Thennangur Panduranga Temple, Kanchipuram Overview

Thennangur Panduranga Temple is located in the Thennangur village in the district of Tiruvannamalai in Kanchipuram. The town is also known as the birthplace of Goddess Meenakshi. Thennangur Panduranga Temple is dedicated to Panduranga and his consort Rukmayee. It attracts tourists from all over the world for its religious importance, its unique architecture and the divine idols of Lord Panduranga and Rukmayee.

The main idol of the temple was installed by Swami Haridas Giri which he had brought along with him from Pandharpur about 500 years ago. The striking temple also houses an idol of Achyutraja Perumal which is a rare find India. It is said that no temple in India has an idol of Achyutraja Perumal, making it a unique find in the country.

More About the Thennangur Panduranga Temple

The idols are grand and elegantly dressed with great enthusiasm and spirit in colourful clothes and beautiful jewellery. The sight of the beautifully decorated idols is a treat to the eyes. Many get mesmerised by the dazzling beauty of the idols and witness, not just the blessings of the Almighty, but also the magical vibe in the temple atmosphere.

One can see a beautiful merger of the Orthodox Sampraday and the Bhajan Sampraday here. It is believed that the Lord blesses newlywed couples hence most families choose the Maha Mandap inside the temple complex as their wedding venue. It is also believed that Lord Panduranga appears in different forms on special occasions. The Thennangur Panduranga Temple is thus of immense religious and spiritual importance to the devotees travel miles to visit and offer their prayers.

Architecture of Thennangur Panduranga Temple

The temple gopuram is a good illustration of architecture predominantly used during the reign of the Pallava Kings while the inside of it is decorated with beautiful paintings and fibre optics. The sanctum sanctorum is designed similar to the Jagannath Temple in Puri and consists of an idol of the deity, Panduranga, which is about 11 foot tall while the idol of his consort, Rukmayee, is about 8.5 feet tall. There is also an idol of Varadaraja with his companions and a rare idol of Achyutaraja Perumal. The structure is made of Salagrama stone and has a height of about 120 feet and has a 9.5 foot tall Gold Kalasa with a Sudarshan Chakra placed on top of the shrine. The Thennangur Panduranga Temple also has a Maha-Mandap which is a 16 pillared mandap structure which is often used for wedding rituals and a Brindavan dedicated to Gnanananda Swamigal.

Thennangur Panduranga Temple Festivals

Vishukani Utsav
Celebrated in April every year it marks the New Year for Hindus. Devotees offer prayers and perform abhisheks at the temple. It is a day for new hopes and joyous beginnings.

Muthangi Sevai
The festival of Muthangi Sevai is celebrated on the day of Gokulashtami. The divine idols are decorated with beautiful clothing and fine jewellery, and Lord Panduranga is shown as Lord Krishna holding the Govardhan Hill, Parthasarathy and Rajagopalan.

Best Time To Visit Thennangur Panduranga Temple

The best time to visit the Thennangur Panduranga Temple is in the morning or the evenings as most of the rituals and poojas are conducted during those hours.

Tips For Visiting Thennangur Panduranga Temple

1. Offering prayers at the temple on Sundays is considered auspicious. Hence the temple is usually crowded on Sundays. Those who wish to escape the crows may visit during weekdays.
2. There are no clothing restrictions, however, it is advisable that visitors wear modest clothes covering knees and shoulders.
3. The temple management may get a little too pushy for donations.
4. Photography is not allowed inside the temple complex.

How To Reach Thennangur Panduranga Temple

Thennangur Panduranga Temple is easily accessible by road from any part of Kanchipuram. Tourists can rent cabs or taxis to reach the temple complex. Local buses regularly ply within the village - tourists can opt for a bus ride as well. Those exploring by private vehicles can take the Kanchipuram - Vandavasi road. Thenangur is located at a distance of 6 kilometres from Vandavasi.