Chennai Temples - Kapileshwar, Asthalakshmi Kovil, Nanganallur

15th August, 2013

The idea strike at 9 in the morning. I got ready in another 30 minutes and started to visit the Chennai Temples.

My target is to cover the 3 temples in the Chennai near ones.

I started by 10 from my room. First reached to Kapileshwar Temple in Mylapore.

Here is the history of Temple(Courtesy: Wiki)

Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva's wife Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal (from Tamil, "Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree"). The temple was built around the 7th century CE and is a good example of Dravidian architecture.
According to the Puranas, Shakti worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock, which is why the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) was given to the area that developed around the temple - mayil is Tamil for "peacock".

Next started to the Asta Lakshmi Devalayam in Besant Nagar Beach. But I went in the wrong time. The temple got closed by 12 noon and will re-open at 4pm. But I found a nice place to relax near the sea. Some pics at the bay.

You feel astonishing about this temple is, it is situated near to sea bank and its stair case visiting. And specially I found that the temple follows the Andhra Pradesh Style of Pooja's.


The Ashtalakshmi Kovil is a Hindu temple, which lies on the shorelines near the Elliot's beach, in Chennai, India. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, and her eight primary forms - the Ashtalakshmi - the giver of all eight forms of wealth, namely, offspring, success, prosperity, wealth, courage, bravery, food, and knowledge. The sanctorums are depicted on a multi-tier complex in such a way that visitors could visit all the shrines without stepping over any of the sanctorums. The temple was constructed on the wishes of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati swamigal of Kanchi Mutt.
In this temple the Ashtalakshmi are present in four levels. The shrine of Lakshmi and her consort Vishnu is in level two. One starts the worship from here. One can take the stairs and the path leads to third floor which has the shrines of Santhanalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi, Vidyalakshmi and Gajalakshmi. Then again take a few steps and we reach the shrrine of DhanaLakshmi, which is the only shrine on the fourth floor. Exiting the main shrine, in the first level, there are shrines for Aadilakshmi, Dhaanya lakshmi and Dharyalakshmi. The temple also has Dashavatara (avatars of Vishnu), Guruvayoorapan, Ganesha, Dhanwanthari and Anjaneyar deities.

  I completed the as soon as possible there and started to visit the Anjaneya Temple in Nanganallur. But it is difficult to find the route for me as it is situated in city outskirts and it is first time for me in that route. But by gods grace, one stranger going to the same temple and guided me there up-to temple.(Buses available from Guindy - M18C, M21G, N45B)

The Anjaneya Temple at Nanganallur, Chennai is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Hanuman. The principal idol of Hanuman is 32-feet tall and sculpted from a single piece of granite. The idol was installed in 1989 and consecrated in 1995.(Coutesy : wiki)

I fell for outstanding view of lord Hanuman. It is that much tall. And it very nice experience. But unfortunately, I could not take the photos.

After the above temples has been visited, I got to know more about rituals in Tamil Nadu. I noted down here the differences between my native and here.

                                Andhra Pradesh                           Tamil Nadu
1. We close the eyes while praying, but here we should not close our eyes.
2. I found missing the Shatagopuram(lord feets) in Tamil Nadu.
3. In every temple, found lighting the deepam, which rarely found in my district.
4. Every temple have the small sanctums of Asta-dikpalakulu.