Chintadripet Adi Pureeswarar Temple

The twin temples of Chintadripet in Chennai have an unusual origin story. Built in the 1740s by a dubash associated with the British East India Company, they are often remembered as Chennai’s “Company shrines.” Standing close to each other, the pair is dedicated to Adipureeswarar (Shiva) and Adi Kesava (Vishnu), a Shaiva–Vaishnava combination that quietly reflects the character of this old neighbourhood.

Among the two, the Adipureeswarar Temple is the Shaiva shrine. The presiding deity is a large Shiva Linga, commanding and serene. At the entrance to the sanctum, Ganesha and Murugan stand on either side, framing the approach in the familiar South Indian way. The east-facing sanctum is guarded by a striking pair of dwarapalas, large and finely carved, creating an impressive threshold before the deity.

The goddess, Tripura Sundari, is housed separately in a south-facing shrine, giving her space and prominence within the complex.

In front of the main shrine, the axial arrangement is complete, bali peetham, dhwaja stambham, and Nandi, all aligned to face Adipureeswarar. Close to the entrance, you will also notice icons such as Sundara Valampuri Vinayakar and Murugan, adding another layer of worship before you even step into the main zone.

The rest of the temple feels like a compact gallery of sacred presences. Shrines and icons here include Surya, Ganesha, the 63 Nayanmars, bronze utsava murtis, and a long line of revered Shaiva and Tamil saints and devotees, names that appear across Tamil spiritual history. You will also find icons of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Naga, and multiple Murugan forms including Murugan with Valli and Devasena, Palani Andavar, and a bronze Arumugam. Figures such as Shankaracharya, Agastya, Thiruvalluvar, Ramalinga, Kachiappa, Kumaraguruparar, Thayumanavar, Chandikeshwara, and Chidambaram Swamigal are also represented, making this temple feel unusually rich for its size.

On the outer wall of the sanctum, the koshta deities appear in the traditional sequence, with niche images of Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga. The temple also includes a separate shrine for Shasta, accompanied by Poorna and Pushkala, and another independent shrine dedicated to Adi Vinayakar.

Just outside, you will find a temple tank shared by both the twin temples, a common space that ties the two shrines together.

Happy travelling.