Poonamallee Varadaraja Perumal Temple

Poonamallee Varadaraja Perumal Temple

Varadaraja Perumal temple is located about 25 kms from Chennai in Poonamallee. This
1100 year old temple
place is also referred to as Pushpaporu Kshetram and Poovirantha Kshetram.

The temple is believed to have been built in the 10th Century AD during the reign of the great Chola King Paranthaka Chola ( 907-954AD). Inscriptions dating back to this period refer to this place as Puliyur Kottam Poonthamallee and Nedunchezhiya Vinnagaram.

This is the avatara sthalam of Thirukachi Nambi, the Guru of Ramanuja. Thirukachi Nambi used to walk to Kanchipuram and present flowers in the morning to Lord Varadarajan. Given his special devotion , Lord Varadarajan would engage in conversations with Nambi.

Once when Nambi fell ill and could not walk to Kanchipuiram to present his flowers, Lord Varadarajan himself came here in the morning and provided darshan to Nambi with the Sun’s chakra behind him, a special feature at this temple.

Thirukachi Nambi also had darshan of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam and Lord Srinivasa of Tirupathi at this place. Ranganatha is seen in a handsome sleeping posture with four hands.

This place came to known as ‘Poovirintha mallee’ after the Thaayar ‘Poovirintha Thaayar’.

In this temple, Brahmotsavam is held every year in Vaikasi. In Brahmotsavam, Varadaraja Perumal used to wake up every day to walk the streets. (Thirukachi Nambi was the person who performed the Alavatta (fan) for Ithalatu Perumal. He was the guru of Srimath Ramanuja. Thirukkachi Nambi was born in the month of Masi in the year 1009 AD in Mrighasira Nakshatra.) But in this Divine Brahmotsavam, Tirukkachi Nambi is the main one. During the 10-day festival, only the devotees will stand up. For this utsavam, there will be a Bandhakal planting ceremony. After that, in a few days, the Tirukkachi Nambis will rise from the Asthanam to the couch. The next day the festival begins.