Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple - Holy “Divya Desam”

Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu as the main deity. It is one of the Vaishnava Divya Deshams, and considered holy and auspicious among the Hindu devotees. Also known as Perumal Koil, the temple is one of the most sacred places for Vaishnavites.

Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple – A Quick Glance

Sri Vardaraja Perumal Temple

Famous for: religious place, spiritual site

Timings: 6:00 am - 11:00 am, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Visiting duration: 1-2 hours

Entry fee: Free

Established in: 1053

Built by: Pallava King Nandivarman II

Festivals: Garudothsavam Festival (annual)

Best time to travel: May-June during the annual festival, Bhramotsavam

Total area: 93,000 square kilometres (23 acres)

Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple – An Overview

Also known as the Hastagiri, Attiyuran, and Perumal Koil, the famous Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram is a Hindu temple devoted to Lord Vishnu as the main deity. The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, or temples exclusively dedicated to Lord Vishnu where the 12 poet saints, or Alwars had paid a visit.

The temple is located in Vishnu Kanchi, a suburb of Kanchipuram, a home for several other famous Vishnu temples. It is believed that Ramanuja, one of the greatest Hindu scholars of Vaishnava Visisht Advaita philosophy, used to reside in this temple premise. The temple is called Perumal Koil as it is one of the most sacred places for the Vaishnavites.

The shrine of Varadarajaswamy is nestled on a small hillock at 10m (33ft) height and a flight of 24 steps, called Hasthagiri. The temple contains murals of the late Vijayanagara Empire on the ceiling along with several other features carved and gilds over the sanctum.

Deity - Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

The main deity worshipped here at Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram is Varadaraja Perumal in a standing posture with his face towards the west. The idol is 40 feet long and is carved out of a special wood called Atthi. The idol is submerged inside a pond, and it is taken out for 48 days after every 40 years, and the next scheduled year is 2019.

The deity of the discus of Lord Perumal at Chakkarathazwar shrine has 16 hands holding conch and discus is placed on the eastern side of the temple tank. The deity is praised as Sudharsana Azhwar in the temple.

Among the other deities worshipped here is Goddess Perundevi, the consort of Lord Vishnu and the incarnation of Mahalakshmi. The goddess Perundevi Taayaar is housed in a separate temple within the temple complex.

There are several other shrines within the premise including those of Kannan, the Alwars, and the Acharyas, Ramar, Kariamanikka Perumaal, Andal, Varaaha Perumaal.

Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Architecture of Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

The complex of Sri Vardaraja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram is spread over a huge area of 93,000 m2. The temple is a beautiful structure depicting the architectural marvel of ancient Vishwakarma Sthapathis in temple architecture.

The temple is famous for its ancient heritage and history. There are three outer precincts or prakarams - Azhwar Prakaram, Madai Palli Prakaram and Thiru Malai Prakaram, along with 32 shrines, 19 vimanams, 389 pillared halls (most having the lion type yali sculpture) and sacred tanks located both inside and outside the complex.

The main sanctum or entrance is faced towards the west and can be entered through a 130 feet tall and 7-tiered rajagopuram which is the main gateway tower. The western gopuram or entrance tower is smaller in size as compared to the eastern one, though normally the rajagopuram is the tallest in large temples.

There are four shrines in the second precinct that goes downstairs. Among those, Malayala Nachiar (Kerala consort) is the most prominent one built during the Chera kings in the early 14th century. The third precinct has the shrine of Goddess Perundevi Thayar where you need to pay the customary visit before visiting the main Perumal shrine.

 There are four small pillared halls with identical structures called Thulabara Mandapas. These structures were built in 1532 for the Achutaraya ceremony during the Vijayanagara Empire.

Major Attractions of Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Among the most famous architectural pieces in the Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram is the huge stone chain sculpted in a single stone. There are 100-pillars in a hall with sculptures and carvings of scenes of Ramayana and Mahabharata. It beautifully depicts the masterpiece of Vijayanagara architecture.

Another mentionable feature of the temple is the pattern of intricately carved lizards and gold gilded sanctum with the vimana of Varadaraja Swami, called Punyakoti Vimanam. There is another shrine of Perundevi Thayar known as Kalyana Koti Vimanam.

Submerged idol at Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

While the main stone idol stands in the main sanctum, there is another wooden image of Varadarajaswamy preserved within a silver box merged inside the pond from which water is pumped out every 40 years to bring out the deity for public view for around 48 days.

There is another shrine of mystical deity Narasimha on the hillock. The idol is trusted to possess mystifying powers and the origin of the mask of Narasimha mysterious.

History of Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

It is believed that Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram was initially started by the Pallava king Nandivarman II in 1053 only to be expanded during the reigns of the great Chola kings Kulottunga Chola I and Vikrama Chola. During the 14th century, the construction saw another wall, and a gopura was built by the later Chola kings.

Festivals at Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

The annual festival of Bhramotsavam is celebrated for 10 days during the month of May-June. The festival reaches its peak on the Poornima Visaka day drawing millions of devotees. Garudotsavam is celebrated at Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram three times a year – during Brahmotsavam, during the month of Ani, and on the full moon day of the month Adi, known as Gajendramoksha Garudaseva.

Apart from these, Navratri, Vaikunda Ekadasi, New Year day, Adhyayana Utsavam during Margazhi are also celebrated devotionally. Garuda Seva and Rath Yatra are very also famous. The car festival of the temple is also popular when the sacred car is returned to its normal place below water.

Other Temples in Kanchipuram: Sri Kailasanathar Temple,  Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple,  Ekambareswarar Temple