Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: Sudharsun.j · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped
The Ashtalakshmi Temple stands on the shore at Besant Nagar, beside Elliot's Beach, and is dedicated to Lakshmi in her eight forms — the Ashtalakshmi, worshipped as the givers of wealth, food, knowledge, courage, progeny, victory, prosperity and success. It is a modern shrine rather than an ancient one: the foundation was laid in January 1974 through public contribution at the wish of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal of the Kanchi Mutt, and the consecration took place on 5 April 1976. Its most distinctive feature is its vertical plan — the shrines are arranged across four levels in nine separate sanctums, laid out so that a devotee never walks above another sanctum while going from one goddess to the next, with Dhanalakshmi placed alone on the topmost floor. The design is said to follow the Sundara Varadaraja Perumal temple at Uthiramerur, and the sea is visible from the upper levels.
November to February is the easiest stretch for elders — Chennai is cooler and the sea breeze at Besant Nagar makes even a midday visit bearable; March to June is genuinely hot and humid. For festival atmosphere, come during Varalakshmi Vratam (July–August), when married women observe the vratam in large numbers, or during Navaratri (September–October), when each form of Lakshmi is dressed and the temple is lit through the nine nights. Both are heavily crowded, and Fridays through the year are busy; a weekday morning outside festival season is the calmest.
Chennai International Airport (Meenambakkam) is roughly 16–20 km away, about 45 minutes to an hour by road depending on traffic. Chennai Egmore is around 14 km and Chennai Central a little more; on the MRTS suburban line, Indira Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur stations are both about 3–3.5 km from the temple. By road the temple sits at the end of Besant Nagar's beach road, reached easily from Adyar or along the East Coast Road, and city buses, autos and app cabs all serve the Elliot's Beach stop a short walk away.
The temple is built on four levels and the shrines are reached by staircases, so a full darshan of all eight Lakshmis involves a fair amount of climbing. Elders with knee trouble or anyone unable to manage stairs should plan to worship at the lower-level shrines and take the climb slowly, or skip the upper floors. Traditional dress is expected, as at any South Indian temple. If timings or a particular pooja matter to your plan, confirm directly with the temple office before you travel.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Ashtalakshmi Temple in Chennai for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
How much walking and climbing is involved for elderly pilgrims?
More than at a single-level temple. The nine sanctums are spread over four floors and are connected by stairs, so seeing all eight forms of Lakshmi means going up and down several flights. Many families with elders do the ground and second-level shrines and leave it at that. Go early in the day when it is cool and less crowded, and allow extra time rather than rushing.
Is this an ancient temple or a modern one?
It is modern. The foundation was laid in January 1974 and the temple was consecrated on 5 April 1976, built through public contributions at the wish of the Kanchi Mutt's Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal. It was extensively renovated in 2012, when a fresh kumbhabhishekam was performed. Its importance comes from the deity and the unusual Ashtalakshmi layout, not from age.
Can we combine this with other places nearby?
Yes, easily. Elliot's Beach is right beside the temple, and Adyar, the Theosophical Society grounds and the Kapaleeshwarar Temple at Mylapore are all within a short drive north. The Marundeeswarar Temple at Thiruvanmiyur is a few kilometres south, so a half-day Chennai temple circuit is comfortable for most families.
Plan your Ashtalakshmi Temple yatra
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