Chintadripet Adi Kesava Perumal Temple

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The twin temples of Adi Kesava Perumal (Vishnu) and Adipureeswarar (Shiva) in Chennai’s Chintadripet can, in many ways, be seen as the city’s Company-period shrines. Chintadripet itself was a planned settlement, developed in 1734 as a weavers’ neighbourhood under the East India Company. The man closely associated with this development was Dubash Audiyappa Naicken, during the governorship of George Morton Pitt. In the decades that followed, Audiyappa Naicken went on to play a larger civic role, and it was in the 1740s that he began building these two temples; one Shaiva, one Vaishnava, side by side in Chintadripet.

Among them, the Adi Kesava Perumal Temple is dedicated to Vishnu. The presiding deity, Adi Kesava, stands in dignified posture with Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi positioned on either side. Inside the sanctum, you will also notice the bronze utsava murtis of Adi Kesava along with his consorts, kept close to the main icon.

The temple follows the familiar grammar of a South Indian Vishnu shrine. In front of the main sanctum are the aligned elements of worship; the bali peetham, dwaja sthambam, and Garuda, all facing the deity in a straight axis. The goddess shrine belongs to Adi Lakshmi, housed separately, as is customary in many Vaishnava temples.

As you move around the temple, you will find additional shrines and icons that expand the experience beyond the main sanctum: Ramanujar, Hanuman, Chakrathalwar with Narasimhar, the Alwars, and Andal. A small, delightful detail appears on one of the pillars, where miniature icons of Ranganathar and Tumbikkai Alwar (Ganesha) are placed, quietly blending the Vaishnava world with a gentle Ganapati presence.

Happy travelling.


Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Comments

  1. SheelaWednesday, November 07, 2012

    Hi

    correction:
    temple renovations were done in 1700s by Govt.

    but temple is very ancient and above 1400 years old. Vaishnavacharya Sri Ramanuja himself has visited this temple on his way to Tiruvallikeni Parthasarathi Perumal.

    Vaikanasam is the agamam. Chintadripet itself was named as Adhikesavapuram which was changed after britishers period as Chinnatarripet.

    Sree

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indian ColumbusSunday, November 11, 2012

      Thanks Sheela. Where did you get this information?

      Delete
  2. SheelaThursday, November 15, 2012

    Hi

    Thanks for your efforts anyway.

    i am a resident of Chintadripet (Adhikesavapuram)
    sourced thru Priest & Elders. it would have been better as Adhikesavapuram.

    Chinna taripet means Place for small time weavers who were given
    space by Britishers and later it was misprounounced as Chintadripet

    Sheela

    ReplyDelete

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