Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple

The Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple at Thiruattabuyakaram in Kanchipuram enshrines the Lord in his eight-armed (ashtabhuja) form and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams of the Thondai Nadu region. The presiding Moolavar, Ashtabhujakaram Perumal, stands bearing weapons and emblems in his eight hands, a majestic manifestation of the Lord as protector who removes the fears of his devotees and shields them from every affliction. Per Wikipedia, two distinct legends are attached to this form: one recounts a dispute between Saraswati and Lakshmi during Brahma’s penance, in which Vishnu assumed this eight-armed form to defeat a serpent, and the other is the well-known Gajendra Moksha episode, in which the elephant-king Gajendra was rescued from a crocodile by the Lord’s discus – both presented here as tradition, not documented history. Kanchipuram, one of the seven sacred mokshapuri cities, is dense with Vishnu shrines, and Ashtabhujakaram is among its revered abodes. The glory of this Divya Desam was sung in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham by Pey Alwar, one of the three Mudhal Alwars whose pasurams stand at the very fountainhead of the Prabandham, and by Thirumangai Alwar, whose verses celebrate the Lord of the eight arms. Through their hymns the shrine is fixed in the sacred geography of the Divya Desams. The temple remains a cherished site of pilgrimage, where the worshipper beholds the Lord in his rare and powerful eight-armed posture, an enduring assurance of the Lord’s protective grace toward all who seek him.

Festivals

As one of the Divya Desams of Kanchipuram, this temple of Ashtabhuja (eight-armed) Perumal traditionally observes the annual Brahmotsavam, when the Lord is carried in procession on various vahanas through the surrounding streets. Vaikunta Ekadasi is kept with the recitation of the Tiruvaymozhi during the Pagal-pathu and Ra-pathu days and the ceremonial passage of devotees seeking the Lord’s grace. Pavithrotsavam, observed to purify the year’s worship, the Float festival, Navaratri and the special days of the Tamil calendar are also marked. In keeping with the wider Srivaishnava cycle of the city, the recitation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham and the procession festivals form the heart of the temple’s devotional year.

Location & Access

The temple stands in the Thiruattabuyakaram quarter of Kanchipuram, in the Thondai Nadu region of northern Tamil Nadu, close to the city’s cluster of Vishnu shrines. Kanchipuram is readily reached by road and rail, with Chennai as the nearest large city and transport hub. As at most Vishnu temples, darshan is generally available during morning and evening hours with a break at midday. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.