Description
Parrys Kalikambal Devi Temple is of Goddess Kalimbakal or Kamakshi's temple located in Thambu Chetty Street in a place called Parrys in Chennai. It is a popular Hindu temple visited by devotees and tourists due to the divinity and the blissful ambience of the place. Thambu Chatty Street runs parallel to Chennai's Rajaji Salai and you can reach the temple easily from the Chennai Beach station if you come by rail which is close to it, and it is also just a kilometer or two away from the Chennai Broadway bus terminus. The nearest landmark is Madras high court which is next to the temple. Footfall is highest during the celebration of Brahmotsavam.
History
The temple is highly historically relevant. It is to be noted that the name of the city, 'Chennai' is derived from the earlier name 'Chennamman Kuppam', which was given in the honour of Goddess Chennaman. The Kali idol of this place called Chennamman Kuppam is known today as Kalikambal Devi. It is said that, the Chennamman Kuppam idol was placed inside St George fort but later in 1640 AD it was shifted to its present place during the British rule in India.
Importance/Significance
The Kalikambal Devi temple is an ancient Indian temple and the mighty Maratha ruler Shivaji too is said to have prayed over here. Chhatrapati Shivaji worshipped and sought the blessings in this temple on October, 1667. There is a drawing chiseled in one of the walls of the temple which shows the scene where Shivaji is praying to the Goddess Kalimbakal. The architecture of the temple is typically an ancient Indian and the Knitter in the temple called the Sri Chakra Vimanum is a specimen of beautiful work of art. It is wonderfully crafted and unique to this temple. The temple is very sacred. It is considered to have the sanctity of Kanchipuram as well as Thiruvannamalai among the Pancha bootha Sthalams. The goddess is considered very powerful and is said to bring success and prosperity to her followers and also to their family members. The ambience even is very pious, calm and quiet. One can feel the divinity which is being intact.
Facts/Mythology
According to stories of the temple, the goddess who was worshipped earlier was fierce in appearance. However, the present form of the goddess is the calm and serene, the shanta swaroopa form is called Kamakshi. So probably the previous form was replaced. It is also believed that the sages like Vyasa, Varunan, Ankiresar and Parasar and gods like Indra, Kubera and Vishwakarma worshipped the deity Kalimbakal. Kuber got his wealth after worshipping the Goddess here.
Festivals/Events/Gatherings
Parrys Kalikambal Devi Temple celebrates many festivals. Among them the most famous one is Bhramotsavam. The festival is celebrated for ten days during the Tamil month of Vaikasi. The popular festival is attended by a huge congregation of devotees and followers, though devotees and tourists visit the temple almost all throughout the year.
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