Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathyswamy Temple
அருள்மிகு ஸ்ரீ பார்த்தசாரதி சுவாமி திருக்கோயில்
Lord Krishna (Parthasarathy) · Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ancient
About the temple
One of the oldest surviving structural monuments in Chennai; 61st Divya Desam; the only temple where Lord Krishna is depicted as the mustachioed Charioteer of the Mahabharata alongside his entire family (consort Rukmini, brother Balarama, son Pradyumna, grandson Aniruddha, and nephew Satyaki); houses five major manifestations of Vishnu in a single complex. Traditional belief: Direct guidance through life’s dilemmas (Geethacharya grace), courage, victory in righteous endeavors, and destruction of sins.
Temple information
- Darshan timings
- 05:30 – 21:00
- Established
- 8
- Best time to visit
- Early morning hours on mid-week non-festival days to experience a peaceful darshan atmosphere
Deity
Lord Krishna (Parthasarathy) · ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻLord Ranganatha (Mahavishnu)Lord Laxmi Narsimha SwamyLord Rama
- Deity form
- Rare 9-foot tall standing stone icon of Lord Krishna as Parthasarathy with a mustache, holding the sacred conch (Panchajanya) without weapons, his face bearing scar marks of arrows received while protecting Arjuna in the Kurukshetra war
- Religious tradition
- Vedic Pancharatra Agamic Tradition & 108 Divya Desam Heritage
- Sanskrit name
- श्री पार्थसारथिस्वामी मन्दिरम्
- Also known as
- Triplicane Parthasarathy Temple, Brindaranya Kshetra, Geethacharyan Temple Chennai
Darshan hours
- Daily
- 05:30 AM - 12:30 PM, 04:00 PM - 09:00 PM
- Break timings
- 12:30 PM - 04:00 PM (Monday to Thursday)
- Special days
- Vaikunta Ekadashi, Chithirai Brahmotsavam: 03:30 AM - 11:30 PM
- Festival timings
- Open continuously from 03:30 AM to 11:30 PM on Vaikunta Ekadashi and festival days
Aarti & rituals
- Morning aarti
- 06:00 AM
- Midday aarti
- 12:00 PM
- Evening aarti
- 06:00 PM
- Night aarti
- 08:45 PM
- Special aarti days
- Every Saturday, Shukla Ekadashi, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Krishna Janmashtami
- Ritual schedule
- Nitya Thiruvaradhana, Thulasi Archana, Nalayira Divya Prabandham Parayanam, Vaikunta Dwara Utsavam, Chariot procession
- Pooja timings
- 06:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 04:30 PM - 08:45 PM
- Abhishek timings
- Thirumanjanam performed on Fridays for Vedavalli Thayar and Saturdays for Lord Parthasarathy at 07:00 AM
- Special poojas
- Available
- Online pooja booking
- Yes
History & heritage
- Historical period
- Ancient
- Built by
- Pallava King Dantivarman (790 CE); expanded by Cholas and Vijayanagara King Sadasiva Raya
- Architect / builder
- Master traditional Dravidian stone guilds of Pallava and Vijayanagara courts
- Construction materials
- Solid dressed dark granite, brick-lime Vimana towers, brass flagstaff, sacred tank
- Historical events
- Sanctified in 35 pasurams of Divya Prabandham; Swami Vivekananda meditated on the banks of Kairavini tank before his voyage to Chicago in 1893
- Renovations
- Punarprathishta and massive expansion completed under Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department with gold-plated Vimana kalashas
- Archaeological importance
- Epigraphical records detailing the reign of Pallava King Dantivarman (8th century) and Chola Emperor Kulothunga I
- Legends
- Lord Krishna took the oath not to bear weapons in the Mahabharata war and drove Arjuna’s chariot; he absorbed all deadly arrows aimed at Arjuna onto his own divine body, visible as scar marks on the deity
- Inscriptions
- More than 40 stone inscriptions in Tamil, Telugu, and Grantha detailing royal donations of gold, land, and oil by Pallava, Chola, and Vijayanagara rulers
Architecture
- Architectural style
- Dravidian
- Architectural period
- 8th Century Pallava foundation with 15th - 16th Century CE Vijayanagara expansions
- Structure
- Spacious walled urban temple complex with two major opposite entrance Rajagopurams, broad courtyards, separate shrines for five Vishnu forms, and Kairavini tank
- Floors
- 1
- Gopuram
- Five-tiered eastern entrance Rajagopuram and a matching western tower facing the sacred tank adorned with Vaishnava sculptures
- Mandapa
- Pillared Mahamandapa and Kalyana Mandapa supported by carved monolithic granite columns depicting Dashavatara and warrior yalis
- Sculptural features
- Unique 9-foot mustachioed standing idol of Lord Parthasarathy with Rukmini; separate sanctums of Yoga Narasimha, Ranganatha, Rama, and Varadaraja; carved Garuda
- Artistic elements
- Intricate stone ceiling rosettes, embossed silver doorframes, gold-plated kalashas, and sacred flagstaff
- Construction technique
- Dry-stone interlocking granite masonry engineered for longevity near the maritime coastal belt
- Unique features
- The mustachioed facial representation of Lord Krishna bearing battle arrow marks, and the presence of five major Vishnu incarnations in one sanctum compound
Festivals & events
- Festival calendar
- Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi (Vaikunta Ekadashi), Chithirai month (April/May Brahmotsavam)
- Special celebration days
- Grand Divya Prabandham Vedic goshti processions, Carnatic music concerts, and Harikatha during festivals
- Cultural events
- Grand Divya Prabandham Vedic goshti processions, Carnatic music concerts, and Harikatha during festivals
- Annual events
- Chithirai Parthasarathy Maha Rathotsavam drawing over 200,000 devotees across Chennai
- Peak crowd season
- Throughout the year; peak during December Vaikunta Ekadashi and Chithirai Brahmotsavam
Visitor information
- ✓ Parking
- ✓ Restrooms
- ✓ Drinking water
- ✓ Shoe keeping
- ✓ Prasadam counter
- Dress code
- Traditional
- Best time to visit
- Early morning hours on mid-week non-festival days to experience a peaceful darshan atmosphere
- Parking capacity
- 30-40 vehicles
- Parking fees
- Approx. 20-50 INR
- Donation counters
- Yes
- Donation methods
- Cash, UPI, Bank Transfer
- Prasadam
- Vibhuti/Kumkum.