Global InformationSaranathan Temple information
| Saranatha Perumal Temple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Thiruvarur |
| Deity |
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| Features |
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| Location | |
| Location | Thirucherai |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Location in Tamil Nadu | |
| Geographic coordinates | 10°52′43″N 79°27′15″E / 10.87861°N 79.45417°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian architecture |
| Creator | Cholas |
| Direction of façade | Standing |
The Saranathan Temple in Thirucherai, a village on the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. The temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Saranathan and his consort Lakshmi as Saranayaki. It is believed that Saranathan appeared for Kaveri, the river goddess, who performed penance at this place.
The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from Medieval Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire and Madurai Nayaks. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and three of the four bodies of water. The rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower has five tiers and raises to a height of 120 ft (37 m). The temple is unique where the presiding deity Vishnu has five consorts. It has also a shrine dedicated to the river Kaveri, which is a unique feature among all Vishnu temples.
Saranathan is believed to have appeared to the goddess Kaveri, the sage Markandeya and the Hindu god Indra. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.