Explore the majestic Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram, renowned for its religious significance and architectural brilliance. Discover this sacred site’s legends, architecture, and rituals in our detailed virtual guide.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple Overview

Varadaraja Perumal temple, also known as Hastagiri or Atthigiri temple, stands as a revered abode of Lord Vishnu in Kanchipuram. Locals also refer to it as the Lizard or Palli Temple due to its unique shrine dedicated to lizards. This temple, along with Ekambaranathar and Kamakshi, holds great esteem in Kanchipuram.

Varadaraja Perumal is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu visited by the 12 poet saints, or the Alvars. Moreover, one of the greatest Hindu scholars of Vaishnava Vishishtadvaita philosophy, Ramanuja, resided in this temple.

Varadaraja Perumal temple called ‘Perumal Koil’ holds immense sacred significance. Srirangam, also known as ‘Koil’, and Tirupathi, known as ‘Tirumalai’, complete this revered trio. Melukote Cheluvanarayana known as Thirunarayanapuram is another prominent temple in the series. According to belief, embarking on a pilgrimage to all these temples without interruption leads to moksha or param pada.

Legends of Varadaraja Perumal Temple

Several legends surround this temple. One involves Saraswati cursing Indra to become an elephant here. Vishnu later lifted his curse by appearing as Hastagiri. Hastagiri means “hill in the form of an elephant.” Lord Indra then installed the gold and silver lizards in the temple, who witnessed the ordeal after being freed from the curse.

According to another legend, Lord Brahma conducted a yajna in Kanchi to cleanse himself of all sins. Performing the yajna without Saraswati, he enlisted the help of his consorts, Devi Gayatri and Savitri. Saraswati, angered by this, transformed into the Vegavati River, now known as the Palar River, and caused a flood. At Brahma’s request, Lord Perumal intervened and halted the floods by reclining across the river. After the yajna, Perumal emerged from the flames of the yajna Kunda, shining with the brilliance of a thousand suns as Varadaraja swamy, inside the Athi (fig) tree. He stayed here permanently until submerged in a nearby tank, as the deity came from the yajna performed by Brahma.

Another legend tells of two disciples of Sage Gautham who regularly filled the pooja vessel with water. One day, a lizard fell into it unnoticed. When they placed it in front of the Sage during his prayers, he noticed the lizard and, enraged by their oversight, cursed them to transform into lizards. Following his advice, the disciples relocated to Kanchipuram, where they lived as lizards for an extended period. Later, Lord Vishnu relieved them of their curse. Although the disciples attained salvation, their mortal remains stayed behind. Two lizard shrines are on the temple roof as proof of this tale. Legend holds that devotees who pray to Lord Varadaraja and touch these lizards will receive blessings.

The Architecture of the Temple

Situated in the Vishnu Kanchi neighborhood, the Varadaraja Perumal temple sprawls across approximately 23 acres. Its roots trace back over 2000 years, with renovations undertaken by Pallava, Chola, and Vijayanagar rulers over the centuries. In contrast to most temples, the eastern gopuram of this temple stands taller than the western gopuram.

Stone Chains and Sculptures

The massive stone chains sculpted from a single stone adorn all four corners of the temple as its most striking architectural feature. Further, we can explore a thousand-pillar hall adorned with sculptures depicting stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, a masterpiece created by Vijayanagar architects.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple Sanctum

On the ground floor, devotees first encounter Goddess Lakshmi as Perundevi Amma, the consort of Varadaraja Perumal. Before proceeding to the Perumal sanctum, we must receive Devi’s darshan. Then, at the apex of Hastigiri hill stands the primary shrine of Lord Varadaraja in a towering, standing posture. The path has 24 steps to ascend, symbolizing the number of letters in the Gayatri mantra. The walls and ceilings of the temple adorn stunning paintings and murals depicting various avatars of Vishnu.

The stone deity found inside the temple is called Devaraja Perumal. This deity’s worship is equated to Adi Athi Varadaraja Perumal placed inside the pond. It symbolizes two gods residing in one presiding idol. Also, the majestic 10-foot-tall idol is strategically positioned to be illuminated by sun rays after the 15th day of the full moon or Chitra Pournami.

