Set in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, Varadaraja Perumal Temple is dedicated to Varadharaja Perumal (a form of Vishnu), with consort Perundevi Thayar. It is also known as Thirukachi Atthigiri, Hastagiri, Attiyuran, Arulala Perumal Koil, Perarulalan Temple.
This temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the sacred Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet saints. It is regarded by Vaishnavites as one of the most important pilgrimage sites alongside Srirangam, Tirupati and Melukote. The temple is included among the group of monuments in the Temples of Kanchipuram entry on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. According to temple legend, Brahma performed a yagna at this spot and Vishnu appeared as Varadharajaswamy from within an athi (fig) tree, giving the temple its Divya Desam name Thirukachi Atthigiri.
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 | 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
| Evening | 3:30 PM - 8:00 PM |
Confirmed directly on the temple's Tamil Nadu HR&CE page (Arulmigu Devarajaswamy Temple, tid 1864): darshan runs 7:30 AM-12:30 PM and 3:30-8:00 PM, with the temple's Nadai (gate) fully closing for the night 8:00-8:30 PM. A paid 'kattana seva' (ticketed seva-darshan) window is also offered, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM and 3:30-5:00 PM, though its exact fee is not stated on that page. Timings change on festival and Urchavam (festival procession) days. This replaces the earlier unconfirmed approximate range (about 6:00 AM-12:00 PM / 4:00-8:00 PM), which had been reported only by secondary travel sites and could not previously be confirmed from an official source.
Daily aarti and pooja schedule
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Thirumanjana Kudam (Nithyapadi Thiruvaradhanam) | 6:00 AM - 6:30 AM |
| Thiruvaradanam Pooja | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM |
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 Vaigasi (May to June) | A ten day annual festival featuring processions of the deity on various vahanams (mounts) including Garuda Vahanam, culminating in a chariot (Ther) procession |
| Atthi Varadar | Once every 40 years, for 48 days | The rare unveiling and public darshan of the original wooden fig tree (athi) image of the deity, normally kept immersed in the temple tank |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style temple complex spanning about 9.5 hectares (23 acres) with three outer precincts, 32 shrines, 19 towers, and around 389 pillared halls. It has a 7 tiered gateway tower rising about 40 meters, an ornate stone chain carved from a single block, and a sanctum vimana known as Punyakoti Vimanam
History
According to temple legend, Brahma performed a yagna at this spot and Vishnu appeared as Varadharajaswamy from within an athi (fig) tree, giving the temple its Divya Desam name Thirukachi Atthigiri. The temple carries around 350 inscriptions recording donations and events under the Chola, Pandya, Kakatiya, Chera, Sambuvaraya, Hoysala and Vijayanagara dynasties. The Vaishnava philosopher Ramanuja is believed to have resided here for a period.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located in Chinna Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu (approx. coordinates 12.819 N, 79.725 E). Kanchipuram is about 75 km from Chennai off the Chennai to Vellore/Bangalore highway via Sriperumbudur, and is served by Kanchipuram railway station and regular bus services from Chennai.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Daily darshan hours, individual pooja clock times and seva charges are now confirmed directly from the temple's own Tamil Nadu HR&CE page (Arulmigu Devarajaswamy Temple, tid 1864), the government body that administers it, correcting the previously blank/unconfirmed timings. Built era, architecture, history and Divya Desam/UNESCO tentative-list status remain confirmed via Wikipedia and the UNESCO tentative-list page. Timings still change on festival and Urchavam days.