Temple History

Our Founder - Prof. Dr. Sri Prathyangira Swamy

The story of this temple begins with its founder, Prof. Dr. Sri Prathyangira Swamy. He worked as a journalist with the Press Trust of India in New Delhi. On a journey through Ranchi, he received Ambal Upasana through Guru Upadesham. That grace changed the course of his life. He left his career and devoted himself completely to the Divine Mother.
 

In 1998 he founded the Sri Prathyangira Siddhar Peedam Trust. Until then, no temple anywhere had been built solely for Mother Prathyangira, the powerful goddess of the Atharvana Veda. With unshaken faith, Swamiji took up that task.
 

He is also a respected Vedic astrologer. He published the ThiruKanidha Panchangam in Tamil and has written devotional books including Sri Maha Prathyangira Devi Mahatmyam. He served as Director and Head of the Department of Vedic Astrology at Vels University from 2018, and in that role he trained and guided more than 100 scholars through to their PhDs.

The Temple

Sri Maha Prathyangira Devi Temple stands in Sholinganallur, Chennai. Following the Kerala tradition, a Deva Prasnam was held, and each deity was invoked only after the Divine will was revealed. The temple was built according to Vastu Shastra, and the Kumbabishekam was held on 22 August 1998.

Today devotees come from across India and around the world. On New Year’s Day alone, about one lakh people visit the temple.

Service to devotees is at the heart of the temple. Every Sunday, Annadhanam is offered free to devotees as the Mother’s prasadam. The Trust also holds medical camps and publishes devotional books, magazines and music. Through regular spiritual discourses, it brings the Mother’s teachings to devotees.
 

Main Sannidhis

Sri Maha Prathyangira Devi:
The presiding deity is the lion-faced Mother who protects her devotees from every negative force. She is usually known for her fierce form, but here she is worshipped in her Shantha form: calm and compassionate, like a mother who never stops loving her child.
 

Sri Mantra Varahi Devi:
Varahi is commander of the Divine Mother’s army and the goddess of courage and victory. She appears here in three forms: Ashvaruda Varahi on a horse, Mahisharuda Varahi on a buffalo, and Garuda Varahi on Garuda.
 

Sri Sarabeshwarar:
In legend, Lord Shiva took the Sarabha form to calm Lord Narasimha, and Mother Prathyangira emerged from that same divine power. Having Sarabeshwarar and Prathyangira in one temple brings that story to life.
 

Sri Guruvayurappan:
Reflecting the temple’s Kerala roots, Sri Guruvayurappan blesses devotees here with Chakrathazhwar and Bhaktha Anjaneyar at his side.