Set in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple is a shrine to Yoga Narasimha Perumal (also called Sri Azhagiya Singar or Mukunda Nayakar), a form of Vishnu seated in yogic posture, with consort Amritavalli (also called Velukkai Valli). It is also known as Thiruvelukkai Temple, Sri Azhagiya Singar Perumal Temple, Velukkai Perumal Koil.
Yoga Narasimha 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. Peyalvar and Thirumangai Alvar are credited with composing hymns dedicated to this shrine. Two different legends are recorded for this temple.
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.
A Wikipedia article for this temple (titled Tiruvelukkai) was located during renewed research, resolving the earlier gap of no dedicated article existing. It confirms a six-kalam daily pooja schedule (see poojas field) at a temple administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board, but it does not state public darshan opening and closing hours. Secondary travel sources still give conflicting visiting hours, some list roughly 7 AM to 12 PM and 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM, others list roughly 7 AM to 10:30 AM and 5 PM to 7:30 PM. Because these sources disagree and no official HR&CE timing could be confirmed, exact hours are left blank here.
Poojas and daily rituals
Six daily poojas are performed, per the temple's Wikipedia article: Ushathkalam around 7 AM, Kalasanthi around 8 AM, Uchikalam around 12 PM, Sayarakshai around 6 PM, Irandamkalam around 7 PM and Ardha Jamam around 10 PM, each including alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (lamp waving).
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 one named annual festival recorded for the temple on Wikipedia, which also notes three festivals are held yearly in total though only this one is identified by name |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style temple enclosed by a granite wall with a three tiered rajagopuram, per the temple's Wikipedia article; earlier secondary sources described a four tiered tower, but the Wikipedia count is treated as the more reliable figure since it comes from a dedicated article rather than a generic travel listing. Two temple tanks sit within the granite enclosure, and separate shrines exist for the Perumal, the Thaayar and Garuda. The vimanam over the sanctum is described elsewhere as a Kanaka Vimanam (golden tower), a detail not confirmed by Wikipedia.
History
Two different legends are recorded for this temple. One explains the name as combining the Tamil words for wish (vel) and to reside (irukkai), reflecting the belief that Narasimha chose to remain here in a calm yogic form to protect his devotees, connected to the broader legend of Narasimha appearing to slay the demon king Hiranyakashipu. A separate legend, recorded on the temple's Wikipedia article, describes a dispute between Saraswati and Lakshmi over superiority in which Brahma chose Lakshmi and Saraswati tried to disrupt his ashvamedha yajna through demons, ending when Vishnu took the form of Narhari to kill the demon Kapalika. Vedanta Desika is said to have composed a hymn, Kamasikashtakam, in praise of the deity here. Multiple secondary sources describe the shrine as small and in need of restoration; Wikipedia separately notes it as the smallest Divya Desam in Kanchipuram.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located on Singaperumal Sannidhi Street, Ennaikaran, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, reportedly close to the Ashtabhujakaram Temple.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. A Wikipedia article for this temple (titled Tiruvelukkai) was located during renewed research, resolving the earlier 'no Wikipedia article' gap and providing sourced built era, inscription dates, architecture detail and a six-kalam daily pooja schedule administered by the HR&CE board. Public darshan opening and closing hours still could not be confirmed and continue to conflict across secondary travel sources, so the timings field remains blank.