Set in Thripuliyur, Kerala, Thiruppuliyur Mahavishnu Temple is a shrine to Maayapiran Perumal with consort Porkodi Nachiyar. It is also known as Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple, Thripuliyoorappan Temple.
Thiruppuliyur Mahavishnu Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet-saints (praised here by Nammalvar around the 8th-9th century CE). It is also one of the five ancient Pandava shrines of the Chengannur area. Tradition holds that the five Pandava brothers, after crowning their grand-nephew Parikshit as king of Hastinapura, went on a pilgrimage and each built a Vishnu shrine along the Pamba river region; this temple is attributed to Bhima, the second Pandava.
Kerala carries a distinct temple identity of its own: God's Own Country, where copper-roofed shrines and centuries-old rituals draw pilgrims to Vishnu, Krishna and Ayyappa.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM |
| Evening | 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM |
Hours listed are for regular days; timings may be extended during festivals.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Arattu festival | Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January) | A ceremonial procession in which the deity is taken to a nearby river or water body for a ritual bath. |
| Kavadiyattam | Tamil month of Thai (January-February) | A devotional festival involving the Kavadi ritual dance. |
| Annual ten-day festival | Medam month (April-May) | A ten-day annual temple festival. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Kerala style temple with a rectangular outer wall (Kshetra-Madilluka), a metal flagpost (dvajasthambam), an outer pavilion (Chuttuambalam), pillared halls (Nallambalam) and a raised platform (Namaskara Mandapa). The circular sanctum (Sreekovil) has a granite base, laterite superstructure and a conical terracotta tile roof. Additional shrines within the complex are dedicated to Dakshinamurthy, Krishna, Bhagavati and Ayyappa.
History
Tradition holds that the five Pandava brothers, after crowning their grand-nephew Parikshit as king of Hastinapura, went on a pilgrimage and each built a Vishnu shrine along the Pamba river region; this temple is attributed to Bhima, the second Pandava.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Nearest railway station is Chengannur; nearest airports are Trivandrum International Airport and Cochin International Airport.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Built era, poojas, entry fee, dress code and official website could not be verified from available sources