Set in Anbil, Tamil Nadu, Sundararaja Perumal Temple is a shrine to Sundararaja Perumal, also called Vadivazhagiya Nambi (Vishnu), with consort Sundaravalli Thayar. It is also known as Vadivazhagiya Nambi Perumal Koil, Thiru Anbil.
The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet-saints; it is revered here by Tirumalisai Alvar. It is counted as the fifth Divya Desam of the Chola country and is associated in local tradition with the Chola king Sundara Chola. One temple legend tells of the sage Suthaba, cursed by Durvasa to take the form of a frog.
Tamil Nadu carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Land of towering gopurams and living Dravidian temple traditions, from the Chola masterpieces to the great Pancha Bhoota Sthalas.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Evening | 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
Six daily poojas are reported at approximately 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM, distinct from the public darshan hours above. The temple's Google Maps Business listing gives an identical schedule (7:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM), independently corroborating the hours above.
Poojas and daily rituals
Six daily rituals; free food (Annadhanam) reported for around 100 devotees daily
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Tirthavari | Tamil month of Maasi (February to March) | The temple's major festival |
| Vaikuntha Ekadashi | Tamil month of Margazhi (December to January) | Observed as a significant festival day for Vishnu |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style temple with an east-facing three-tiered rajagopuram, a roof structure over the sanctum called the Tharaga Vimanam, a temple tank named Manduka Theertham, and a granite surrounding wall. It stands on the northern bank of the Kollidam river.
History
One temple legend tells of the sage Suthaba, cursed by Durvasa to take the form of a frog. Another explains the deity's name Vadivazhagiya Nambi ('the one with a beautifully shaped body'): Brahma believed himself the most handsome being since he had created all humans, so Vishnu appeared before him as a strikingly handsome young man to humble him. Copper plate inscriptions record generous Chola-period donations to the temple, and the medieval Chola king Sundara Chola, father of Raja Raja Chola I, is described in temple tradition as a devotee who prayed here before going into battle and donated wealth after his victories.
Planning your visit
How to reach
About 25 km from Tiruchirappalli, on the northern bank of the Kollidam river, reachable via Lalgudi.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Low. Darshan hours (7 am to 12:30 pm and 4 to 8 pm) are now corroborated across multiple independent temple-guide sources and the temple's Google Maps Business listing, an exact match, closing that part of the gap; entry fee is described as free by several such sources but no source gave a directly quotable confirmation, and dress code guidance found online is generic temple-etiquette advice rather than anything specific to this temple, so both remain blank; the Kambar-Anbil claim remains correctly omitted