About Chitragupta Temple
Chitragupta Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Chitragupta, the divine accountant and assistant to Yama, located on Nellukara Street in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the few temples in India dedicated to this deity and is believed to have been built by the Cholas in the 9th century. The temple features South Indian Dravidian architecture and is noted for its unique shrine where Chitragupta is depicted holding a pen and scriptures.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a small, traditional South Indian temple with a Dravidian-style gopuram and sanctum housing the image of Chitragupta holding a pen and palm-leaf manuscripts. The temple is located in a residential street in Big Kanchipuram, with a quiet courtyard and shrine area for darshan and prayers. The setting is simple compared to larger Kanchipuram temples, allowing close viewing of the deity and temple architecture.
Key highlights
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One of the few temples in India dedicated to Chitragupta, the recorder of human deeds
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9th-century Chola-era Dravidian architecture
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Unique iconography of Chitragupta holding a pen and scriptures
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Located in the temple town of Kanchipuram near major Shiva and Vishnu temples
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Active place of worship especially visited on Chitra Pournami
History of Chitragupta Temple
Believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas in the 9th century, the temple is an early example of Dravidian temple architecture in Kanchipuram. It was later maintained under subsequent South Indian dynasties. Its dedication to Chitragupta is rare, as most Hindu temples are dedicated to major deities.
Culture & Context
The temple is culturally significant as one of the very few shrines dedicated to Chitragupta, considered the assistant of Yama who records the good and bad deeds of humans. Devotees worship here for knowledge, justice and to seek forgiveness for past deeds. The temple is especially significant during Chitra Pournami festival.
Route
| By air |
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