Kalikambal Temple Chennai
Kalikambal Temple, in the heart of Chennai. It is located in Thambu Chetty Street, is one of the oldest and most religious temple. There is one more entrance from Armenian Street. It is devoted to the Shaivite Gods – (Kamateshvarar) Shiva and his consort Kamakshi (Kalikambal) in her benign avatar.
Originally the Kalikambal temple was situated inside the Fort St. George. During the course of time, it has moved to its present venue in George Town. It is also said that the fierce form of Kali was which was worshipped earlier has been replaced with a serene form subsequently. Faith in worship itself brings miracles! But the temple itself is steeped in History.
The great Maratha warrior Chatrapati Shivaji Rao (17th century) along with his trusted Minister was here to worship Kali. The Tamil Poet Bharathi (20th century) has sung many songs in praise of this Goddess. He was a frequent visitor according to the writings on the temple walls.
The temple has also seen patronage from peoples of various strata of society. Today its patronage has swollen to great numbers. This is one of the few temples where God and Goddess are placed back to back. It is pretty rare as per temple architecture.
Kalikamba Temple can be reached easily by the MRTS (get down at Beach Station and walk across First Line Beach ). It is also easily accessible from Parry’s Corner bus stand. The parking of private vehicles will be a problem. But one can park a few streets away and walk it up or use a cycle rickshaw to commute the short distance to the temple. A visit to Chennai must include a visit to this temple.
One can also have a darshan of Lord Ganapathy, Murugan with Valli Deivanai Veerabhadra Swamy and Maha Kali. It is a belief that your prayers will be answered soonest upon your darshan of Kalikambal. It is pretty crowded always, especially on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Kalikambal Temple Timings: Morning 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Evening 3.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
One can experience the real Hinduism culture here. A very powerful temple with great vibrations.