Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

Varadharaja Perumal Temple
Gopurams of the temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Kanchipuram
Deity	Varadharaja Perumal (Vishnu) Perundevi Thayar (Lakshmi)
Features	Tower: Punyakoti Vimanam Kalyana Koti Vimanam Temple tank: Anantha Theertham
Location
Location	Kanchipuram
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	12°49′08.4″N 79°43′30.7″E / 12.819000°N 79.725194°E / 12.819000; 79.725194[1]
Architecture
Type	Dravidian architecture
Creator	Chola Kings, later Nayaks of Thanjavur
Completed	10th century
Elevation	102.94 m (338 ft)

Varadharaja Perumal Temple, also called Hastagiri, Attiyuran, Attigiri, Kanchi koil, Thirukatchi, or Perumal koil is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in the city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu believed to have been visited by the 12 poet saints, or the Alvars.^[1] It is located in a suburb of Kanchipuram known as the Vishnu Kanchi that is a home for many famous Vishnu temples. One of the greatest Hindu scholars of Vaishnava Vishishtadvaita philosophy, Ramanuja, is believed to have resided in this temple.^[2]

The temple along with Ekambareswarar Temple and Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kanchipuram is popularly known as Mumurtivasam (abode of trio),^[3] while Srirangam is referred to as: 'Koil' (meaning: "temple") and Tirupati as: 'Malai' (Meaning: "hill"). Among the Divya Desams, Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal temple is known as: 'Perumal Koil'. This is one of the most sacred places for Vaishnavites. The fourth of the Divya Desams that completes this series is Melukote, which is known as Thirunarayanapuram. Vaishnavites believe that visiting all four places without a break will guarantee one a place in paramapadam.

There is a temple of Varadharajaswamy in Kurmai of Palamaner mandal called the Kurma Varadharaja Swamy Temple and in Yadamari of Yadamari mandal called the Indrapuri Varadharaja Swamy Temple, both in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.