Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
The Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple, also called Ashtabhujakaram, is a Vishnu temple in Kanchipuram where Vishnu is worshipped with eight arms as Ashta Bhuja Perumal, with his consort Lakshmi as Alamelumangai. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples praised by the Alvar saints. The temple is believed to have been renovated by the Pallavas in the late 8th century, with later additions by the Cholas and the Vijayanagara kings.
What to see and do
- Have darshan of Ashta Bhuja Perumal, the eight-armed Vishnu
- See the Dravidian-style gopuram and the pillared halls
- Visit the shrine of Alamelumangai
- Walk the quiet courtyards
Ideal for
- Devotees of Vishnu and the 108 Divya Desams
- Visitors who like quiet, historic temples
- Pilgrims following the Alvars
Good to know
- Timings are given differently by different sources, and temples in Kanchipuram usually close in the middle of the day, so check locally
- Dress modestly, remove footwear at the entrance, and expect a quiet, traditional atmosphere
- Mobile phone and camera rules vary inside the sanctum, so ask at the gate
- Go in the morning or evening, when the temple is open and the light is soft
Spiritual significance
Ashtabhujakaram is one of the Divya Desams of Kanchipuram, a city that holds more than a dozen of them. It shows an unusual eight-armed form of Vishnu.
Why it matters
- A Divya Desam: one of the 108 Vishnu temples praised by the Alvars
- An eight-armed Vishnu: a rarer form of the Lord
- An old Pallava foundation: renovated from the late 8th century