Five Iconic Temples of Chennai

In celebration of Madras Day, the following five ancient temples encapsulate Chennai’s ethos, heritage, and cultural richness.

• Kapalishwarar Temple, Mylapore

• • The Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
  • Deity Worshipped: Shiva is worshipped as Kapaleeshwarar, and is represented by the lingam.
    • Parvati is worshipped as Karpagambal (goddess of the wish-yielding tree). 
    • The name “Mylapore” originates from Parvati worshipping Shiva as a peacock here.
  • Significance: One of Chennai’s most iconic shrines and is classified as one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam, eulogised by the 63 Nayanmars (Saivite devotees).
  • History: Thirugnanasambandar revived Poompavai here in the 7th century CE through the Poompavai Pathikam.
  • Relocation: Originally near the sea in Mylapore, the temple was moved to its current location about 400 years ago.
  • Unique Features: The Sthala-Vriksham (sacred tree) is the Punnai, believed to have medicinal properties.  
    • Festivals: The Brahmotsavam in Panguni is one of Chennai’s most famous temple festivals.

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• Parthasarathi Swami Temple, Thiruvallikeni

• • The Parthasarathy Temple is a 6th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Vishnu in Chennai, India.
  • Significance: One of the 108 Divya Desams, the only one strictly within Chennai’s city limits.
    • The temple has icons of five forms of Vishnu: Yoga Narasimha, Rama, Gajendra Varadaraja, Ranganatha, and Krishna as Parthasarathy
  • Mentioned in:  The temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early mediaeval Tamil literature canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries CE.
  • Notable Features: The temple is unique in being named after the processional deity, Parthasarathi Swami, while the main image is Venkatakrishnan. 
    • It also has a twin-temple structure with Yoga Narasimha as another main deity.
  • Historical Inscriptions: Earliest inscriptions belong to the reign of Pallava king Dantivarman (8th-9th century CE).

• Marundishwarar Temple, Thiruvanmiyur

• • Marundeeswarar Temple (Oushadishwarar) is a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva, located in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.
  • Significance: It is classified as a Padal Petra Sthalam visited by Nayanmars Appar and Thirugnanasambandar in the 7th century CE.
  • Associations: Sage Valmiki and Arunagirinathar are traditionally linked to this temple. 
    • The sanctum for goddess Tripurasundari was likely constructed during Rajendra Chola I’s reign (11th century).
  • Temple Features: The sacred tree is the Vanni, and there are two temple tanks—Papanasini and Janmanasini.
  • Festivals: The Brahmotsavam is celebrated in Panguni, coinciding with the Kapalishwarar temple’s annual festival.

• Adipurishwarar Temple, Thiruvottiyur

• • Significance: This temple is also known as the Thyagaraja Swami Temple.
  • It is classified as a Padal Petra Sthalam dating back to Pallava times.
  • Main Deities: Adipurishwarar, a Shiva Linga made of earth, and goddess Parvati, worshipped as Vadivudai Amman.
  • Notable Figures: Devotees such as Adi Shankarar, Arunagirinathar, Pattinathar, and Ramalinga Swami are associated with the temple.
  • Architectural Heritage: The main sanctum is apsidal and bears an 11th-century Sanskrit inscription from Rajendra Chola I.

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• Kalikambal Temple, Parry’s Corner

• • Location: Situated in Parry’s Corner (George Town), this temple is dedicated to Chennai’s famous goddess, Kalikambal.
  • Historical Background: The temple was originally near the seashore and was relocated to its current site in the 17th century.
  • Deity: The original name of the goddess was Chennamma, and Shiva is known as Kamadeswarar.
  • Historical Visit: Maratha ruler Shivaji worshipped here on October 3, 1667, during his Dakshin Digvijaya campaigns.