Temples are divine places where the human kind must visit often. Apart from the holy faiths and believes, the Science says a solid concept filled with perfect logic that temples have high cosmic energy. Thus, we can get the positive vibrations of that cosmic energy as we recharge our battery.
Furthermore, the Sanctum Sanctorum is totally enclosed on all the three sides. The room where the Main Idol is placed is called as ‘Garbagriha’ or ‘Moolasthanam’. The copper kept there absorbs the Earth’s magnetic waves and radiates the same in the temple surroundings. Thus when the humankind does clockwise rotation (‘pradakshina’) of ‘Garbagriha’ receive good amount of cosmic energy for the wellness.
Appending below is the list of beautiful temples in Chennai you must visit at least once in the lifetime.
1. Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane
An 8th century (Dravidian style architecture) Hindu-Vaishnavite Temple is for Lord Krishna. Glorified in the holy book ‘Divya Prabhandha’ by the Alwars, the temple follows ‘Thenkalai’ tradition. The name of the Sanctum is Sri Venkatakrishnan (Parthasarathy Swamy) and Sri Rukmani Thayar.
Temple Opening Timing: 05:50 AM to 12:30 PM | 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://www.sriparthasarathytemple.tnhrce.in
2. Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore
As one of the “Paadal Pettra Sthalam” by the ‘Nayanmars’, it is a 7th century (Dravidian Style) temple built by the Pallavas. The name of the Sanctum is Lord Kapaleeshwarar (in the form of Lingam) and Goddess Karpagambal. The temple has six daily Pujas at various timings from 05:30 AM to 10:00 PM and 4 yearly festivals. The noted festival is “Arubathimoovar” during the Tamil month of Panguni.
Temple Website: http://www.mylaikapaleeswarar.tnhrce.in/
3. Sri Vadapalani Andavar Temple, Vadapalani
The history behind the ‘Sthalapuranam’ is that, a Lord Murugan devotee Annaswami Nayakar built a small shed and kept His painting for his personal worship. One fine day, he received Divine Blessings from the Lord and Annaswami started uttering ‘Arul Vaakku’, then the Temple was built in 1890. The Rajagopuram was renovated in 1920 and the name of the Sanctum is Lord Vadapalani Murugan and Goddess Valli & Dheivanai’
Opening Timing: 05:00 AM to 12:30 PM | 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://www.vadapalaniandavartemple.tnhrce.in
4. Ashtalakshmi Temple (Goddess Mahalakshmi), Elliot’s Beach Shorelines
The temple was built by the wish of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Mutt in 1974. The Sanctorums are depicted in the form of multi-tier complex and the Sanctum – Goddess Mahalakshmi Thayar is depicted here in her eight forms of wealth for humankind:
- Aadi-Lakshmi (The Primeval Goddess) or Maha Lakshmi (The Great Goddess)
- Dhana-Lakshmi or Aishwarya Lakshmi (The Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth)
- Dhaanya-Lakshmi (Goddess of Food Grains)
- Gaja-Lakshmi (The Elephant Goddess)
- Santana-Lakshmi (The Goddess of Progeny)
- Veera-Lakshmi or Dhairya Lakshmi (The Goddess of Valor and Courage)
- Vidya-Lakshmi (The Goddess of Knowledge)
- Vijaya-Lakshmi or Jaya Lakshmi (The Goddess of Victory)
Open at 06:30 AM to 12:00 PM | 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://ashtalakshmitemple.tnhrce.in/
5. Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Mylapore
Located at Bheema Sena garden Street, Royapettah High Road, Mylapore the temple was built in 1952 and is renovated a couple of years back. This temple has a belief of holding the flame (Jyoti) – one of the parts of Shirdi lit by the Saint Sai Himself. When Thursday is the regular auspicious day to worship Sai Baba, Sundays is the special day for Agni Puja.
Temple Timings: 08:00 AM to 12:00 AM | 04:00 PM to 08:30 PM
6. Anjaneyaswami Temple, Nanganallur
Sri Maruti Bhakta Samajan Trust with the blessings of Sri Ragavendra Swami & Sri Kanchi Paramacharyar entrenched the 32-foot idol of Sri Aanjaneyar Swami in 1989 and consecrated in the year of 1995. The specialty of this idol is – it is sculpted out of one single piece of granite.
Temple Timings: 05:00 AM to 12:00 PM | 04:30 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://www.nanganalluranjaneyartemple.tnhrce.in/ | http://www.anjaneyaswami.com/
7. ISKCON Temple (Hare Krishna Land, Bhakti Vedanta Swami Road, Off ECR, Akkarai, Sholinganallur)
ISKCON Founder Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami Parbhupada was carrying the message of Lord Chaitanya. Hence, across the globe, this Vaishnava Temple is getting entrenched. As one of the Centers for Spiritual Art & Culture, you can worship Lord Krishna with Radha Lalitha Vishaka, Jagannath Baladev Subhadra & Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga here.
