Chennai, the capital city of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is blessed with some of the most important temples in Indian history, with a few being almost a millennium old. Besides temples, Chennai also offers a world of other captivating sights, smells, and tastes for the visitor. No wonder, scores of people buy their Chennai tickets right at the time of booking their cheap flights to India. Here is a glimpse into just five of the famous temples in the destination.
Ashtalakshmi Temple
The Ashtalakshmi Temple embodies eight different forms of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. The temple is a fusion of contemporary and Dravidian architectural elements and showcases the octal manifestations of Lakshmi such as Dhairya and Dhaanya Lakshmi, AdhiLakshmi, MahaLakshmi, MahaVishnu, SantaanaLakshmi, GajaLakshmi and VijayaLakshmi, and Dhanalakshmi at different levels. Other than Lakshmi, the temple also has shrines for other Hindu gods like Sri Ganesh and Sri Hanuman. Ashtalakshmi Temple is located in the serene Elliot’s Beach.
The Kalikambal Temple
The Kalikambal Temple is located Chennai’s George Town area and is noted as much for its architectural brilliance as for its link with the famous Maratha king of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In terms of architecture, the temple is well known for the Sri Chakra Vimamaanam or Kinnitter, which means king’s chariot. Metal cymbals line this exquisitely crafted chariot. The presiding deities are those of Lord Kamateshwar and Goddess Kalikambal. The Kalikambal Temple has also become an endearing place as it hosts numerous festivals throughout the year and has become one of the factors prompting visitors to book flights to Chennai. Some of most colourful festivals are the ten day Brahmotsavam, Vasant Navaratri, Margazhi, and Maasi Makam.
Kundrathur Temple
Anyone planning to catch flights to India for a Chennai trip should definitely check out the Kundrathur Temple. The temple is a brilliant specimen of Murugan temple architecture and in contrast to usual practice, the presiding deity has been placed in a North facing direction. The deity is that of Lord Subramaniam, a form of the destroyer God Shiva. The Kundrathur Temple dates back to the reign of the famed Chola King, Kulothunga Chola-II, and according to folklore, the lord had halted on the Kundrathur hills on the way from Tiruporur to Truttanigai. An interesting attribute of the temple is the placement of the idols. Interestingly, despite the presence of the two separate female deities of Valli and Deivanai, along with the deity of Lord Subramaniam, the lord can not be seen with both the goddesses at the same point of time.
Mangadu Kamakshi Temple
The Lordess Kamakshi, a form of the Goddess Parvati is worshipped at the Mangadu Kamakshi temple. According to mythological beliefs, the Goddess Kamakshi performed penance in a sacred fire called Panch-Agni at the site of the temple. The right leg of the idol is folded, while the left rests on Agni. The goddess symbolises Shakti or female power, the creator of the world. Local belief has it that unwedded girls, who worship the goddess with a pure heart, get blessed with marriage. Some of the other deities at the temple are Vinaygar, Sooryan, and Nava Kannigal and Fridays are amongst the most auspicious days for visiting. The temple also has the rare Sri Chakra.
Tyagarajar Temple
The Tyagarajar Temple is supposed to be at least 1300 years old, which was roughly around the time of the Pallava dynasty. In fact, the temple bears inscriptions of the ancient Pallavas. The Tyagarajar Temple also earned the patronage of several Chola kings and has its fair shares of colourful claims. For instance, the temple is the twentieth of the thirty two Tevara Stalams of South India’s Tondai Region. The principal deity worshipped here is Shiva, in the form of Adipureeswar and Tyagarajar.
Ashtalakshmi Temple
The Ashtalakshmi Temple embodies eight different forms of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. The temple is a fusion of contemporary and Dravidian architectural elements and showcases the octal manifestations of Lakshmi such as Dhairya and Dhaanya Lakshmi, AdhiLakshmi, MahaLakshmi, MahaVishnu, SantaanaLakshmi, GajaLakshmi and VijayaLakshmi, and Dhanalakshmi at different levels. Other than Lakshmi, the temple also has shrines for other Hindu gods like Sri Ganesh and Sri Hanuman. Ashtalakshmi Temple is located in the serene Elliot’s Beach.
The Kalikambal Temple
The Kalikambal Temple is located Chennai’s George Town area and is noted as much for its architectural brilliance as for its link with the famous Maratha king of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In terms of architecture, the temple is well known for the Sri Chakra Vimamaanam or Kinnitter, which means king’s chariot. Metal cymbals line this exquisitely crafted chariot. The presiding deities are those of Lord Kamateshwar and Goddess Kalikambal. The Kalikambal Temple has also become an endearing place as it hosts numerous festivals throughout the year and has become one of the factors prompting visitors to book flights to Chennai. Some of most colourful festivals are the ten day Brahmotsavam, Vasant Navaratri, Margazhi, and Maasi Makam.
Kundrathur Temple
Anyone planning to catch flights to India for a Chennai trip should definitely check out the Kundrathur Temple. The temple is a brilliant specimen of Murugan temple architecture and in contrast to usual practice, the presiding deity has been placed in a North facing direction. The deity is that of Lord Subramaniam, a form of the destroyer God Shiva. The Kundrathur Temple dates back to the reign of the famed Chola King, Kulothunga Chola-II, and according to folklore, the lord had halted on the Kundrathur hills on the way from Tiruporur to Truttanigai. An interesting attribute of the temple is the placement of the idols. Interestingly, despite the presence of the two separate female deities of Valli and Deivanai, along with the deity of Lord Subramaniam, the lord can not be seen with both the goddesses at the same point of time.
Mangadu Kamakshi Temple
The Lordess Kamakshi, a form of the Goddess Parvati is worshipped at the Mangadu Kamakshi temple. According to mythological beliefs, the Goddess Kamakshi performed penance in a sacred fire called Panch-Agni at the site of the temple. The right leg of the idol is folded, while the left rests on Agni. The goddess symbolises Shakti or female power, the creator of the world. Local belief has it that unwedded girls, who worship the goddess with a pure heart, get blessed with marriage. Some of the other deities at the temple are Vinaygar, Sooryan, and Nava Kannigal and Fridays are amongst the most auspicious days for visiting. The temple also has the rare Sri Chakra.
Tyagarajar Temple
The Tyagarajar Temple is supposed to be at least 1300 years old, which was roughly around the time of the Pallava dynasty. In fact, the temple bears inscriptions of the ancient Pallavas. The Tyagarajar Temple also earned the patronage of several Chola kings and has its fair shares of colourful claims. For instance, the temple is the twentieth of the thirty two Tevara Stalams of South India’s Tondai Region. The principal deity worshipped here is Shiva, in the form of Adipureeswar and Tyagarajar.
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