Veeraraghava Swamy Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Chennai International Airport is 42 km southeast of Tiruvallur.

• By train

  Tiruvallur Railway Station serves suburban trains.

• By road

  Tiruvallur is on the Chennai to Tirupati trunk road, about 45 km from downtown Chennai.

Why devotees come here

Veeraraghava Swamy Temple is a Vishnu temple in Tiruvallur, the headquarters of Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu. It is counted among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, and it stands on the banks of the Coovum river.

Vishnu is worshipped here as Veeraraghava Perumal, and his consort Lakshmi as Kanakavalli Thayar. The Markandeya Purana details the history of the temple, and it tells of a sage named Salihotra who had his hermitage on this spot. Another legend says Vishnu came here to marry Lakshmi, born as the daughter of King Dilipa of Dharmasenapura. The district tourism page says the origin legend begins in Krita Yuga.

The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallavas in the 8th century. Most scholars believe the major structures were built by Vijayanagar kings in the 14th century. The presiding deity, Veeraraghava Swamy, lies in a recumbent position called Bhujanga sayanam and faces east. Over the sanctum is the pyramidal Vijayakoti Vimanam.

The temple tank is the largest of any Divya Desam. Tiruvallur itself lies on the banks of the Coovum river, about 45 km from downtown Chennai, in the western part of the Chennai Metropolitan Area.

Festivals

• Tamil month of Chittirai, March to AprilChariot and float festivals

  The most prominent festival of the temple.

• Tamil month of ChittiraiBrahmotsavam

  A 10-day festival. The deity is taken in procession around the streets on a different mount each day, and the float festival is held on the last day.

Tips for your visit

• Thousands of devotees come for a holy dip on new moon days.
• The chariot and float processions take place in the Tamil month of Chittirai, in March or April.

Questions people ask