Parthasarathy Temple

The Parthasarathy Temple is a Hindu sanctuary in the Triplicane district of Chennai featuring five-tiered stone towers and decorated colonnades. The compound holds several shrines grouped around a central courtyard where devotees walk beneath open-air colonnades.

The temple foundation goes back to the eighth century when Pallava kings ruled this region. Later rulers from the Vijayanagara Empire commissioned expansions and renovations during the sixteenth century.

The name derives from Partha, another name for Arjuna, whose charioteer Krishna is honored here. Visitors often see devotees sitting in the courtyard reciting chants while priests perform ritual ablutions at the smaller shrines.

The entrance sits along Marina Beach Road and opens in the morning and late afternoon, with a midday break in between. Visitors should keep shoulders and knees covered and remove footwear before entering the shrines.

The main figure shows Krishna with a mustache, which is unusual and differs from most depictions of this deity in other temples. This peculiarity attracts art historians interested in regional variations of religious iconography.

Location: Chennai

GPS coordinates: 13.05395,80.27675

Latest update: December 6, 2025 11:00