Kodambakkam

Kodambakkam கோடம்பாக்கம்
neighbourhood
Rail over - bridge at Kodambakkam
Kodambakkam Show map of Chennai Kodambakkam Show map of Tamil Nadu Kodambakkam Show map of India
Coordinates: 13°02′53″N 80°13′17″E / 13.0481°N 80.2214°E / 13.0481; 80.2214Coordinates: 13°02′53″N 80°13′17″E / 13.0481°N 80.2214°E / 13.0481; 80.2214
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Chennai District
Metro	Chennai
Zone	ZONE 10 - Kodambakkam Zone
Ward	Ward No. 127,130,131,133,134
Talukas	Mambalam Taluk
Government
• Body	Chennai Corporation
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	600024
Lok Sabha constituency	Chennai South
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Theagarayanagar (T Nagar)
Planning agency	CMDA
Civic agency	Chennai Corporation
Website	www.chennai.tn.nic.in

Kodambakkam is a residential neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The neighbourhood is served by Kodambakkam railway station of the Chennai Suburban Railway Network. Kodambakkam has a high concentration of film studios and has been known for its status as the hub of the Tamil film industry.

Kodambakkam is situated at 13.0481 N latitude and 80.2214 E longitude. It is one of the westerly located neighbourhoods of Chennai city. It is bounded by the neighbourhoods of Nungambakkam to the east and West Mambalam and T. Nagar to the south. It is bounded by Vadapalani to the west and K. K. Nagar and Ashok Nagar to the south-west.

Kodambakkam is located at a distance of 8 kilometres from Fort St. George.

The neighbourhood of Kodambakkam has a history going back to about 2,000 years. During the period of the Pallavas and the Later Cholas, the western part of Kodambakkam formed a portion of the historically important temple town of Vadapalani. One of the oldest temples in Kodambakkam is the Bharthukesavar temple which is over 500 years old.

Present-day Kodambakkam originated in the 17th and 18th centuries AD, when it supposedly served as source for the horses of the stable of the Nawab of the Carnatic. It is believed that the name "Kodambakkam" itself might have been derived from the Urdu word Ghoda Bagh meaning "garden of horses". Another version says that "Kodambakkam" derives its name from "Karkodagan Pakkam". Karkodagan is the name of a famous snake in Hindu mythology. It is said that the snake worshiped Lord Shiva here. There is still a temple for Lord Shiva by the name Vengeeshwarar in Kodambakkam. Several sculptures and images of the snake Karkodagan can be seen in the temple, even today.