Famous Temples in Chennai - Must Visit
Famous Temples in Chennai
Known for its vibrant arts, ancient temples, and bustling culinary views, Chennai is one of the famous tourist attractions situated in the southern part of India. It is situated on the Coromandel coastline, earlier known as Madras. Moreover, Chennai is a mixture of old and new architecture, culture, and technology. Despite having multiple places to explore and activities to do, the famous temples in Chennai have been the prominent tourist attraction.
During your trip to Chennai, you can witness the beauty of the temples, explore their unique and ancient architectural factors, and witness the deep and intense connection with the great power. Get the peace and feel the calm in the air washing over you as you appear in front of the Lord, getting his blessings.
10 Most Famous Temples in Chennai
If you believe in mythology and love to explore more and more temples and seek blessings, then you must visit any of the below-listed temples in Chennai. Here we listed the top famous temples in Chennai that are the essence of spirituality, architecture, culture, and art. You must have a look!
1. Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Devoted to the Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar, who was the avatar of Lord Shiva and Karpagambal epitome of his wife, Goddess Parvati, the temple is among one the most popular and most visited Shiva temples all over Chennai. The Kapaleeshwarar temple is also considered the landmark of Mylapore. Six times of puka are fixed in this temple, including different pujas, including Kala Shanti in the Morning, Uchchikala in mid-day, Sayamkala in the evening, and Ardhajama in the late night. The adorable and majestic architecture is this temple's top attraction, making it one of the most famous temples in Chennai.
- Timings: 5 AM to 12 PM and 5 PM to 9 PM
- Nearby Places to Explore: Marina beach, Express avenue mall, Gaudiya mutt
2. Kalikambal Temple
The oldest temple of Chennai, Kaliambal temple, is dedicated to Sri Kaligambal and Lord Kamadeswarar. It is situated in Parry's corner region of the city, considered another excellent illustration of Dravidian architecture; the temple is a high-rising saintly structure enriched with elaborated masonry and stonework. Furthermore, the temple was constructed in the 17th century, enormously fixed in history as it offers sharp variation between its calm interiors and the quick-paced chaos of the metropolitan city outfit.
-
Timings: 6 AM- 12 PM and 4:30 PM- 9:00 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Padi Sivan temple, Thiruvidanthai temple, VadaPalani Murugan temple, etc.
3. Parthasarathy Temple
Devoted to Lord Shiva, the prominent household god of Hindu mythology, Parathysarathy temple is the 61st Divya Desam temple among the all-popular 108 Vaishnava temples. Constructed during the leadership of Pallavas, the temple is among the oldest temples in the city. The interiors of Parthasarathy temple are filled with carvings and inscriptions of historical periods; on the other hand, its exterior presents a Dravidian style of architecture. Despite this, the temple is also a resting destination for travellers and devotees for more than a thousand years. Plus, it also keeps a significant religious influence towards the devotees and is explored by hundreds of people daily, which makes it a famous temple in Chennai.
-
Timings: 6:00 AM- 12:30 PM & 4:00 PM- 9:00 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: T Nagar, Shirdi Sai Baba temple, Rama Krishna temple, Vivekananda house, etc
4. Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple
One of the famous temples in Chennai, Arupadai Veedu Murugan temple, is located in Besant Nagar and is devoted to lord Murga. The unique factor about the temple is that it has all the six army camps of Lord Muruga under a single roof. However, there are different temples for all the six Lord Murga like Thiruthani Murugan, Swami Malai Murugan, Palani Dhandayuthapani, Thiruparankundram Murugan, Thiruchendoor Subramaniyan, and Palamuthircholai Murugan. Locals from nearby places in Chennai take Kavadi on the occasion of Thai proposal and New Year.
-
Timings: 7 AM- 11 PM and 5 PM to 8:30 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Besant Nagar beach, Ashtalakshmi temple, Pamban Swamigal Jeeva Samadhi Temple
5. Ashtalakshmi Temple
Located in the proximity of Elliot Beach, Ashtalakshmi temple is one of the most beautiful and famous temples in Chennai. It is known as one of the ancient shrines, which is one of its kind, as it houses all eight incarnations of Lakshmi under a single roof. The incredible carvings of Lord Vishnu in the main shrine hold the uniqueness of this temple. The structure of this temple attracts each viewer as it is unique and cannot be witnessed in any other place.
-
Timings: 6:30 AM- 12 PM and 6 PM- 9 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Gandhi statue, Ramakrishna temple, Arupadai Murugan Veedu temple, Besant Nagar beach, Anna Centenary library
6. Sree Ayyappan- Guruvayurappan Temple
Located in Mahalingapuram, the Sree Ayappan- Guruvayurappan is the first-ever Ayyapan shrine in Chennai. This panoramic temple is devoted to Lord Ayyappan, and it also has a unique holy place for Lord Murga and Lord Vinayaka. This impressive temple is constructed in a combination of Kerala and Tamil styles. Furthermore, all the rituals and poojas are completed according to the Kerala tradition; the Morning and the evening poojas are known to be very optimistic here. If you want to visit this temple, then you must visit here between November to December as the temple is fully filled with Ayyappan devotees.
