CHENNAI : Villivakkam is one of the ancient places of Chennai, which has been recorded in inscriptions. It is home to the well-known Sowmya Damodara Perumal temple, situated in the centre of this place. Damodara is another name for Krishna, which is connection with the Puranic episode when Yashoda tied Him up with a rope.The main entrance of the temple faces east and at the entrance is a three-tier gopuram with numerous stucco sculptures of various forms of Vishnu on it. This mandapa which is directly in front of the main sanctum has granite pillars, the bases of which have carvings.
The large mandapa with the Garuda sanctum is the maha-mandapa of this shrine. The next mandapa, towards the main shrine is the ardha-mandapa and the connecting vestibule is the antarala. The circumambulatory passage (prakaram) has many sanctums for Anjaneya and in a row are those of the Azhvars and Acharyas like Thirukkachi Nambi, Embar Swami and Vedanta Desika.
Next to this row of shrines is the large sanctum for Goddess Amritavalli Thayar facing east with a sixteen-pillar mandapa in front and close to it is the sacred garden (nandavanam). On the north-west corner of the prakara is the shrine for Andal, again with a mandapa in front. In this pillared hall are also some sanctums for the Azhvars and Acharyas.
Damodara Perumal in the main sanctum, flanked by Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, is a large image holding the sankha and chakra in the upper hands. The lower right hand in abhaya hasta (blessing devotees) and the lower left hand in kati hasta (resting on the waist). A special feature is that this deity is considered to be Krishna, the child as it is said that the scar of the rope He was tied with by mother Yashoda is visible both on the presiding and processional deities.