Varadaraja Perumal Temple

About

Varadaraja Perumal Perundevi Thayar Temple in Puducherry, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and Hindu goddess Lakshmi. It is located heritage town region of the city. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is a storehouse of Chola and Pandya architecture.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower. The temple is originally believed to have been built by Cholas during the 11th century CE, with later expansion by Pandyas during the 12th century CE.

The temple follows Vaishnavite and Shaktite traditions of worship. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the ten-day annual Brahmostavam during the Tamil month of Chithrai (April - May) and five-day Pavitrotsavam during Avani (August - September) and 25-day Rama and Sita's marriage festival during Chithrai being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a religious monument.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.