The Ashtalakshmi Kovil is a Hindu temple, which lies on the shorelines near Elliot’s beach, in Chennai, India. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, and her eight primary forms ? the Ashtalakshmi ? the giver of all eight forms of wealth, namely, offspring, success, prosperity, wealth, courage, bravery, food, and knowledge. The sanctorums are depicted on a multi-tier complex in such a way that visitors could visit all the shrines without stepping over any of the sanctorums
Shrine’s History
The Vedas and Puranas say that Goddess Lakshmi has emerged out of the oceans when the Devas and Asuras churned the Milky Ocean. Mahavishnu married Her and They both fulfil the desires of the devotees. Goddess Lakshmi is the deity who grants the Eightfold Achievements and Eightfold Wealth. As both Mahavishnu and Mahalakshmi reside in this temple it is known as the Ashtalakshmi Temple. It is befitting to have a temple constructed and consecrated on the shores facing the sea for Goddess Lakshmi whose birthplace is the sea.
The temple was constructed at the efforts taken by the devotees under the leadership of the erudite Scholar Mukkur Srinivasa Vardachariyar and others. The foundation was laid in the year 1974.The first Consecration Ceremony was done on 5 to April 1976.The Department of Hindu Religious aND Charitable Endowments,Tamil Nadu,are administering it.An Executive Officer is functioning as the caretaker to look after the day-to-day affairs.
Architectural Relevance of This Shrine
The temple measures 65 ft in length and 45 ft in the breath. It is modelled after the Sundhararaja Perumal Temple in Uthiramerur. In this temple, the Ashtalakshmis, the eight forms of goddess Lakshmi, are present in four levels in nine separate sanctums. The shrine of Lakshmi and her consort Vishnu is in level two. One starts the worship from here. Taking the stairs, the path leads to the third floor, which has the shrines of Santhanalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi, Vidyalakshmi and Gajalakshmi. Further few steps would lead to the shrine of Dhanalakshmi, which is the only shrine on the fourth floor. Exiting the main shrine, in the first level, there are shrines for Aadilakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi and Dharyalakshmi. The temple also has Dashavatara avatars of Vishnu, Guruvayoorappan, Ganesha, Dhanwanthari and Anjaneyar deities.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
The temple is around 3 km away from the Besant Nagar bus terminus. One can easily reach the temple upon reaching Besant Nagar in Chennai.
By Rail
The nearest Railway station is Chennai.After one enters the Chennai city. One can take a bus or hire an auto-rickshaw to reach the temple at Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar in Chennai City.
By Air
The nearest Airport is Chennai.After reaching Chennai airport. One can take a private cab or taxi to reach the temple in Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar in Chennai City.
Shrine Timings
Mornings 6.30a.m to 12 Noon Evenings 4.00p.m to 9.00 p.m Friday and Sundays : Morning Hours extended up to 1.00 p.m Timings for worship may change according to Temple festivals and Occasional days.
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
NAVARATRI Navaratri festival will be celebrated for ten days in this temple, In this Temple Called Dharshana On these days ,daily , ther e will be Sri sooktam Aaradhana? at 10 am. In the evenings , there will be the procession of the day, there will be pairrvettai-, Outer procession of the deity and the deity will release the arrow on the Vanni tree as s mark of success and prosperity.
PAVITRA URSAVAM This is the annual purification ceremony. It is performed to rectify the mistakes and defects in the poojas performed both mornings and evenings for five days. All the deities are adorned with coloured Silk and Cotton yarn garlands .
All the five days poojas are done to the sacred kalasams and on the final day, the holy water is poured on the deities . It is believed to take part in such poojas.
MARKAZHI MONTH Tamil markazhi month considered sacred and poojas are performed early in the mornings. The temple opens at 5a.m during this month.
GOKULASTAMI It is also known as Sri Krishna Jayanthi . Sri Jayanthi is celebrated all over the country especially in Vaishnavite temples .. special poojas are performed . On the second day , the deity will be taken out for Uriyadi , to commemorate the childhood days of Sri Krishna when he stole butter from the pots suspended by ropes.
DEEPAVALI The Temple will be decorated with electrical lights. The deities will be given the holy bath and special dishes like laddu will be offered and distributed as prasadamas to all devotees . It is the day when Mahalakshmi rose from the Milky ocean and married Sri Mahavishnu according to Puranas and Agamas . The North Indians celebrates this Deepavali in a grand manner and on the next day they begin their new accounts. In this temple, a huge crowd visit the temple and have the darshan and take part in the SRI LAKSHMI KUMBERA HOMAM and THIRUKKALYANAM FOR GODDESS SRI MAHALAKSHMI AND SRI MAHAVISHNU on that day performed by DEVOTEES as PRARTHANAI .
KARTIGAI On kartigai day lamps with ghee are lighted and special prayers are conducted . That night all the Moolavars (deities) will be anointed with oil. After this, there will not be any holy bath thirumanjanamand festivals for about 48 days.
ENGLISH NEW YEAR DAY The temple will be opened at 3. a.m on this day . Special decorations will be made . Thousands of pilgrims and devotees will have darshan on this first day of the English year without the religious difference . They would like to begin the year with prayers so that the whole year will be prosperous fruitful them.
PONGAL Tamil New year day on the 1st this Is also celebrated in this temple from the day of 1st Consecration As the temple is on the seashore , many will visit the temple on the ksnum Pongal Day , next day to Pongal . It is customary to go out with friends relatives and get a blessing of elders . Many visit the Temple on this day to get the blessing of Sri Mahalakshmi and Sri Mahavishnu.