Ashtalakshmi Kovil, Hindu temple in Besant Nagar, Chennai, India.

Ashtalakshmi Kovil is a Hindu temple on the shoreline near Elliot's Beach in Besant Nagar, Chennai, India. It measures 65 ft by 45 ft and is modelled after the Sundara Varadaraja Perumal temple in Uthiramerur. Its multi-tiered tower has a grey-blue lower section of vertical pilasters and a carved panel, tiers densely covered in brightly painted sculptures of deities, and a stepped pyramidal roof topped by a gold finial. The eight forms of Lakshmi are set in nine sanctums across four levels, arranged so visitors pass every shrine without stepping over a sanctorum.

The temple was built between 1974 and 1976 and stands among the newer religious structures in Chennai. It was raised to gather all eight forms of the goddess under one roof.

Each floor honors a different form of the goddess, from wealth and knowledge to offspring. Devotees climb from level to level, offering prayers at each shrine for different aspects of life.

The temple opens daily in the morning and late afternoon, with ceremonies held during these times. Visitors should wear appropriate clothing and remove shoes before entering.

The temple is modelled on the Sundara Varadaraja Perumal temple at Uthiramerur, and its shrines are stacked so that worshippers pass every sanctum without stepping over one. A 2012 renovation added 32 kalasams, among them a gold-plated 5.5-foot kalasam above the sanctum sanctorum.