Thiruvallikeni
Thiruvallikeni is a Hindu temple where the presiding deities are Rukmini and Venkatakrishna Perumal, located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is temple #60 in the traditional order of the 108 Divya Desams — the 108 Vishnu shrines praised in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham of the Alvar saints.
One of Chennai's oldest shrines, this Triplicane temple honours Krishna as Parthasarathy, the charioteer of Arjuna, and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams. Its scarred main idol, said to bear the arrow marks of the Kurukshetra war, makes it unique among Vishnu temples.
About Thiruvallikeni
The Parthasarathy Temple is a 6th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Vishnu in Chennai, India. Located in the neighbourhood of Thiruvallikeni, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries CE and is classified as among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The name 'Parthasarathy' means the 'charioteer of Arjuna', referring to Krishna's role as a charioteer to Arjuna in the epic Mahabharata.
Legend
As per Hindu legend, the Saptarishis, the seven sages worshipped five deities Panchaveeras, namely, Venkata Krishnaswamy, Rukmini, Satyaki, Balarama, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. As per the Mahabharata, Vishnu, in his avatar as Krishna was acting as charioteer for Arjuna, the Pandava prince during the war with Kauravas. Krishna did not take any weapons during the war. During the fight between Arjuna and Bhishma, Krishna was injured by the arrow from Bhishma. The mark in the image in the temple is believed to follow the legend. The place is called Allikeni, meaning a pond of lily as it is believed that historically the place was full of lily ponds.
History
The temple was originally built by the Pallavas Between the 6th and 8th century, subsequently expanded by Cholas and later by the Vijayanagara kings in the 15th century. The temple has several inscriptions dating from the 8th century in Tamil presumably from the period of Dantivarman, who was a Vishnu devotee. Thirumangai Alvar, the 8th-century poet-saint also attributes the building of temple to the Pallava king. From the internal references of the temple, it appears that the temple was restored during 1564 CE when new shrines were built. In later years, endowments of villages and gardens have enriched the temple.
The temple was extensively built during the Chola period and a lot of inscriptions dating back to the same period are found here. The outer most mandapam is replete with sculptures of various forms of Vishnu, especially the avatars. One can also see inscriptions of Dantivarma Pallava of the 8th century, Chola and Vijayanagara in the temple.
Festivals and worship
The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple follows the traditions of the Thenkalai sect of Vaishnavite tradition and follows the Vaikhanasa Agama. The temple has grand brahmotsavams (big festival) for Parthasarathy during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April–May), on the same month Udayavar utsavam is also celebrated.
As per Sri Pillailogam Jeeyar Swamy in his work "Ramanuja Divya Charithai" it is stated that Sri Asoori Kesava Somayaji, father of Ramanuja, performed Putrakaameshti Yagam at Kairavini the temple pond at Thiruvallikeni, and prayed to Parthasarathy to bless him with a son. Parthasarathy appeared in the dreams of Sri Asoori Kesava Somayaji and promised he will be born as his son to impart teachings of his Gita for the benefit of mankind. The Bhagavad Gita Bhāshya (a review and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita), was later written by Ramanuja.
Background adapted from Wikipedia, “Parthasarathy Temple, Chennai”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Edited for length; verify details locally.
Plan your visit
How to reach
The temple is inside Chennai, in Chennai. Autos, app cabs and the city's buses reach it easily; leave extra time in evening traffic. Chennai airport (MAA) is about 13 km away. Open directions in Google Maps →
Timings: like most Tamil Nadu temples, expect an early-morning opening around 6 am, a midday closure from roughly noon to 4 pm, and evening darshan until about 8–9 pm. Festival days change everything, so confirm locally.
Today at a glance
Chennai time (IST), from our own panchangam. Nalla Neram is the good window; avoid Rahu Kalam and Yamagandam for starting a journey or a ritual.
Festival days to plan around
This temple's own festivals: Panguni Serthi, Pallava Utsavam, Ramanujar Utsavam, Vaikunda Ekadashi, Every Friday Sri Vedavalli Thayar Purappadu.
- Vaikunta Ekadasi — December–January
- Krishna Jayanthi — August–September
- Sri Rama Navami — March–April
- Purattasi Saturdays — September–October
Exact dates move with the lunar calendar every year; the festival calendar lists them to 2031, and the daily panchangam shows the tithi and nakshatra for any date.
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Quick facts
| Deity | Rukmini and Venkatakrishna Perumal |
| Town | Chennai |
| District | Chennai district |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Sacred lists | Chennai Temples · 108 Divya Desams |
| Divya Desam # | 60 |
Visiting
Most temples in Tamil Nadu open early morning and again in the evening, closing through the midday hours — plan darshan before noon or after 4pm and confirm timings locally, since festival days change everything. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), leave footwear at the stands provided, and note that some sanctums admit Hindus only while towers and outer courtyards welcome everyone. Photography rules vary; ask before shooting inside.
Timing a visit? Check today’s panchangam for auspicious windows and festival days, and use our free itinerary builder to slot temples, food and rest into your day.
Temples near Chennai
More Chennai temples
Frequently asked
Where is Thiruvallikeni?
Thiruvallikeni is in Chennai, within Chennai city. It is reachable by auto, app cab or city bus; Chennai airport is about 13 km away.
What are the timings at Thiruvallikeni?
Most Tamil Nadu temples open around 6 am, close from about noon to 4 pm, and reopen until 8–9 pm. Festival days follow a different schedule, so confirm locally before you travel.
What should I wear?
Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. Footwear is left outside at the stands provided. Some inner sanctums admit Hindus only, while towers and outer courtyards welcome everyone.
When is the best time to visit Thiruvallikeni?
The temple is busiest and most atmospheric on its festival days: Vaikunta Ekadasi, Krishna Jayanthi, Sri Rama Navami. For a quiet darshan, come on a weekday morning outside festival season. Check the daily panchangam for Rahu Kalam before setting out.