Chitragupta Temple, Kanchipuram

The holy temple city of Kancheepuram is famous not only for a number of Shiva temples and the Vaishnava Temple, but also because of the presence of a unique and a separate temple dedicated to Lord Chitragupta. Chitragupta is considered the chief accountant and the minister of Lord Yama, or the God of Death. There is no other separate shrine or temple that has been built devoted to Chitragupta, other than the Chitragupta temple in Kancheepuram.

According to the Puranas, Lord Yama requested Lord Siva to get Him an intelligent chief minister and chief accountant for looking after the good and bad deeds committed by the human beings. Lord Siva in turn told Brahma, and Chitragupta was born to the Sun God and Neeladevi.

He is considered the younger brother of Lord Yama. Chitragupta keeps record of all the good and evil deeds of humans and accordingly decides to send them to heaven or hell.

Chitragupta is the Athi Devathai for Kethu which is one of the Navagrahas. So, anyone who worships Chitragupta at the temple would be endowed with good health, prosperity and spiritual knowledge. The evil effects of Ketu would also be mitigated.

There are a large number of worshippers and devotees who come to the temple to perform pujas, especially during the Pournami or full moon every month. The Chitra Pournami is celebrated on a grand scale annually.

The presiding deity at the Chitragupta temple, Kancheepuram is in a sitting posture holding a pen in the right hand. The left hand holds a palm leaf, both symbols of his work. There is also the Utsava Panchaloka idol of Chitragupta whioch is seen along with his consort Karnikambal.

source: http://www.parihara.com/chitragupta-kanchi.html