Pidari Chelliamman Temple, Velachery, Chennai
Pidari
Chelliamman Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Chelliamman located
at Velachery, well-known locality of Chennai City in Tamil Nadu. This Temple is
one of the oldest temple in the locality. The small temple is one among the
famous Amman temples of Velachery, which also includes Orandiamman and Draupadi
Amman temples. The Sapta Mathrikas Temple is normally constructed to guard a
water body and this temple was constructed to protect the huge Velachery Lake. This
Temple is one of the oldest temples of Sapta Mathrikas in entire Tamil Nadu.
This Temple is situated just opposite to Dandeeswarar Temple.
History
The Temple
was constructed during the Pallava regime and dates back to 6th
Century AD. This Temple is as old as the other famous temples of the locality –
the Dandeeswarar and the Yoga Narasimhar Temples. Sapta Matas Worship is a very
old tradition. Hundreds of temples of Sapta Matas in the name of Pidari Amman
or Chelli Amman can be found in every nook and corner in Tamilnadu. However, this
particular temple of Sapta Matrikas in Velachery is very special. It had the
inscriptions of Parthivendra Varman dated 966 CE.
Parthivendra
Varman is believed to have beheaded Vira Pandya; it is also believed that he
belonged to the ancient Pallava dynasty. Another inscription dated 967 CE
belonged to the period of Aditya Karikalan. The temple is completely
renovated now and the inscriptions seem to be missing. It is such an
unfortunate thing. An ancient and historic temple of a Grama Devta in Chennai
city has lost its identity in the name of renovation.
The
Temple
The
small temple has a tower, which is completely painted as part of renovation. Presiding
Deity is called as Pidari Chelliamman. The sanctum enshrines Sapta Matas,
namely Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamundi.
Out of these seven divine females, Chamundi is considered as Pidari or Chelli
Amman. All these images are Pallava period sculptures.
The
Utsava icon of Pidari and the stone idols of Ganesha and Veerabhadra are also
found inside the sanctum. Old Saptha Mathas or Saptha Kanniyars in the form of
stone bricks, a very old tradition of representing Sapta Matas are kept in the
west wall and new Navagraha shrine was added during renovation. Lord Dhakshinamoorthy
can be seen in the niche behind the sanctum.
Temple
Opening Time
The Temple
remains open from 06.00 AM to 09.00 AM and 05.00 PM to 08.30 PM.
Contact
Pidari
Chelliamman Temple,
Velachery,
Chennai – 600 042
Phone: +91 44 22264337
Mobile: +91 98419 41819 / 94441 32926
Connectivity
The
Temple is located at about 150 meters from Dhandeeswaram Tank / Gandhi Road Bus
Stop, 200 meters from Dandeeswarar
Temple, 250 meters from Dhandeeswaram Bus Stop, 1 Km from Vijayanagar
Bus Stand, 5 Kms from Guindy Railway Station, 6 Kms from Thiruvanmiyur, 18 Kms
from Tambaram Railway Station, 2 Kms from Velachery Railway Station, 5 Kms from
Alandur Metro Station, 5 Kms from St. Thomas Mount Metro Station, 17 Kms from Chennai
Central Railway Station, 15 Kms from Egmore Railway Station, 17 Kms from
Koyambedu Bus Terminus, 6 Kms from Nangainallur, 6 Kms from Adyar and 12 Kms
from Chennai Airport.
The
Temple is located in Velachery, Chennai on the way from Saidapet towards
Pallikaranai. Lot of Town buses available from various parts of Chennai
City to Velachery and the bus stop is Gandhi Road or Dhandeeswaram bus stop
between Gurunanak College and Vijaya Nagar Bus Terminus. The temple is located
in the Rajbhavan-Vijayanagar Bus stand road, about 1.5 Kms from the Vijayanagar
Bus Stand. Those coming from southern district may get down either at Tambaram
or Guindy stations. There are bus facilities from these places to the
temple. Nearest Airport is Chennai Airport.
Location
References