Sri Vaishnavi Shrine

Car shed complex Post, Tirumullaivayal
Avadi Chennai - 600 109, India

News: Navaratri 2001 at Sri Vaishnavi Shrine

Maha Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Vaishnavi Devi Shrine
scheduled for 26 February 2002

The Shrine

Sri Vaishnavi Shrine is a privately-owned and operated temple located in Tirumullaivayal on Madras Tiruvallore High Road (MTH Road, between Avadi and Ambattur, Chennai - 600 109), founded by Sri Swami Anvananda (Sri Sadhu Parthasarathi) in 1954. There is also an ashram in the campus for sadhaka-members devoted to Sri Vaishnavi Devi and visiting sannyasis.

Sri Vaishnavi Devi is worshipped at this temple by large number of devotees from all over the country and abroad and experienced the ecstasy and bliss apart from immense peace. The number of devotees is increasing day by day and this temple has been included as one of the few by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development. The temple is in the vicinity of well-known ancient temple of Sri Masilamaneeswarar of Thondaimandalam. The shrine is open for all bhaktas and sadhakas without distinction of caste, colour, creed, religion or gender.

Vaishnavi Shrine Trustee P.S. Krishna Iyer offers ârati to Vaishnavi Devi utsavar during annual Tiruppukazh celebration, April 2000.

Sri Swami Anvananda, also known as Sri Sadhu Parthasarathy, Revered Poojya Papaji, Sri S. Parthasarathy, was the son of the illustrious Sri S. Srinivasa Iyengar, one of the very early presidents of the Indian National Congress, perhaps the first Indian Advocate General of composite Madras State and Srimati Ranganayaki Ammal. He was born on 9th April, 1901. Sri Parthasarathy was the brother of Padmasri late S. Ambujam Ammal, the founder of Sri Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam and an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhiji. As one of the leading member of the Madras Bar Association, Sri Parthasarathy was associated with various industrial and financial institutions of both Madras and to then Travancore States. He had the distinction of leading the industrial Development Commission set up by the then Madras State after Independence, As the founder and Managing Director, with late Sri N Gopalaswami Iyengar as Chairman, he established the Prithivi Insurance Company later amalgamating few insurance companies of both Madras and then Mysore State and late merged with the Nationalised life Insurance and General Insurance corporations,

With the arrival of Sri Devi idol, he gradually withdrew from all material activities devoted himself for worship of Devi emulating bhakti cult of spiritualism with the rituals of Her bidding, became Sadhu Parthasarathy and then took sanyas as Swami Anvananda, With immense accomplishments and wealth he renounced everything in service of Devi and constructed the temple and ashram fifty years ago for the benefit of the public and sadhakas and saints.

Sri Vaishnavi Devi

The aspect of Shakti as mother Goddess, worshipped through various manifestations are familiar. The moolavar Devi idol from an unknown source as a gift form reached the late revered founder over fifty years ago in the wee hours of a night at his residence on Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai, on 3rd September 1943. A panchaloka icon worshipped as Devi Sri Meenakshi also reached him, and even before arrival of Devi to the founder, he was gifted with a Sri Chakra by Sri Ramana Maharshi with blessings.

Sri Vallimalai Tiruppugazh Sachidananda Swamigal, the divine ordained propagator bhakta of Lord Murugan through the sacred Tiruppugazh of Saint Arunagirinathar or over six centuries ago, identified our Moolavar Devi as Sri Vaishnavi manifestation of Sri Durga, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Saraswati as enshrined in the well known mountain cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

Other Parivara Deities

After the installation of Sri Vaishnavi Devi at Tirumullaivayal in 1954, additions were made to the shrine from time to time with the installation of Sri Siddhi Vinayagar, Sri Balasubramaniar, Sankam Nidhi, Padmam Nidhi inside the sanctum and Sri Dakshinamurti, Devi idol of Sri Maheswari, Sri Narayani, Sri Brahmi and Sri Anjaneyar in the outer prakaram. Apart from these, the sanctum houses a unique ancient panchaloka icon of Sri Shanmugar (having six faces) with Sri Valli and Devayani consorts, photos of Sri Seshadri Swamigal, Sri Vallimalai Swamigal, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Arunagirinathar and Sri Swami Anvananda-ji and an icon of Sri Venugana Krishnar.

Pujas and Festivals

The rituals offered daily are as observed by the founder together with the evening abhishekam, archanas with special pujas on Thursdays, Fridays, purnimas, moolams and poorams as a routinely throughout the year. These pujas are booked by the devotees and performing the archanas by themselves. On festival days of Bhogi Pongal, Deepavali, Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi, Adi Krittikai, Adi Puram, Vinayaka Chathurti, Navaratri, Sivaratri special alankars adorn Devi particularly as Sri Venkatachalopati (Sri Balaji), Sri Valli, Sri Andal, Sri Maha Kali, Sri Mahalakshmi, Sri Sarasvati, Sri Yogeswari, Sri Annapoorni, Sri Gayatri, Sri Krishna and Sri Rama appropriate to the festivals. All these alankarams and rituals are as directed with appropriate jewellery, vahanams and other requirements. These have been carried out by the founder which are followed to the best of our ability.

Note: Sincere devotees from afar may be accommodated at Vaishnavi Ashram in special circumstances if they contact the administration in advance for approval. Contact information is given below:

For more detailed information about Sri Vaishnavi Shrine, contact: