Set in Thiruvattar, Tamil Nadu, Adikesava Perumal Temple honours Adhikesava Perumal (Vishnu), with consort Maragadhavalli Nachiyar. It is also known as Thiruvattaru Adhikesava Perumal Temple, Adikesava Swamy Temple.
The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet-saints; Nammalvar sang eleven pasurams in its praise. Local legend connects the temple to Vishnu, as Adikesava, defeating the demon Keshi, with the encircling rivers giving the town its name Thiruvattaru (temple of the circle). According to temple tradition and stone inscriptions, the site is associated with the Treta Yuga, and Parasurama is credited in local legend with consecrating the 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
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
Timings may be adjusted during festival periods; exact minute-level hours vary slightly between sources
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Vaikunta Ekadasi | December or January | One of the temple's principal festival days |
| Brahmotsavam | Ten day annual festival | Grand processions of the deity and consort |
| Krishna Janmashtami | August or September | Celebrated in connection with the temple's Krishna associated legend |
History and architecture
Architecture
A fusion of Dravidian and Kerala temple architectural styles with wooden pillars, doors, and roofs; a fort like outer wall around 30 feet high, an outer corridor with 224 stone pillars, an Ottakkal Mandapam (single stone hall), Vijayanagara era Virabhadra pillars, and extensive murals in the inner prakarams
History
According to temple tradition and stone inscriptions, the site is associated with the Treta Yuga, and Parasurama is credited in local legend with consecrating the temple. The presiding deity is said to be older than the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, and the two temples share ritual similarities including the reclining form of Vishnu and Ottakkal Mandapam style halls. The temple served as the Rajya (state) temple and family deity shrine of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore; Travancore ruler Marthanda Varma is said to have worshipped here before the 1741 Battle of Colachel. After the 1956 reorganisation of states, administration passed to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
Planning your visit
How to reach
About 30 km from Nagercoil, 50 km from Thiruvananthapuram, and 55 km from Kanyakumari; nearest railway stations are Eraniel (about 7 km) and Nagercoil Junction (about 30 km); nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. The Travancore royal temple connection and 1741 Marthanda Varma offering are reported consistently across sources but not confirmed against a primary historical record; exact timings vary slightly by source