Śrī Vaishnavi Shrine

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

News: Navaratri 2001 at Śrī Vaishnavi Shrine

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

The Shrine

Śrī 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 Śrī Swami Anvananda (Śrī Sadhu Parthasarathi) in 1954. There is also an ashram in the campus for sadhaka-members devoted to Śrī Vaishnavi Devi and visiting sannyasis.

Śrī 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 Śrī 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 ārati to Vaishnavi Devi utsavar during annual Tiruppukazh celebration, April 2000.

Śrī Swami Anvananda, also known as Śrī Sadhu Parthasarathy, Revered Poojya Papaji, Śrī S. Parthasarathy, was the son of the illustrious Śrī 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. Śrī Parthasarathy was the brother of PadmaŚrī late S. Ambujam Ammal, the founder of Śrī Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam and an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhiji. As one of the leading member of the Madras Bar Association, Śrī 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 Śrī 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 Śrī 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.

Śrī 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 Śrī Meenakshi also reached him, and even before arrival of Devi to the founder, he was gifted with a Śrī Chakra by Śrī Ramana Maharshi with blessings.

Śrī 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 Śrī Vaishnavi manifestation of Śrī Durga, Śrī Lakshmi and Śrī Saraswati as enshrined in the well known mountain cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

Other Parivara Deities

After the installation of Śrī Vaishnavi Devi at Tirumullaivayal in 1954, additions were made to the shrine from time to time with the installation of Śrī Siddhi Vinayagar, Śrī Balasubramaniar, Sankam Nidhi, Padmam Nidhi inside the sanctum and Śrī Dakshinamurti, Devi idol of Śrī Maheswari, Śrī Narayani, Śrī Brahmi and Śrī Anjaneyar in the outer prakaram. Apart from these, the sanctum houses a unique ancient panchaloka icon of Śrī Shanmugar (having six faces) with Śrī Valli and Devayani consorts, photos of Śrī Seshadri Swamigal, Śrī Vallimalai Swamigal, Śrī Ramana Maharshi, Śrī Arunagirinathar and Śrī Swami Anvananda-ji and an icon of Śrī 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, Śrī Vaikunta Ekadasi, Adi Krittikai, Adi Puram, Vinayaka Chathurti, Navaratri, Sivaratri special alankars adorn Devi particularly as Śrī Venkatachalopati (Śrī Balaji), Śrī Valli, Śrī Andal, Śrī Maha Kali, Śrī Mahalakshmi, Śrī Sarasvati, Śrī Yogeswari, Śrī Annapoorni, Śrī Gayatri, Śrī Krishna and Śrī 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 Śrī Vaishnavi Shrine, contact: