Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: Ssriram mt · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram is dedicated to Vishnu as Varadaraja, "the king who grants boons", worshipped as a standing granite murti about 10 feet tall, with his consort Perundevi Thayar in a separate shrine. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams sung by the Alvars, and among Vaishnavites it is known simply as Perumal Koil, one of the three temples counted as the most important along with Srirangam and Tirupati. The sanctum sits atop a low rocky rise called Hastagiri or Attigiri, reached by a flight of 24 steps, and the sprawling complex carries work by the Cholas, the Pandyas and above all the Vijayanagara kings, who added the hundred-pillared hall with its famous stone chain carved from a single block. Two other things draw people specifically: the gold- and silver-plated lizards fixed above a doorway, which pilgrims touch by tradition, and the Athi Varadar, an older fig-wood image kept submerged in the temple tank and brought out for public darshan only once in about forty years — last in 2019, next expected around 2059.
October to March is the comfortable window, when Kanchipuram is dry and the daytime heat is manageable for elders; April to June is genuinely hot. The biggest draw is the ten-day Vaikasi Brahmotsavam in May–June, with the Garuda Sevai and the chariot procession, and Purattasi (September–October) and Vaikunta Ekadasi are also heavily attended — expect very large crowds and long standing waits on those days, so families travelling with elderly members may prefer an ordinary weekday.
The nearest airport is Chennai International (MAA), roughly 75 km by road, about two hours depending on traffic. Kanchipuram has its own railway station on the Arakkonam–Chengalpattu branch line, served by passenger and EMU services from Chennai, and the temple is a short auto ride from there in Chinna Kanchipuram on the eastern side of town. By road, buses run frequently from CMBT Koyambedu and from Tambaram in Chennai, and Kanchipuram is also connected by bus to Bengaluru, Tiruvannamalai, Puducherry and Tirupati.
The main sanctum is on a small hill and is reached by a flight of 24 steps, which is worth knowing if you are travelling with elders or anyone with knee trouble; the outer prakarams and the hundred-pillared hall are on level ground. As at most Tamil Nadu Vishnu temples, men are generally expected to remove upper garments before entering the inner shrine and traditional dress is the norm — confirm the current dress code and darshan timings with the temple before you travel, as these are set by the temple administration and can change.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
When will Athi Varadar be brought out of the tank again?
The fig-wood Athi Varadar is taken out of the temple tank for public darshan roughly once every forty years. The last occasion was in July–August 2019, so the next is generally expected around 2059. On ordinary days the image remains submerged and cannot be seen; the granite Varadaraja Perumal in the sanctum is the deity worshipped daily.
How many steps are there to reach the main deity?
Twenty-four steps lead up the Hastagiri rise to the sanctum — tradition connects the number to the twenty-four syllables of the Gayatri mantra. It is a short climb rather than a hill trek, but there is no lift, so plan for it if someone in your group has mobility difficulty.
Can a tour operator arrange faster or special darshan here?
No. Queues and any special-entry arrangements are run entirely by the temple administration, and no travel company can obtain, reserve or speed up darshan. We can plan your travel, stay and timing around the temple's own schedule — please confirm current timings directly with the temple before you set out.
Plan your Varadaraja Perumal Temple yatra
Family & group yatras · Free expert callback
Enquiry received!
Our travel expert will call you back soon (during Mon–Sat · 9–6 IST).
Ref: —Couldn’t send right now
No problem — reach us instantly on WhatsApp or call and we’ll take your enquiry directly.