Madhya Kailash

Madhya Kailash is among Chennai’s most visited temples, and its location makes it hard to miss. It stands right at the point where the city’s Old Mahabalipuram Road (the IT corridor) meets Sardar Patel Road, directly opposite the Kasturba Nagar MRTS station. For many commuters, the gopuram is the first familiar landmark that signals you’ve reached this busy junction.

The name “Madhya Kailash” might make you expect a Shiva temple, but the heart of this complex belongs to Ganesha. The sanctum enshrines Vijaya Ananda Vinayakar, and the space in front carries the familiar temple elements such as dhwaja stambha (flag staff) and bali peetham, aligned in the traditional manner.

Step closer to the sanctum and you’ll notice an interesting detail: there are two Ganapati murtis inside; one larger, beautifully proportioned form, and a smaller one placed in front. Around the sanctum, the bronze utsava murtis add to the charm: Ananda Vinayakar and Nardana Vinayakar, the dancing form. Even if you’re not here during a festival, these bronzes are worth pausing for.

Within the ardha mandapa, another thoughtful arrangement catches the eye; six bronze forms of Murugan representing the Aru Padai Veedu, placed one after the other in a neat sequence. It feels less like a random collection and more like a curated set of presences, each given its own space.

What makes Madhya Kailash truly stand out, though, is how many distinct shrines it carries within a single campus. The Shweta Murti section includes a Shiva linga with Parvati, accompanied by bronzes of Shiva–Parvati, and also icons of Appar and Adi Shankaracharya. In the surrounding wall niches you can also see the familiar panel of Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhava, and Brahma, completing the classical Shaiva frame.

Then comes the shrine many people remember long after the visit: Atyandaprabhu, a rare bronze where Ganesha and Hanuman appear as one combined form, half-and-half in a single body. It is the kind of murti that stops you mid-step, simply because you don’t expect to see it so clearly expressed.

The Aditya (Surya) shrine is another visual highlight. Designed like a ratha, it includes wheels, the team of seven horses, and Aruna positioned as the charioteer. Inside sits Surya, and the shrine also holds bronze icons of Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, and Hanuman, bringing a gentle Ramayana presence into the same space.

Along the way you will also find shrines for Abirami, Hanuman, Swarna Bhairava, and the Navagrahas. The Rajagopala Swamy shrine adds a Vaishnava layer to the visit, with bronzes including Lakshmi–Narasimha and a lovely Krishna with cows. The wall around this shrine carries niche images such as Paravasudeva, Purushottama, Suka, and Markandeya, adding another level of detail for those who like to linger and observe.

In the prakara, other icons appear as quiet surprises; Durga, Vaishnavi, a pillar with four goddesses, and more, making the walk around the corridor feel like a slow unfolding rather than a quick darshan-and-exit.

Madhya Kailash is, in many ways, a compact temple with an unusually wide range of forms and shrines, familiar, yet full of unexpected sights. If you’re passing through this part of Chennai, it’s well worth stepping in.

Happy travelling.