Yatra planner
The Divya Desams fall into natural circuits that families visit together. Pick a circuit, follow the suggested order, and tick each desam off as you go.
Srirangam and Tiruchirappalli
Begin where the sampradaya begins: Periya Perumal at Srirangam, then the desams around Tiruchirappalli and along the Kaveri. Two days are enough.
Thanjavur and Kumbakonam
The heart of Chola Nadu: Thanjai Mamanikkoyil, Sarangapani at Kumbakonam, Oppiliappan, Nachiyar Kovil and the temples between them, all within a short drive of Kumbakonam.
Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam
From Therazhundur and Thiru Indalur east to the coast: Thirukkannapuram's Sowriraja Perumal, the Krishna kshetrams of Thirukkannamangai and Thirukkannangudi, and Nagapattinam.
Thirunangur and Sirkazhi
Thirumangai Alwar's own country: the eleven Thirunangur desams, close together in the fields, with Sirkazhi and Thiruvali-Thirunagari where he was born. Best seen during the Thai Amavasai Garuda Sevai.
Chidambaram and Nadu Nadu
Govindaraja at Chidambaram, Devanathan at Thiruvahindrapuram, and Thirukkoyilur, where the three Mudhal Alwars met in the rain and lit the first lamps.
Kanchipuram
Fifteen desams in and around one town, several of them shrines inside larger temples. Begin with Varadaraja Perumal on Atthigiri, the Perumal of Sri Ramanuja's early life.
Chennai and around
Parthasarathy at Thiruvallikeni, the hill and ground temples of Thiruneermalai, Thiruvidandhai and Mamallapuram on the coast, then Thirunindravur, Thiruvallur and the hill at Sholinghur.
Malai Nadu (Kerala)
Thirteen desams along Kerala, from Thirunavai in the north to Thiruvananthapuram's Anantha Padmanabhan and the two Kanyakumari desams. Five sit close together around Chengannur.
Nava Tirupati and Tirunelveli
Swami Nammalwar's land on the Thamirabarani: Alwarthirunagari, where he sat under the tamarind tree, and the Nava Tirupati around it, then Vanamamalai and Thirukkurungudi.
Madurai and Pandya Nadu
Koodal Azhagar in Madurai, Azhagar Kovil in the hills, Thirumogur, Thirukkoshtiyur's gopuram of Sri Ramanuja, Thirumeyyam and Thiruppullani by the sea, and Andal's Srivilliputhur.
Tirumala and Ahobilam
Thiruvenkadamudaiyan on the seven hills, and the nine Narasimhas of Ahobilam in the Nallamala forest. Ahobilam needs a full day and some walking.
Mathura, Ayodhya, Naimisaranyam and Dwaraka
The places of Sri Krishna and Sri Rama: Mathura and Gokulam, Ayodhya, the forest of Naimisaranyam, and Dwaraka on the western sea, which is a separate journey.
The Himalayan desams
Devaprayag at the meeting of the rivers, Jyotirmath and Badrinath on the road north, and Muktinath in Nepal. Plan for the season: the road to Badrinath opens roughly from May to November.
Nearest to me
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Location is not available, so the list stays in its usual order.
Distances are straight-line between temples; the road is usually a third longer.