Panduranga temple of Chennai

Have you watched old Tamil movies? If so, whether it was an MGR or Sivaji film, you might have noticed that the mother’s role was often played by a fair, graceful, and divine-looking actress. That was Pandari Bai. Born into a Marathi-speaking family in Karnataka, she is regarded as the first heroine of the Kannada film industry and later became a prominent character artiste in Tamil cinema.

Now, you may wonder why I’m talking about this actress. The reason is that she built a temple. In fact, she transformed part of her residence into a shrine dedicated to Panduranga, also known as Vitthal.

In Maharashtra, Lord Krishna is worshipped as Panduranga or Vitthal, and the famous Pandharpur (Pandaripuram) temple is dedicated to him. Unlike traditional Krishna icons, Panduranga’s image has a distinct appearance. Devotees have built temples for him in various parts of India, but in Chennai, such temples are rare. This is one of the few dedicated to Panduranga.

Located on Pillayar Koil Street, about 0.5 km from the well-known Vadapalani Andavar Temple, this temple is also called Pandurangan Ashram. The main sanctum houses a beautiful icon of Panduranga alongside Rukmini. Originally, the temple had only Panduranga, but over time, a Raghavendra Brindavan was also added.

Other deities enshrined here include Hanuman, Garuda, Ganesha, a Shiva Linga, and the Navagrahas.

In the bustling Vadapalani area, this temple offers a peaceful and serene retreat.

Happy travelling.