-
Timings: Between 4 AM- 11 AM & 5 PM- 8:30 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Panagal park, Mahalingeswarar temple, and Jeeva park
7. Vedapureeswarar Temple
One of the well-known temples in Chennai, the Thiruverkadu Vedapureeswarar temple, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is among the 276 Devara Paada, 23rd Shiva Sthalams, and Petra Shiva Sthalams in Thondai Nadu. Plus, the architectural style of the Vimana atop is unique and another notable feature of the temple. It is constructed in the different Gaja Brishtan style. It is believed that the temple is around 1300 years old and described amazingly by a noteworthy poet. You must visit this temple to witness why it is among the most famous temples in Chennai.
-
Timings: Between AM- 12 PM and 4 PM- 8 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Padi Sivan Temple, Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Anjaneyar Temple, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial
8. Sri Marundeeswarar Temple
The largest temple in Chennai, Marundeeswarar temple, is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, lying across an area of one-acre land. The architectural beauty of this temple is mesmerizing. You should visit there twice after your first visit. The temple has been a destination of curative worship for people who are suffering from diseases. Moreover, this entire temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva.
-
Timings: Between 5.30 AM- 12 PM and 4 PM - 10 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: VGP golden beach, Besant Nagar Beach, Sri Krishna Balarama temple
9. Sai Baba Temple
Over ten shrines are dedicated to Shridi Saibaba at Chennai; among all, this temple is unique because it is believed that Shridi Sai Baba emerged before Santhana Devakurnar and ordered him to build this temple. Plus, it took almost three years to complete this temple. It is one of the famous temples in Chennai. Furthermore, at the entrance gate, there is an almost 9-foot-high idol of Baba in the standing position. Every Thursday, people from all over Chennai come here for Annadhanam.
-
Timings: Between 6 AM- 12 PM and 4 PM- 8 PM.
-
Nearby places to Explore: Krishna Temple, Chinna Thirupathy Aalayam, Ambattur Lake, and Guruvayur Krishna Temple
10. Chennakesava Perumal Temple
It is a must-visit place in Chennai whenever you travel there. Chennakesava Perumal temple is among the oldest temples in Chennai; it was the foremost temple built around the 1700s and played as a wall separating the town's core from the British East India Company settlement of Fort. St. George. Further, around three daily poojas are performed in the temple.
-
Timings: 7.00 AM – 12.00 PM and 05.00 PM – 8.30 PM
-
Nearby Places to Explore: Chennakesava Temple, Yagachi Dam, Lakshmi Narasimha, Dabdabe Falls
Explore the Popular Temples of Chennai with
SuperbMyTrip
Chennai is not all about having beautiful beaches, modern shopping malls, delicious street food, etc. Plus, crowned the Land of Temples, as there are thousands of famous temples in Chennai dedicated to different Hindu gods and goddesses.
Therefore, if you plan to visit the temples in Chennai, then you can choose SuperbMyTrip. We offer comfortable and affordable flight ticket booking services. You can also book hotels and other customized pilgrimage tour packages.
Best Time to Explore Chennai
November to February is the ideal time to explore Chennai. During these months, you will witness pleasant weather and experience the temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. You must plan a trip to Chennai as this is the perfect time for those who want to enjoy the festivals that are celebrated there. Moreover, during the months of February or March, you will also get to enjoy the Natyanjali Dance Festival. Apart from that, there are various amazing places to visit in Chennai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the famous temples near Chennai?
There are many famous temples around Chennai. So, whenever you travel to that place, do not forget to visit the following temples:
Which is the medium to reach Chennai, Tamil Nadu?
There are various ways to travel to Chennai. Based on your convenience, you can use any of the following means of transportation to visit there:
Why is Chennai, Tamil Nadu, famous as the Land of Temples?
Tamil Nadu, located in Southern India, is famous as the Land of Temples because it has more than 30,000 temples. There are multiple old, ancient, and new temples that belong to impressive dynasties and are devoted to various Hindu gods and goddesses. Many of those shrines are around 600-800 old. In addition, if you ever visit Chennai, you will notice that the temples are different in style but contain general features that are not similar to the South Indian temple architectural style.
Which temple is the largest temple of Lord Shiva in Chennai?
Kapaleeswarar is known as one of the largest temples of Lord Shiva in Chennai. The temple is devoted to Arulmigu Kapleeshwar, an avatar of Lord Shiva, and goddess Karpagambal, an appearance of Parvati.
How many shrines are there in Chennai?
According to the records of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, Tamil Nadu has around 38615 temples located within its territories. Among them, approx. Thirty-three thousand are ancient, with many of them dating back to around 800- 5000 years.
Which are the famous Hindu temples in Chennai?
There are multiple famous Hindu temples all over India, but if you are visiting Chennai, then you must visit and explore the below-listed Hindu temples there.