Chenni amman to Kaligambal - A transformation tale

The temple of Sri Kaligambal, Santha Sowmya Swaroopa (calm postured) form of Adi Shakthi is located amid the noisy traffic of Chennai’s commercial capital George Town. One of the most famous temples of Chennai, Kaligambal temple was the inspiration for the famous poem of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi, ‘Kaali Paattu’ which starts with the line ‘Yaadumagi Nindrai Kaali’ (Mother Kaali, you are everything in this world).

The earliest recorded references to this deity dates back to the mid-1600s, when she was worshipped at the seashore by the residents of three fishing hamlets. Anointed red with Sindoor, the goddess was called “Chenni Amman”. After 1639, when the British East India company began building Fort St. George and acquired surrounding settlements for their warehouses and commercial establishments, the temple was relocated inside the Fort, with the goddess known as “Kottai Amman”.

When the Vishwakarma community of artisans migrated to Tiruvallikkeni to work on the renovation of the Parthasarathy Swami temple, they transported stone from Tiruvannamalai to build the Kalikambal temple. Over time, the goddess became one of their chief deities, with the Vishwakarmas doing the temple’s activities and administration even today.

Although the exact date of construction is unknown, a coin dating to the mid-1800s, discovered during the dwajasthamba pratishta in 2018, testifies to the present temple’s existence at that point and perhaps earlier. The earliest structures are the Moolasthana, the Utsavar Sannidhi and Nataraja’s granite mandapams. Later additions include the west rajagopuram built under the aegis of my grandfather in 1940, the Vishwa Brahma shrine, and the east Rajagopuram completed in 1983.

Sacred by the Sri Chakra, Kaligambal holds the Pasa and Ankusha in her two upper hands, the blue lotus blossom in the lower right, with her lower left hand in Varada Hasta (Mudra of granting boons for devotees). A unique feature is that the deity in the garbha griha faces west. This intensifies Ambal’s power as Kshipra Prasadini (swift granter of boons). Kalikambal is worshiped by the local vendors, traders and residents for bringing success and prosperity in business and commerce. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kamateswarar in this temple.

It is said that on October 3, 1677, Chatrapati Shivaji, the Maratha king and warrior-general, is said to have visited this temple. A staunch devotee of the goddess Bhavani, it is believed that Shivaji won the key battle against Muhals and called as Chatrapati, only after worshipping Kalikambal. The temple houses an image of the king on horseback and a stone inscription specifying the date. Renowned poet Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, who lived in Thambu Chetty Street during his Swadesamitran days, used to visit the temple daily.

The annual utsavam held in the Vaikasi month includes the unique chariots ‘Poonther’ (chariot of flowers) and ‘Kinnither’ (chariot lined with metal cymbals) attracts large number of devotees. The Navaratri and the Vasanta Navaratri festivals are also the important festivals of this temple.