In Thirunangur, Tamil Nadu, Varadharaja Perumal Temple is dedicated to Varadharaja Perumal (Manikooda Nayakar), a standing form of Vishnu, with consorts Sridevi (Thirumaamangal Nachiyar) and Bhudevi, also called Boonayagi. It is also known as Thirumanikoodam, Thiru Manikoodam, Manikooda Nayakar Temple.
It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu shrines glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, and one of the eleven Thirunangur Thirupathis, the cluster of Divya Desams concentrated in the small town of Thirunangur, each representing a form Vishnu took to pacify Shiva's tandava. This is a different, smaller temple from the well known Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram. The temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the Tamil Vaishnava canon composed by the Alvar poet saints between the 6th and 9th centuries CE, with verses attributed to Periyalvar, Tirumalisai Alvar and Tirumangai Alvar; it is noted as the only one of the.
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.
Sources give conflicting hours (roughly 6 AM to 11 AM in one source, 8 AM to 10 AM in another; roughly 5 PM to 8 PM in one, 5 PM to 7 PM in another), so exact opening and closing times are left blank rather than guessed. Best to confirm with the temple before visiting.
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily rituals following the typical Ushathkalam, Kalasanthi, Sayarakshai and Ardha Jamam schedule of the Thirunangur temples
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Utsavam / Thirumangai Alvar Mangalasasana Utsavam (Garuda Seva) | Tamil month of Thai (January to February) | Festival images of the eleven Thirunangur Divya Desams are brought together on Garuda Vahana as part of the cluster wide Mangalasasana Utsavam |
| Vaikunda Ekadasi | Observed with special worship |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style; single prakaram with a single shrine; Kanaka Vimanam (golden tower) over the sanctum, with a pillared hall housing the festival vehicle mounts; separate Garudalwar and Nammalwar sannidhis
History
The temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the Tamil Vaishnava canon composed by the Alvar poet saints between the 6th and 9th centuries CE, with verses attributed to Periyalvar, Tirumalisai Alvar and Tirumangai Alvar; it is noted as the only one of the Thirunangur Divya Desams sung by an Alvar other than Tirumangai Alvar. The temple tank, Chandra Pushkarani, is traditionally said to have been worshipped at by the moon god Chandra. As with the other Thirunangur temples, local legend holds that Vishnu appeared here in one of eleven forms to calm Shiva after a furious tandava dance.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located in Thirunangur village, about 8 km east of Sirkazhi (Seergazhi) on the route to Thiruvenkadu, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu; nearest railway station is Sirkazhi
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. The consort name Boonayagi as supplied appears to correspond to Bhudevi named in other sources but this could not be independently confirmed; built era and exact timings could not be precisely verified