Pandavadootha Perumal Temple, in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, honours Pandava Thoothar Perumal (Krishna), a form of Vishnu, with consort Rukmini. It is also known as Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple, Thiruppadagam Temple, Thirupadagam Kshetram.
Pandavadootha Perumal Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the sacred Vishnu shrines glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet saints of the 6th to 9th centuries CE, with Peyalvar, Bhoothathalvar, and Nammalvar among those credited with hymns to this shrine. The temple is connected to the Mahabharata legend of Krishna acting as a peace envoy, or doota, on behalf of the Pandavas, which gives the deity his name, Pandava Thoothar.
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 11:00 AM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
Wikipedia additionally describes six daily ritual stages: Ushathkalam at 7 AM, Kalasanthi at 8 AM, Uchikalam at 12 PM, Sayarakshai at 6 PM, Irandamkalam at 7 PM, and Ardha Jamam at 10 PM. The simpler visitor-facing hours above come from a secondary travel source and are not confirmed from an official HR&CE listing.
Poojas and daily rituals
Six daily rituals are performed: Ushathkalam, Kalasanthi, Uchikalam, Sayarakshai, Irandamkalam, and Ardha Jamam, each including decoration, food offerings, and lamp offerings to the deity.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna Janmashtami | Tamil month of Avani, August to September | The most prominent annual festival at the temple, celebrating the birth of Krishna, whose form is worshipped here as Pandava Thoothar. |
| Festival for Arulala Perumal Emperumanar | Tamil month of Karthikai, November to December | A secondary annual festival honoring the Vaishnava acharya Arulala Perumal Emperumanar. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Built in Dravidian style with a four tiered rajagopuram and a Bhadra Vimana over the sanctum. The central shrine houses a 25 foot (7.6 m) image of Pandava Thoothar in Ardha Padmasana posture with two arms, with a separate Rukmini shrine to the south. The temple tank is called Matsya Tirtham. Wall inscriptions in Tamil, two from the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1070 to 1120 CE) and one from Rajadhiraja Chola II (1166 to 1178 CE), record merchant donations for temple upkeep.
History
The temple is connected to the Mahabharata legend of Krishna acting as a peace envoy, or doota, on behalf of the Pandavas, which gives the deity his name, Pandava Thoothar. It is considered one of the three oldest Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram, alongside the Ulagalantha Perumal Temple and the Yathothkari Perumal Temple.
Planning your visit
How to reach
28-B, Pandava Dhoodha Perumal Koil Street, Thirupadagam, Periya Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, 631502. Located near the Ekambareswarar Temple in Big Kanchipuram and close to the Gangai Kondaan Mandapam. Kanchipuram is about 75 km from Chennai off the Chennai to Vellore or Bengaluru highway via Sriperumbudur, and is connected by bus and rail.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Core history, architecture, and inscriptions are well corroborated on Wikipedia, but the simplified public darshan hours and address come from secondary travel sources not an official HR&CE listing