Parthasarathy Temple, Chennai

The Parthasarathy Temple in the Triplicane district of Chennai is one of the oldest structures in the city, an eighth-century Vaishnavite shrine dedicated to Krishna in his role as the charioteer of the warrior Arjuna. Built under the Pallavas and expanded by later dynasties, it enshrines five forms of Vishnu across its halls. Its gopuram towers and sculpted pillars overlook a tank around which the old quarter grew. It hosts colourful festivals when processional deities are drawn through the streets, and remains a devotional heart of Chennai.