Chennai: Sri Mahalakshmi temple, famously known as Ashtalakshmi temple, at Besant Nagar, is a very popular temple in Chennai. Situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, this temple is very unique.
The main deity of the temple is Maha Vishnu, who is present alongside Lakshmi in thirumana kolam in standing posture.
“Kanchi Periyava Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal wished to have a temple for Mahalakshmi in Chennai and with his blessings, an erudite scholar, Mukkur Srinivasa Varadachiyar, took the efforts and the foundation stone for the temple was laid in 1974. On 5 April 1976, the first consecration of the temple was performed,” says temple manager S Parthasarathy.
“It was only in 1992 that the temple came under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department which looks after its maintenance. The latest consecration happened in 2012,” he adds.
The speciality of the temple lies in its structure, according to temple’s executive officer T Chandrasekaran. “The temple was constructed in the shape of ‘Aum’, which is the first Vedic mantra. It is also known as the Omkara Kshetra because of this. Ashtalakshmi temple is the only Omkara Kshetra in Chennai,” he says.
The temple has three floors. After worshipping the main deity on the ground floor, a staircase near it leads the devotees to the first floor, where just above the main sanctum is present Goddess
Gajalakshmi, facing east.
On all the remaining three sides, there are separate sanctums for Goddesses Santhana Lakshmi, bestower of children, facing south, Vijayalaksmi, giver of victory, facing west, and Vidya Lakshmi, bestower of knowledge, facing north.
On the second floor, at the centre, there is one sanctum dedicated to Dhana Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
The other three Lakshmis are placed on the ground floor on all the three sides of the main mandapam:
Adhi Lakshmi, facing south, Dhaanya Lakshmi, the goddess of grains, facing north, and Dhairiya Lakshmi, the goddess of courage, facing north.
Apart from this, there are also sanctums for other gods on the western side of the temple. Towards the corner, there is Dasavathara Mandapam.
“It has the idols of all the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu apart from the processional deity of a Vaishnavite scholar, Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan, and a shrine for Vishvaksenar,” says the executive officer.
Separate sanctums for Kamala Vinayagar and Guruvayurappan are placed next to the Dasavathara Mandapam. Adjacent to it is a single shrine for Lord Chakkarathazhvar, facing east, and Lord Narasimhar, facing south. Both these idols were carved out of a single stone.
Next to it are Veera Abhaya Anjaneyar shrine and a separate sanctum for Lord Dhanvantri, the god of medicine. “As in the case with other temples, there is no separate temple tank here. Since it is placed on the shore, the ocean itself is considered the sacred tank. It is also apt since the ocean is the home for the Goddess,” smiles the executive officer.
Some of the special festivals in the temple include Navarathri, Deepavali, Karthigai and Margazhi month poojas. During Navarathri, on all 10 days, Sri Sooktham Aaradhana will be performed in the morning and procession take place in the evenings. “During Margazhi, the temple opens at 5 am and poojas are performed,” says Chandrasekaran.
During Deepavali, Sri Mahalakshmi and Vishnu thirukalyanam takes place which draws a lot of crowds. “According to Puranas, it is the day when the Lord married the Goddess, so every year thirukalyanam will happen along with Lakshmi Kubera homam,” he adds.
“During New Year’s Day, the temple opens at 3 am as devotees throng the temple to have darshan on the first day of the year,” he says. The temple is open every day from 6.30 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm to 8.30 pm.
For details, contact Chandrasekaran at 044 2491 7777, 2446 6777.