Patala Ponni Amman Temple - Chennai

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is home to many important temples, including several powerful shrines of the Mother Goddess. One such temple is the Patala Ponniamman Temple on Millers Road in the Kilpauk area, an enduring centre of local devotion with the character of a traditional village-style shrine.

Ponni Amman is worshipped here as a grama devata, the protective deity of the locality. The presiding goddess is Ponni Amman, often identified with Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The icon is small and seated, with four arms. Local tradition explains the prefix “Patala” through a striking origin story: the deity is believed to have been discovered in a pit dug for a well about 300 years ago, and the name “Patala Ponni Amman” became linked to that underground find.

The temple campus is spacious, but the number of shrines is relatively limited, adding to the uncluttered feel of the place. Besides the main Ponni Amman shrine, you will find shrines for Ganesha, Murugan with Valli and Devasena, the Navagrahas, two Shiva Lingas, and Sapta Veeras. A rare feature here is an Annanmar shrine. Under one tree, icons of Mariamman and Ganesha are placed, while another tree shelters a set of naga icons, reflecting the temple’s folk-rooted traditions.

Around the main shrine, the enclosing wall carries niche images that include Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Narayani, Brahmi, and Durga, details that quietly connect this village-style temple to the wider Shaiva–Shakta temple vocabulary of Tamil Nadu.

Happy travelling.