Devanathaswamy Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Chennai is the nearest international airport, about 200 km away.

• By train

  Tiruppapuliyur is the nearest railway station to the temple.

• By road

  Cuddalore is the nearest big bus stand.

Why devotees come here

Devanathaswamy temple stands in Thiruvanthipuram, a village on the outskirts of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the 108 Divya Desams. It is also the only historical temple in South India to house an image of Hayagriva.

Legend says Vishnu appeared here to Adishesha, the serpent that is his mount, to the sage Markandeya, and to Indra. Indra performed a Vaishnava yagna at this place to win the Vajrayudha, the weapon he needed to defeat the demon Vritasura. The Divya Prabandha book counts the temple among the 108 Vishnu temples it praises.

The temple in its current form is believed to date from the Medieval Cholas. The Pandyas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara rulers added to it later. The Epigraphical Department has found more than 50 inscriptions from the Medieval Chola period here. The temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture.

Hayagriva is one of Vishnu's avatars, shown with a horse's face. This temple holds an image of him, and it is the only historical temple in South India to do so.

Festivals

• Chittirai, April to MayBrahmotsavam

  The major festival at this temple, lasting twelve days.

• Masi, February to MarchMasi Mahotsavam

  A ten-day festival in which the festival image is taken to the seashore.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the rajagopuram, the gateway tower with five tiers, 60 ft (18 m) high.
• Look for the Hayagriva image, a horse-faced form of Vishnu, which this temple holds.

Questions people ask