Timing: 07:30 AM to 01:00 PM | 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
Website: http://www.iskconchennai.org/
8. Sri Chandraprabhu Jain Naya Mandir (S Mint Street, George Town, Sowcarpet)
Inspired from Rajasthan’s Dilwara Temples, this Jain temple is unique with its detailed architecture. The temple is dedicated to 8th century Tirthankar.
Temple Timing: 06:00 AM to 01:00 PM | 05:00 PM to 09:00 PM
9. Karaneeswarar Temple, Saidapet
Dedicated to Lord Shiva with Goddess Swarnambika, it is an ancient temple bound with the ‘purana’ story behind the Holy Cow and Lord Indra. This temple has 7-storied Gopuram with 2-Prakarams (the closed precincts). The specialty of this temple is that – Karaneeswar Numerological formula (famous numerology calculations) ordained by Lord Shiva & distributed to humanity by the Siddhas.
Timings: 05:45 AM to 11:00 AM | 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://www.saidapetkaraneeswarartemple.tnhrce.in/
10. Marundheeswarar Temple, Thiruvanmiyur
As one of the ‘Paadal Pettra Sthalams’, the temple is for Lord Shiva as ‘Marundheeswarar’. This temple is the place of worshipping for people with illnesses & diseases. It is said that The Sage Valmiki is blessed here; hence, the place was called as ‘Thiruvalmikiyur’ later on as ‘Thiruvanmiyur’.
Timing: 05:00 AM to 12:00 PM | 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Website: http://marundeeswarartemple.tnhrce.in
11. Ekambareswarar or Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram
Lord Shiva temple, which is associated with the five elements (Pancha Boota Sthalam), is with the Goddess Gowridevi Amman. The legend says couple of stories around this temple as the history. You can worship Lord Nataraja form in the second precinct and a mango tree (sthla virutcham) of about 3500 years old (4-different types of branches give different varieties of mangoes), one of the important significant of the history.
Timing: 06:00 AM to 12:00 PM | 04:00 PM to 08:30 PM
Website: http://www.ekambaranathartemple.tnhrce.in
12. Madhya Kailash Temple or Nadukkayilai, Taramani
The ‘Moolavar’ is Lord Venkata Ananda Vinayakar with another form called as ‘Aadhiyandha Prabhu’ (part of both Lord Ganapati & Lord Hanuman). The special note on this temple is that on Vinayaka Chathurti, the rays of Sun directly falls on the presiding deity. The eight bells installed there represent the seven music notes wherein the Lord represents the first sound “Om”.
Timing: 05:30 AM to 12:00 PM | 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
13. Adeeswar Temple, Grand Trunk Road, Red Hills
The temple is one of the famous Jain temples in Chennai, which is dedicated to Shri Rishabhadev (Aadi Bhagvan). The temple was constructed in early 1st century BC wherein some say it was in either 4th or 5th century. Few myths say that Tiruvalluvar was the one who observe this temple at first and the temple is locally called as “Polai Temple”.
Timing: 06:00 AM to 08: 30 PM
14. Kalikambal Temple, Thambu Chetty Street, Parry’s Corner
The temple is dedicated to Lord Kamadeshwarar and Goddess Kalikambal. The purana (legend) says that the temple was initially near to the seashore and then was relocated to this place in 1640 AD. The history of this temple says that Goddess as Kalikambal (the fierce form) was worshipped & cooled to calm posture (Shantha Swaroopini) as Goddess Kamakshi.
Timing: 06:00 AM to 01:00 PM | 03:00 PM to 08:00 PM
15. Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram
Of Dravidian Architectural style, this temple of Lord Shiva is built by the Pallavas. The Sanctum means to the Lord of Cosmic Mountain refers the “Smartha” worship of Shiva, Vishnu, Devi (Goddess), Sun, Ganapati and Lord Murugan. The special note on this temple is that there is a ‘circumambulatory passage’ referring the life cycle of humanity and the belief says that anyone who enters & comes out of this passage will have no re-birth at all.
Timing: 06:00 AM to 07: 00 PM
16. Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
The Shore Temple (Seven Pagodas) is one of the group monuments at Mahabalipuram for rock-cut stone statues and structural temple built with granite stones. Quite famous place as it is classified in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, the temple has several historical stories behind it. A must visit place in Chennai.
