Top 5 Famous Temples in Chennai That Oozes Art and Divinity

Chennai formally known as Madras is an attraction for the people visiting south India. It has embraced art, technology, and divinity equally into itself. The city of Chennai has many film cities along with several temples and such combination is really one of a kind. Being the capital of Tamil Nadu a prosperous state, it is one of the famous cities of south India.

As Chennai stands out in regards to the ethnicity and heritage, it makes it a desirable tourism destination. Pilgrims also visit Chennai because of the magnitude of temples in and around the city. This aspect of Chennai is noteworthy since there are ancient temples out of which some are around a thousand years old. The temples are designed according to unique Dravidian architecture which is recognized as an advanced civilization. Here are some of the temples that are visited by many pilgrims every year.

Kapaleeswarar Temple

Whichever list you refer, Kapaleeswarar temple will be on the top of every list. This temple was actually believed to be destroyed by the Portuguese and some sources suggest that it was destroyed by sea erosion because it was located near the sea. Whatever the case was, it was rebuilt in the 16th century by Vijaynagar kings. The gopuram (a large pyramidal structure in the front of the temple) and the entire temple were designed by keeping the Dravidian architecture in mind. Prominent festivals such as panguni uthiram attract thousands of people from around the city.

Parthasarthy Temple

This temple is one of the prominent temples in the city of Chennai. Parthasarthy means the “chariot of Arjun” referred from the Kurukshetra war. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple was built in the 8th century by the pallavas. This temple is embellished with rich sculptures, inscriptions, murals, dedicated to the epic war of Kurukshetra and also portrays Lord Vishnu in his three most epochal avatars those are the Narasimha, Rama, and Krishna. This temple in Thiruvallikeni attracts many pilgrims and Lord Vishnu from all around the country.

Ashthalakshmi Temple

Ashthalakshmi means a group of eight appearances of Goddess Lakshmi. The eight appearance represents eight types of wealth namely success, wealth, offspring, courage, bravery, food, prosperity, and knowledge. Located near the Besant nagar beach it is one of the popular temples of Chennai which was built around 1974. Many pilgrims visit Ashthalakshmi Temple looking to make their wishes come true.

Kalikambal Temple

The Kalikambal temple is dedicated to Goddess Kallikambal which was originally built in 1640 AD. During the Portuguese invasion, the temple was wrecked which was later restored to its present glory. The idol in the temple right now represents the calm form of the goddess which was also known as ‘shanta swaroopa’. This temple was also visited by the great Maratha emperor Shivaji himself in 1667. Many pilgrims visit this holy temple and witness the divinity of Goddess Kallikambal.

Marundeeswarar Temple

The Marundeeswarar Temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. This temple has a splendid architecture that is cherished by many visitors. The carvings on the ceiling of the temple are exceptional that attracts many tourists. Apart from the attractive designs, this temple is believed to have helped many believers suffering from disabilities. This temple attracts many Shiva believers from all over the world.

Chennai is a great place to visit if you are looking for heritage sites or religious temples. The above-given temples are really attracting tourists from all over the country. There are also many people who take a special Tamil Nadu Temple Tour where they visit religiously significant places in Tamil Nadu. If you are arranging a pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu, you should definitely visit these temples.