Yathothkari Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
The Yathothkari Perumal Temple, also called Thiruvekka and locally known as Sonnavannam Seitha Perumal, is a Vishnu temple in Kanchipuram and one of the 108 Divya Desams. Vishnu is worshipped here as Yathothkari Perumal, with his consort Lakshmi as Komalavalli. It is one of the three oldest Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram, and the second largest in the southern part of the city, after the Varadaraja Perumal temple.
What to see and do
- Have darshan of Yathothkari Perumal
- See the large Dravidian-style complex and its gopuram
- Visit the shrine of Komalavalli
- Learn the local name, Sonnavannam Seitha Perumal, from the priests
Ideal for
- Devotees of Vishnu and the 108 Divya Desams
- Pilgrims following the Alvars
- Visitors who like old, large temples
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
Yathothkari Perumal is among the oldest Vishnu temples of Kanchipuram and is praised in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham by the Alvars.
Why it matters
- A Divya Desam: one of the 108 Vishnu temples praised by the Alvars
- One of the three oldest: among the oldest Vishnu temples of Kanchipuram
- A large complex: the second largest in southern Kanchipuram