Srivaikuntanathan Perumal Temple, in Srivaikuntam in Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Vaikuntanatha Perumal (Vishnu) in standing posture, with consorts Boonayagi and Vaigundavalli. It is also known as Srivaikuntam Temple, Kallapiran Temple.
The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu shrines glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham by the Alvar saints, and it is regarded as the first and most prominent of the Nava Tirupati, the nine Vishnu temples on the banks of the Tamiraparani river revered by Nammalvar. Temple tradition holds that the demon Somukasura stole the four Vedas from Brahma, and Vishnu took the Matsya (fish) avatar to slay the demon and restore the Vedas to Brahma, after which he established himself here as Vaikuntanathar.
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 to 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
Four daily poojas are performed: Kalasanthi (8:00 AM), Uchikalam (12:00 PM), Sayarakshai (6:00 PM), and Ardha Jamam (8:00 PM).
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily rituals include Kalasanthi, Uchikalam, Sayarakshai and Ardha Jamam, each with alangaram (decoration), neivedhanam (food offering) and deepa aradhanai (lamp waving), along with weekly, fortnightly and monthly observances.
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 Chittirai (April to May), ten days | The temple's principal annual festival. |
| Garuda Sevai | Tamil month of Vaikasi (May to June) | Festival idols from all nine Nava Tirupati temples are brought together and taken in procession on Garuda vahana, drawing large crowds. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian (Tamil) style temple spread over about 5 acres with three prakarams, a nine tiered rajagopuram roughly 110 feet tall, and a granite compound wall about 580 by 396 feet. The Thiruvengadamudayan hall contains life size 16th century sculptures commissioned under the Madurai Nayaks, and the sanctum has Adisesha's hood unfurled above the standing deity, said to be unique among Divya Desams.
History
Temple tradition holds that the demon Somukasura stole the four Vedas from Brahma, and Vishnu took the Matsya (fish) avatar to slay the demon and restore the Vedas to Brahma, after which he established himself here as Vaikuntanathar. A separate local legend explains the name Kallapiran (thief lord): a devotee named Kaladushana was saved when Vishnu appeared disguised as a thief in his place before the Pandya king. The temple is recorded as having been used as a fort during the conflict between Veerapandiya Kattabomman and the British in the early 1800s.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Srivaikuntam is about 22 km from Tirunelveli and roughly 39 km from Thoothukudi, and is accessible by bus or car; the nearest railway station is Srivaikuntam itself.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Timings and festival dates come from travel/temple info sites rather than an official temple source, and could shift; consort naming varies slightly across sources (Vaigundavalli vs Boonayagi as separate or same figure)