Soundararajaperumal Temple, Nagapattinam

Soundararajaperumal Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictNagapattinam
DeitySoundararajaperumal (Vishnu)
Soundaravalli (Lakshmi)
Location
LocationNagapattinam
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Soundararajaperumal Temple, Nagapattinam is located in Tamil Nadu
Soundararajaperumal Temple, Nagapattinam
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates10°45′38″N 79°50′24″E / 10.76056°N 79.84000°E / 10.76056; 79.84000
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture

The Soundararajaperumal Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu. It is located in Nagapattinam, a town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is counted as one among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshiped as Soundararaja Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Soundaravalli.

The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions at different times from Thanjavur Nayaks. The temple has two inscriptions dating from the Chola period. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower) within a granite wall. The complex contains all the shrines and water bodies associated with it.

Soundararaja Perumal is believed to have appeared for Sage Markandeya, Dhruva, Saleesan, and the goddess Bhudevi. The temple observes six daily rituals and three yearly festivals. The chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (March–April), is the most prominent festival of the temple. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.