Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Varadharaja Perumal Temple is Kanchipuram's principal Vaishnava shrine and one of the 108 Divya Desams, its Vijayanagara-era Kalyana Mandapam ranked among the finest secular halls of temple architecture in South India, with cavalry pillars and a chain carved from one continuous stone block. Chola-period foundations underlie later, much larger Vijayanagara-period expansion, giving the complex the scale and sculptural density typical of fourteenth to sixteenth century patronage. The temple is internationally known for the Ati Varadar, a processional deity displayed to the public only once every four decades, drawing millions when unveiled. Paired with the nearby Shaiva Ekambareswarar temple, it anchors Kanchipuram's identity as a temple town sacred to both major Hindu traditions.