Lizard Shrine

The Lizard shrine is located adjacent to the Perumal sanctum. You will find a separate queue to visit the golden and silver lizard shrine. This shrine has a nominal entry fee of 2 rupees, which you must get while in the queue. According to common belief, touching the lizards will wash away sins, allowing worshippers to feel both the silver and golden lizards for blessings.

Anantha Teertha and Athi Varadaraja sanctum

Anantha Teertha, also known as Anantha Saras, refers to the temple’s massive tank, or Kalyani, which serves as the residence of Lord Athi Varadaraja. The pond never runs out of water and only dries once every 40 years when the idol is removed, remaining for 48 days.

As per the folklore, Brahma established the original idol of Lord Varadaraja (Athi Varadaraja Swamy), housed in a silver casket within the temple pond. This idol is removed once every forty years for devotees to have darshan. This unique tradition adds to the temple’s allure. According to folklore, Lord Brahma asked the celestial builder Vishvakarma to create a wooden statue of Lord Varadaraja. Once dedicated, it became the temple’s presiding deity. Referred to as Adi Hastigirinathar, the wooden idol was placed in a silver casket and submerged in Ananta Teertha Kalyani to prevent deterioration from continuous exposure and various sevas. A granite idol was then erected as the Moola murti in its place. Even now, the original wooden idol is removed from the holy pond once every forty years, offering worshipers the rare opportunity to see the consecrated idol.

In front of Kalyani stands a shrine dedicated to Narasimha and Chakratalvar, also known as Sudarshana. This shrine features two entrances, each leading to a different idol on opposite sides. The Narasimha idol is visible from the entrance facing Kalyani, while the Sudarshana idol is on the opposite side. Sudarshana’s depiction includes 16 hands holding a conch and a chakra or discus.

Our Visit

We visited the temple in the evening. Firstly, we explored the thousand-pillar hall with its exquisite carvings and Anantha Teertha Kalyani on the left side of the entrance. Initially, we didn’t notice much of a crowd until we encountered Goddess Perundevi. However, there was a substantial queue to enter the Perumal shrine. We had to wait nearly an hour to reach the bottom steps leading to the shrine, which has 24 steps to ascend.

Besides the main sanctum is another golden and silver lizard shrine, attracting a small queue of visitors. The mural of the lizards adorns the rooftop, accessible for us to touch. Afterward, we descended to the ground following the same path. Eventually, we explored the Chakratalavar and Narasimha shrines in front of the Kalyani. Undoubtedly, this was one of the busiest temples in Kanchipuram.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple Festivals

• The annual Brahmotsavam stands out as the temple’s most significant festival.
• Besides, once every 40 years, the devotees witness a grand celebration as the Lord’s wooden idol, ‘Athi Varada,’ emerges from the tank for a 48-day extravaganza. The idol, carved from a 40-foot-long Athi wood, portrays Lord Athi Varadaraja in a reclining posture, captivating the hearts of all who behold it.

How To Reach Varadaraja Perumal

Tips to Visit Varadaraja Perumal Temple

• The temple opens daily from 6 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 8.30 pm.
• Parking near the temple can be challenging, so if you bring your vehicle, you might struggle to find a space. Moreover, the route from Shiva Kanchi to the Varadaraja Perumal temple is extremely congested.
• It’s advisable to plan your visit to the temple during the winter when the weather is milder.
• Wear modest clothing when visiting the temple. Leave your footwear outside before entering the temple compound.
• The Varadaraja Perumal temple offers Kanchipuram idly as prasadam, known for its slight spiciness, exclusively available in the morning. We’ve heard that this prasadam is especially prevalent in Kanchi. Unfortunately, we missed it since our visit was in the evening.
• The temple gets crowded, so expect a wait for a glimpse of the Lord. Plan your visit, accordingly, considering this is one of Kanchipuram’s busiest temples. But don’t worry, your patience will be rewarded with the blessings of a smiling Perumal.

In conclusion, a visit to the Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram offers a rich blend of spirituality, history, and architectural marvels. Plan your trip wisely to experience the divine blessings amidst the bustling ambiance of this revered destination.