Deepaprakasar (Vilakkoli) Temple

The Deepaprakasar Temple at Thiruthanka (Thooppul) in Kanchipuram enshrines the Lord as Deepaprakasar, the “Radiance of the Lamp,” also known in Tamil as Vilakkoli Perumal, and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams of the Thondai Nadu region. The presiding Moolavar shines as the very light that dispels the darkness of ignorance, and his name itself proclaims the Lord as the self-luminous effulgence that illumines the path of his devotees. According to the sthala purana, the Lord manifested here as a radiant lamp to assist Brahma’s great sacrifice and to bless the place with his luminous presence, and tradition holds that the deity appeared as a steadying light when darkness threatened the rites. The glory of this Divya Desam was sung in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham by Thirumangai Alwar, whose pasurams enshrine the Lord of Thiruthanka among the sacred abodes of Vishnu. Thiruthanka is further hallowed in Srivaishnava memory as a place intimately connected with the tradition of the acharyas of Kanchipuram, and it stands close to the cluster of holy Vishnu shrines that make the sacred city one of the seven mokshapuris granting liberation. The temple endures as a beloved site of pilgrimage, where the faithful come to behold the Lord whose form is itself the lamp of grace, the radiance that scatters every shadow from the hearts of those who worship him.

Festivals

This shrine of Deepaprakasar (Vilakkoli Perumal) at Thiruthanka traditionally observes the annual Brahmotsavam with processions of the Lord on successive vahanas. Vaikunta Ekadasi is kept with devotion, the Tiruvaymozhi recited over the Pagal-pathu and Ra-pathu days. The place is cherished as the birthplace of the great acharya Vedanta Desika, born nearby at Thooppul, and his Tirunakshatram (asterism day) is celebrated here each year with special honour, drawing Srivaishnavas who revere him. Pavithrotsavam, the Float festival, Navaratri and the observances of the Tamil months further fill the temple’s devotional calendar, alongside the customary recitation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham.

Location & Access

The temple lies in the Thiruthanka (Thooppul) area of Kanchipuram, in the Thondai Nadu region of northern Tamil Nadu, amid the city’s celebrated group of Divya Desam shrines. Kanchipuram is well served by road and rail, with Chennai the nearest major city and transport hub. Like most Vishnu temples, it generally keeps morning and evening darshan hours with a midday closure. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.