What is special about Chennai’s five iconic temples?

How five iconic temples define chennai’s cultural identity?

KAPALISHWARAR TEMPLE, MYLAPORE

Chennai’s most iconic shrine, it is one of the Padal Petra Sthalams or temples eulogised by the 63 important Saivite devotees, collectively called the Nayanmars. Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple in the 7th century CE at the request of a merchant named Sivanesan. On reaching the temple and being told that Poompavai, Sivanesan’s daughter, had died of snakebite, Thirugnanasambandar composed the Poompavai Pathikam, invoking God Kapalishwara, and revived Poompavai. Many of the festivals mentioned in this Pathikam, composed 1400 years ago, are celebrated even today in this temple. The original location of the Kapalishwara temple was close to the sea in the Mylapore area and it was shifted to its present location about 400 years ago. The Sthala-Vriksham or sacred tree is the Punnai with its many medicinal properties. It is believed that Parvati worshipped Siva here as a peacock (mayil in Tamil) and this is the origin of the name Mayilapur (Mylapore). Parvati is worshipped as Karpakambal in this temple. Arunagirinathar, the famous 15th century Muruga devotee, who lived during the Vijayanagara era has sung in praise of Singaravelan here. The Brahmotsavam (annual celebration) in Panguni is Chennai’s best-known temple festival.

PARTHASARATHI SWAMI TEMPLE, THIRUVALLIKENI

The Parthasarathi Svami temple is one among the 108 Divya Desams (abodes of Vishnu sung in praise of by the Azhwars or the Vaishnava saints) and the only one strictly within Chennai’s city limits. Three Azhvars, Pey Azhvar, Thirumazhisai Azhvar and Thirumangai Azhvar have praised all the deities enshrined in this temple namely Narasimha, Parthasarathi, Gajendra Varada, Ranganatha and Rama, which is a rarity. Interestingly, this temple is named after Parthasarathi Swami, the processional deity (utsava-murti), while the imposing main image is Venkatakrishnan. In the main sanctum, along with Venkatakrishnan, are the images of Rukmini (Krishna’s wife), Balarama (Krishna’s brother), Pradyumna (Krishna’s son), Aniruddha (Krishna’s grandson) and Satyaki (Krishna’s relative). These five heroes are together called `Pancha Vira’.

This is a twin-temple as, other than Venkatakrishnan who faces east, there is another main deity — Yoga Narasimha, who faces west. Goddess Lakshmi, called Vedavalli Thayar is the consort of Ranganatha here. The earliest of this temple’s numerous inscriptions belongs to the reign of Dantivarman, a Pallava king of the 8th-9th centuries CE.

MARUNDISHWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUVANMIYUR

The Marundishwarar (Oushadishwarar) temple is also one of the Padal Petra Sthalams since the Nayanmars Appar and Thiruganasambandar visited this temple in the 7th century CE and have composed hymns about Marundishwarar. Arunagirinathar, also came to this temple and has composed Tamil verses on Subramanya. Sage Valmiki of Ramayana fame has been traditionally associated with this temple and there is a rare sanctum for this poet outside the main gopuram.