Photo 1 / 4Rajagopuram above the stone gateway. Photo: రహ్మానుద్దీన్, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal Temple
About the Temple
The Varadharaja Perumal temple in Little Kanchipuram is the largest temple of Vishnu Kanchi and one of the 108 Divya Desams. Its main shrine stands on a raised platform called Hastagiri, inside a walled complex with a hundred-pillared hall known for its carved stone chain. A fig-wood image, Athi Varadar, is kept under the temple tank and brought out for worship only about once in 40 years, most recently in 2019.
Why visit
- Visit one of the principal Divya Desams, known to Sri Vaishnavas as Perumal Koil.
- See the hundred-pillared hall and touch the gold and silver lizards, as devotees do.
Temple Timings
- Morning
- 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Afternoon
- 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Official source, checked 22 Oct 2026 · Source
HR&CE: darshan timings change on festival and utsavam days.
Before You Go
- Time to allow
1.5 hours to 2.5 hours inside the temple. This is a planning allowance, not a queue time; festival days take longer.
- Dress
HR&CE asks men to wear only a veshti (dhoti) inside the temple corridors. Umbrellas, walking sticks and items made of animal skin may not be taken in. A rule for women is not listed; wear a sari or churidar.
Official source, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
- Phones
The Devarajaswamy temple is on the HR&CE list of 52 temples. Since 14 October 2026 phones may be carried in only if switched off, and a ₹5 deposit counter remains. The rule is new, so confirm it at the gate.
Reported by dtnext.in, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
- Access
HR&CE lists a battery vehicle within the temple complex. The main shrine stands on a raised platform; step counts and a step-free route were not confirmed.
Official source, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
- Photography
Photos and video of the idols and pujas, selfies and posting such content online are not allowed at the 52 listed temples, this one included.
Reported by dtnext.in, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
Highlights
- Athi Varadar
A fig-wood image of Varadharaja, kept in a chamber under the Anantha Saras tank and brought out for 48 days about once in 40 years. It was last shown from 1 July to 17 August 2019; the next is expected in 2059.
- Gold and silver lizards
Two lizard figures in gold and silver are carved on a ceiling. Legend makes them two disciples of the sage Gautama freed from a curse, and devotees touch them for good fortune.
- Hundred-pillared hall and stone chain
A Vijayanagara-era hall of a hundred carved pillars shows scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, with a chain carved from a single stone.
- Hastagiri
The main shrine faces west on a raised platform called Hastagiri, with late Vijayanagara murals on its ceiling.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, dtnext.in · checked 22 Oct 2026
How to reach Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal Temple
- By air: Chennai International Airport (MAA) · about 62 km
- By train: Kanchipuram (CJ) · about 4 km
- By road: HR&CE lists the Kanchipuram Arignar Anna bus stand about 3 km from the temple and Kanchipuram East railway station about 5.8 km.
Sources: tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in, en.wikipedia.org, kanchivaradarajar.hrce.tn.gov.in · checked 22 Oct 2026
Nearby Places
- AshtabujakaramA Divya Desam where Vishnu is worshipped as Ashta Bhuja Perumal.1.6 km away
- Ulagalantha Perumal TempleA Divya Desam near the Kamakshi Amman temple, where Vishnu is worshipped as Ulagalantha Perumal.3.1 km away
- Kamakshi Amman TempleKanchipuram's principal goddess temple.3.4 km away
- Ekambareswarar TempleKanchipuram's largest Shiva temple and the earth temple of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalam.4.2 km away
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
Questions Visitors Ask
Can I take my phone inside Kanchipuram Varadharaja Perumal Temple?
The Devarajaswamy temple is on the HR&CE list of 52 temples. Since 14 October 2026 phones may be carried in only if switched off, and a ₹5 deposit counter remains. The rule is new, so confirm it at the gate.
When will Athi Varadar be seen again?
The fig-wood image is brought out for 48 days about once in 40 years. The last darshan ran from 1 July to 17 August 2019, and the next is expected in 2059.
What are the Varadharaja Perumal temple timings?
HR&CE lists 7:30 am to 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Festival days change the hours.
What are the golden and silver lizards at Varadharaja Perumal temple?
Two lizard figures in gold and silver are carved on a ceiling inside the temple. Legend says they were two disciples of the sage Gautama, freed from a curse by Vishnu. Devotees touch them in the belief that it brings good fortune; it is a custom, not a promise.
What should men wear at Varadharaja Perumal temple?
HR&CE asks men to wear only a veshti inside the temple corridors. Leave umbrellas, walking sticks and leather items outside.