Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal Temple – Srivaikuntam

Travel for 29 km from Tirunelveli to reach Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi district of Tamilnadu, where the famous temple of Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal is located. The temple makes it place on the banks of the river Thamirabarani, and holds the prestige of being one among 108 divya desams of Lord Vishnu.

Popular by the name- Srivaikuntam Temple or Kallapiran Temple, Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal Temple worships Lord Vishnu in the form of Vaikuntanathar.

The temple also holds the prestige of being the first among the Navatirupathis.

There are shrines to Krishna, Lakshmi Narasimha, Hanuman, and Tiruvenkatamudaiyar.

The temple holds many religious stories relating to it.

The temple besides having the religious importance, has historic importance as well.

It is believed that this temple was used as a fort in the fight between the legendary freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman and the British in the 1800s.

The architecture of the temple is simply amazing and there are three prakarams in the temple. The temple gopuram is 110 feet in height and 500 feet in width. The sanctum houses the image of Sri Vaikuntanathar in standing posture with a mace in his hand. Adisesha, the serpent god, unfurls his hood over Vishnu.

The unique feature of this temple is that the Sun’s rays falls directly on Lord Vaikuntanathar for two days (on the 6th day of Chitrai (April-May) and Aipasi (October-November)) every year.

Festivals- The temple commences Garuda Sevai festival in the month of Vaikasi (May-Jun).

Timings: 7.30 AM – 12 PM & 5 PM – 8 PM