Thiruvattar Temple – Sri Adi Kesava Perumal Temple at Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu

Sri Adi Kesava Perumal Temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Vishnu and is also one of the 108 Divya Deshams. The shrine is located at Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. The temple is located around 8 km from Marthandam on National Highway 47.

The temple is surrounded by Kothai River, Pahrali River and Thamirabarani River. The legend of the temple is associated with Bhagavan Vishnu defeating Demon Kesi.

Due to a mistake made by Brahma during a Yajna, two demons appeared. They were Kesan and Kesi. They caused numerous troubles to all living beings. Finally Bhagavan Vishnu annihilated them.

Wife of Kesi offered prayers to Ganga River and Tambiraparani River and asked to help her to avenge the death of her husband. The River came in full force to wash off Vishnu who was resting at the spot where the present Thiruvattar Temple stands. When the rivers approached, Bhudevi or Mother Earth raised the ground level where Vishnu was reclining. The two rivers went around the Lord and offered prayers.

The main murti of Vishnu who is worshipped here as Sri Adi Kesava Perumal is 22 feet in length. He is depicted as reclining on Adisesha. Sesha or Ananta has a made a bed for Bhagavan using his coils. The length of Adisesha is 16008 feet.

This temple is built around on a floor raised 18 steps from the river.

There are 224 pillars decorated with lamp girl sculpture around the main mandapam. This lamp girl sculpture is known as Deepalakshmi.

There are also another 2300 sculptures in the shrine.

The temple has got Sribali Mandapam which is 13.15 meters in length and 12.40 meters in width.

Apart from this the temple is noted for its wood sculptures, single-stone mandapam, Udayamarthanda Namaskara Mandapam and Sastha Temple. The pillars and walls of these structures have sculptures based on stories from the Puranas.

The most important festival here are Navratri, Chandana Abhishkam (January – February), Vaikuna Ekadasi and the annual temple festival (October – November).

The shrine is open from 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.