Parthasarathy Temple

Parthasarathy Temple Review

Built by the Pallavas in the 8th century and rebuilt by the Vijayanagar kings in the 11th century, this Vishnu temple is dedicated to Krishna, the sarathi (charioteer) of Partha (Arjuna), and is probably the oldest temple in Chennai. Legend has it that on the eve of the great battle in the Pandava-Kaurava War, Krishna imparted to Arjuna the Bhagavad Gita (literally "Song of the Blessed Lord"), a religious and philosophic dialogue from the ancient epic, the Mahabharata. After passing under the colorful gopuram (temple gateway), you'll enter the courtyard, which has several carved shrines. The four streets surrounding the temple have stalls selling flowers, small idols, and other puja articles; musical instruments; and jewelry.