Varadaraja Perumal, Alathur, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Varadaraja Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Sridevi, Bhudevi
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Alathur	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Mayiladuthurai (19 km)	Tiruvarur (26 km)
	Kumbakonam (33 km)	Nagapattinam (40 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

We request you to please read this short background about village temples, before you proceed.

This small Perumal temple is located just a little further west of the Tirumeyachur Lalithambigai temple, and to the south of the Nattaru river.

Going by the temple’s location and its immediate surroundings, it appears that this may have been a much larger temple, than the single elevated shrine we see today. However, there is no known sthala puranam for this temple, which lies in a state of shambles today.

We became aware of and visited this temple only because the priest at the nearby Alathur Pippilakadeeswarar temple directed us to take a look. The same is the case with the Vastraraja Perumal nearby, whose location – Vastrarajapuram – takes its name from the deity of that temple.

The temple as it stands today, has a single shrine comprising an ardha-mandapam and a garbhagriham. At the entrance of the garbhagriham, on the left, is a murti of Vinayakar (Thundikkai Azhvar) and in the garbhagriham itself stands a majestic Vishnu as Varadaraja Perumal, flanked by Sridevi and Bhudevi. Perumal bears His conch (sangu) and discus (chakram) in His rear arms, and His other two hands are in abhaya hastam and varada hastam, blessing His devotees.

The entire temple is made of brick, and the vimanam over the garbhagriham does look like some good workmanship has gone into it, likely from the Chola period. Sadly, so poor is the maintenance that shrubs have started to grow on the vimanam itself.

The only heartening aspect is that a bhattar (no contact info available) comes here quite regularly to take care of the temple and the murtis, with decorations and pujas on special days. However, there is no schedule as such. The temple is otherwise free to visit through the day.