Viswanath Mandir in the nineteen -thirties during which period the Mahants had certain disputes amongst themselves. The Chatram acted as Receiver and managed the affairs of the Mandir for six years at the unanimous request of all the parties to the dispute.
BRANCH CHATRAMS
In additions to the chatram at Varanasi, branch Chatrams exist in Ayodhya and Prayag in Uttar Pradesh State, in Gaya in Bihar State, in Calcutta, Kalighat and Tarakeshwar in west Bengal State, in Nasik-Panchawati in Maharashtra State and in Godavari (Rajahumundry) in Andhra Pradesh State. Until the outbreak of war in the Far East, a Chatram was maintained in Hardwar in a rented building. Thus spread out in five States of the Inidan Union and founded by the people of a sixth State Tamilnad, this Chatram is an institution of great national importance helping the emotional integration of India.
MANAGEMENT
The Chatram was managed by the Chettiar business houses of Calcutta, in rotation, till 1930. Its management then passed on to the Chettiar business-houses in Rangoon. In 1934, a managing society was registered in Rangoon and its is functioning from Rangoon presently. In the was period (1942-1947) the management of the Chatram was in the hands of a local committee formed in Karaikudi. The Managing Society owns properties in Rangoon, Varanasi, Calcutta and other places. Donations and offerings are made by the Chettiar business-houses operating in Burma, Malaya, Saigon etc. Chettiar pilgrims visiting Varanasi give Mahamai (contribution given out of free will ) Most of these monies are earmarked for specific activities and each of these activities has a capital endowment.
May Lord Kasi Viswanath bless the activities of the Nattukkottai Nagara Chatram and help its continued service for all time to come. We pray to HIM with folded hands as we fervently believe that this humble institution depends absolutely on HIS unbounded mercy
SKNNS
The Kasi Chatram was established in the early 1800s by visionary Nagarathar elders who journeyed from Tamil Nadu to Kashi, recognizing the need for a structured space where fellow devotees could find rest, nourishment, and spiritual focus. What began as a humble initiative has now grown into a well-managed institution serving thousands of pilgrims each year.
The offering of pooja materials to Lord Vishwanathar remains our most sacred responsibility—carefully carried out every single day in accordance with age-old traditions.
Our Founding Values
Our service is grounded in the timeless values passed down through generations:
- Bhakti (Devotion) – Absolute faith and reverence in serving the Lord
- Annadhanam (Charity) – Offering food to pilgrims with humility and love
- Aacharam (Discipline) – Maintaining purity, punctuality, and order in all our services
- Parambariya Sevai (Traditional Service) – Upholding the customs and rituals of our forefathers with respect Shape
காசி என்றும் பெனாரஸ் என்றும் அழைக்கப்படும் வாரணாசி (Varanasi) இந்தியாவின் உத்தர பிரதேச மாநிலத்தில் மாநகராட்சி மன்றத்துடன் கூடிய நகரமாகும். கங்கைக் கரையில் அமைந்த இந்நகர், இந்து சமயத்தினரின் ஆன்மிகத் தலைநகராகவும், அனைத்து இந்துக் கலைகளின் காப்பகமாகவும் விளங்குகிறது. முக்தி தரும் ஏழு நகரங்களில் வாரணாசியும் ஒன்று.
நாட்டுக்கோட்டை நகரத்தார் சத்திரம் ஒரு மடம் போன்ற அமைப்பாகும். இங்கு ஒரு சிவலிங்கம் கோயில் உள்ளது. தமிழ்நாட்டிலிருந்து காசிக்குச் செல்பவர்களுக்கு மட்டும் பண்டைய சத்திரத்தில் தங்குமிடம், மூன்றுவேளை உணவு வசதிகளுக்கு சிறு அளவில் கட்டணம் பெறப்படுகிறது. மேலும் கட்டணம் இன்றி தங்கும் பெரிய அறைகளும் உள்ளது. இச்சத்திரம் நாட்டுக்கோட்டை நகரத்தார் சமூக அமைப்பினரால் பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறது.
காசி விஸ்வநாதர் கோயிலை பூட்டுவதற்கு முன்னர் நடைபெறும் இராக்கால பூஜையின் போது, அன்றாடம் இந்த சத்திரத்திலிருந்து பூஜைக்கான பால், பழம், பூக்களுடன், மேள தாளத்துடன் சென்றுடன் காசி விஸ்வநாதர் வழிபாடு நடைபெறும்.
இச்சத்திரத்திற்கு சொந்தமாக, காசி நகரத்தில் பாயும் கங்கை ஆற்றின் கரையில் சிக்புரா பகுதியில் 62,000 சதுர அடி பரப்பில் நந்தவனம் உள்ளது. தற்சமயம் 2025 ல் இங்கு புதிய சத்திரம் 130 அறைகளுடன் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது
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