Parthsarthyswamy Temple

Situated in Triplicane, Parthsarthyswamy Temple is one of the oldest shrines in Chennai, built during the 8th century. The temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, features myriad Tamil and Telugu inscriptions dating back to the 8th century, a period which is believed to be of the Pallava king Dantivarman, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. The word 'Parthasarathy' means the charioteer of Arjuna in Sanskrit, which actually refers to Lord Krishna who was a charioteer to Arjuna as mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
The shrine was originally built by king Narasimhavarman I of the Pallava dynasty, and later expanded by Cholas and Vijayanagar rulers. Visitors can see five incarnations of Lord Vishnu inside the temple—Rama, Krishna, Narasimha, Ranganatha and Varadaraja. Talking about the architecture of this shrine, the gopuram or towers and mandapa or pavilion here are decorated with fine carvings, which is a common feature of almost every south Indian temple. Each year in the Tamil month of Masi, the temple plays host to a visually delightful Theppam (float) Festival, which is a seven-day affair. During this grand event, a floating structure is made using drums and timber that are decorated with flowers, lights and paintings. It is also considered as the best time to visit Parthsarthyswamy Temple.