Sri Parthasarathy Temple, in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, honours Venkatakrishna Perumal (Parthasarathy, Krishna as charioteer of Arjuna) with consort Vedavalli Thayar, identified as Rukmini. It is also known as Thiruvallikeni Temple, Parthasarathy Perumal Temple.
One of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet-saints. It is one of the oldest and most important Vishnu temples in Chennai and a major center of Vaishnavite worship in the city One of the oldest structures in the city of Chennai, originally built by the Pallava dynasty and expanded over the centuries by the Chola and Vijayanagara kings.
Tamil Nadu carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Land of towering gopurams and living Dravidian temple traditions, from the Chola masterpieces to the great Pancha Bhoota Sthalas.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM (some sources list 5:50 AM to 12:30 PM) |
| Evening | 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM |
Darshan wait times can run 30 to 45 minutes during busy periods. Timings can vary on festival days, verify locally before visiting
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Vaikunta Ekadashi | Margazhi (December-January) | Lord Parthasarathy is adorned to resemble Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati; draws large crowds of devotees |
| Brahmotsavam | Chittirai (April) | Ten-day annual festival with grand processions of the temple's deities |
| Teppam (float festival) | Masi (February-March) | Deities are taken in procession on a decorated float in the temple tank |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style temple with multiple gopurams and pillared mandapams. The sanctum complex houses five forms of Vishnu, Yoga Narasimha, Rama, Gajendra Varadaraja, Ranganatha and Krishna as Parthasarathy. The moolavar is depicted with a moustache, a feature unique to this temple among Vishnu shrines
History
One of the oldest structures in the city of Chennai, originally built by the Pallava dynasty and expanded over the centuries by the Chola and Vijayanagara kings. It gives the surrounding neighborhood, Thiruvallikeni (Triplicane), its name, and is today administered by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located in Triplicane, central Chennai. Nearest railway stations are Chennai Central and Egmore, about 5-6 km away, and the temple is well connected by MTC city buses, autos and taxis from across Chennai
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Sources disagree on the exact century of construction (6th vs 8th CE) and on precise darshan timing windows; a detailed pooja schedule and dress code could not be independently verified