Main shrine
Observe the supported head and left-arm posture where visible. Connect the resting form with the Lord who rises to accompany his devotee.
Kanchipuram
Temple Circuit · reading guide · 8 September 2026
Photo: Ssriram mt / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Pair Thiruvekka with Ashtabhuja in Vishnu Kanchi. Here the memorable encounter is between the reclining Lord and Thirumazhisai Alvar: a pilgrimage shaped by the closeness of devotion.
The king banishes Kanikannan after the poet refuses to praise him. Thirumazhisai Alvar leaves with his disciple and asks the Lord to accompany them. Perumal follows, and Kanchi falls into darkness. The repentant king brings the devotees back; the Lord also returns at the Alvar’s request. Sonnavannam Seitha Perumal is the Lord who acts as his devotee asks.
The reclining image rests on the left arm, a distinctive detail highlighted by ASI. The temple has Pallava origins, Chola records of grants and later Vijayanagara additions. These surviving layers sit alongside its much older place in Tamil literary memory.
Opening hours not yet confirmed. The suggested visit needs an opening-time check.
This is in Vishnu Kanchi, close to Ashtabhuja and on the same side of town as Varadaraja. Confirm its own opening period; nearby shrines need not share the same schedule.
Main shrine
Observe the supported head and left-arm posture where visible. Connect the resting form with the Lord who rises to accompany his devotee.
After darshan
Retell the departure and return in sequence. The temple’s name expresses the relationship between the Lord and the devotee, not merely the posture of the image.
Local story and translation review pending.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams · 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams, volume 1 · ASI · Temples of Kanchipuram, UNESCO Tentative List submission