Set in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, Pavalavarna Perumal Temple honours Pavalavarna Perumal (also called Pavalavannar), a coral hued standing form of Vishnu, with consort Pavalavalli (Lakshmi). It is also known as Pavalavannam Temple, Thiruppavalavannam Temple, Thiru Pavala Vannar Devasthanam.
Pavalavarna 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. Peyalvar, Thirumalisai Alvar, and Thirumangai Alvar are credited with composing verses on the different forms of the deity worshipped here. Temple tradition holds that Vishnu's complexion here takes on a coral (pavala) hue, reflecting a belief that his color shifts with the moral conduct of humans in a given age.
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
Published sources do not give a single clean daily window for this temple; see the notes below for what is documented.
Wikipedia lists 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, but public darshan opening and closing hours could not be confirmed from an official source.
Poojas and daily rituals
Six daily rituals are performed: Ushathkalam, Kalasanthi, Uchikalam, Sayarakshai, Irandamkalam, and Ardha Jamam.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Brahmotsavam | Tamil month of Vaikasi, May to June | The major annual festival at the temple. |
| Pavitrotsavam | Tamil month of Panguni, March to April | An annual purification festival observed at the temple. |
| Vaikuntha Ekadashi | Tamil month of Margazhi, December to January | Observed as a significant festival day at the temple, per secondary sources. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Built in Dravidian style, with a seven tiered rajagopuram and a granite wall enclosing the shrines and two temple tanks. The Vedasara Vimana over the sanctum carries five kalasams. Pavalavarna is enshrined in standing posture, with a separate shrine for Pavalavalli facing east. The temple tank is called Chakra Theertham. Three wall inscriptions survive, two from the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1070 to 1120 CE) and one from Rajadhiraja Chola (1018 to 1054 CE).
History
Temple tradition holds that Vishnu's complexion here takes on a coral (pavala) hue, reflecting a belief that his color shifts with the moral conduct of humans in a given age. The temple is closely linked with the nearby Pacchaivannapperumal Temple, where Vishnu is worshipped in a green hued form, about 500 meters away, and the two shrines are together counted as a single Divya Desam.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Thiru Pavala Vannar Devasthanam, Kalander Street, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, 631502.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Core history, architecture, and inscriptions are well corroborated on Wikipedia, but darshan timings, entry fee, and dress code could not be confirmed from an official source