Tamil

Aiyanar of Pudukottai

Aiyaṉār — regional protector-god of Pudukkottai

Alwarthirunagari

Tirukkurukur / Ālvārtiruṉagarī — birthplace of Nammalvar

Āṇḍāḷ (Godādevi)

Angalamman

Aṅgāḷamman — goddess of cremation grounds

Arunachaleshwara Thiruvannamalai

Agni Liṅga — fire-element

Avinashi-appar (Avinasi-lingam)

Avinashi-appar of Avinashi — the Revival Shiva

Ram Janmabhoomi — Divya Desam form

Ayodhya Vaidyanatha as Divya Desam

Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Rāma Janmabhūmi — Divya Desam + new consecration 2024

Ayyanar

Village Sovereign — the meditating warrior of the Tamil boundary

Badri-narayana

Badrinath — Vishnu meditating in the Himalayas (Vada-Madurai)

Badrinath

Badrīnātha — Char Dham + Divya Desam

Sūrya Narāyaṇa — at Pongal

Sūrya — the sun, supreme in the Tamil harvest festival

Budatt Āḻvār

Chidambaram Natarāja

Ākāśa Liṅga — space-element / Lord of the Cosmic Dance

Kaṇṇagi Amman

Kaṇṇagi — Silappatikāram heroine deified

Airavateshwara Darasuram

Airāvateśvara — UNESCO Living Chola Temple

108 Divya Desams — Vishnu's Sacred Abodes

Divya Desams — The 108 Temples of Lord Vishnu

Kalyana-narayana of Dwaraka

Kalyana-narayana — Vishnu's wedding-form at Dwaraka

Ekāmbareshwar Kanchipuram

Pṛthvī Liṅga — earth-element

Gangaikondacholapuram Brihadeeshwarar

Second great Chola temple — Rajendra Chola

Srikalahasti

Vāyu Liṅga — air-element

Kaliamman (Tamil Folk)

Kāḷiyamman — Tamil village form of Kāḷī

Jvara-hareshwarar

Jvara-hareshwara of Kanchi — fever-remover

Metrali-eswarar of Kanchi

Metrali-eswarar — the "upper-floor" Shiva of Kanchi

Kārvāṉar-perumāḷ

Thirukkalvanoor — Vishnu the "handsome thief"

Kāragathān-perumāḷ

Thiru-kāragam — Vishnu standing in a kārakam (mṛdaṅga/hourglass pose)

Kalva-perumāḷ

Thiru-kārvānam — Vishnu of the "dark form"

Ulagaḷantha-perumāḷ (Trivikrama #2)

Thiru-ooragam — Vishnu's second Kanchi Trivikrama

Pāṇḍava-dūta-perumāḷ

Pāṇḍava-dūta — Krishna the messenger of the Pāṇḍavas

Ulakaḷaṇḍa-perumāḷ (Trivikrama)

Ulakaḷandhar — Vishnu as the cosmic strider

Kailasanathar Kanchipuram

Kailāsanātha — earliest Pallava stone temple

Varadaraja Perumal Kanchipuram

Varadarāja — one of Kanchi's 3 canonical Divya Desams

Kapālīśvara of Mylapore

Kapālīśvara — Shiva of Mylapore, Chennai

Karuppu Sami

The Black Lord — guardian of Ayyanar's court

Pasu-pateeswarar of Karur

Pasu-pateeswarar — Lord of the beasts

Ketheeswaram of Mannar — 2nd Pancha-Ishwaram

Ketheeswaram — Shiva near the ancient port

Kulaśekhara Āḻvār

Kumbeshwar Kumbakonam

Kumbhakoṇa-īśvara — temple of the cosmic pot

Kuṭralanātha / Kurumbala-eeswarar

Kuṭralanātha of Kuṭralam — Shiva at the great waterfall

Kallazhagar (Alagar Koyil Vishnu)

Kallaḻagar — the Stone-Handsome Lord of Alagar Hills

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Mīnākṣī-Cokkanātha — the heart of Tamil Shaivism and Shaktism

Sundareśvara of Madurai Meenakshi

Sundareśvara — consort of Meenakshi at Madurai

Madurai Veeran

The Warrior of Madurai — guardian hero-deity

Madurakavi Āḻvār

Mandapam Amman

Mandapam Amman — goddess of the Rameswaram port

Māriyamman — Punnaināllūr

Māriyamman of the four-marble seats

Muneeswaran

Munīśvaran — muni-god of the Tamil countryside

Munneswaram

Munneśvarar — one of Shiva's five ishvarams in Sri Lanka

Thiruchendur Subrahmaṇya

2nd of the 6 Padai Veedu — Murugan at the sea-shore

Devaraja of Naimisharanya

Devaraja-perumal of Naimisharanya — forest of recitation

Nammāḻvār (Śaṭhakōpaṉ)

Tirunelli Mahavishnu

Tirunelli — Kerala Char Dham of Vishnu

Adi-nātha-perumāḷ

Alwarthirunagari — birthplace of Nammāḻvār

Magara-nedung-kuḻai-kātha-perumāḷ

Nava Tirupati — Thenthirupperai

Vaittha-māṇidhi

Nava Tirupati — Thirukkolur

Māyākkūttaṉ

Nava Tirupati — Thirukkulandhai (Perungulam)

Makaranedumkuḻaikkāthar

Nava Tirupati — Thirupperai (Srivaikuntam taluka)

Vijayāsana-perumāḷ

Nava Tirupati — Varagunamangai

Our Lady of Velankanni (Arogya Nathar)

Velankanni — "Lourdes of the East"

Pazhamudircholai Murugan

6th Padai Veedu — Murugan of the ancient fruit grove

Palani Dandayudhapani

Third Padai Veedu; Murugan-as-renunciate with staff

Palani Murugan

Palani Murugan — 3rd of the 6 Padai Veedu

Pandi Muneeswarar

Pandi Muneeswaran — fierce Shaiva-folk protector of Madurai

Paramapadam

Paramapadam — the Supreme Abode, Vaikuntha

Pārthasārathy of Triplicane

Pārthasārathy — Krishna as Arjuna's charioteer

Pazhamudircholai Murugan

Sixth Padai Veedu — where Murugan as boy humbled Avvaiyar

Periyāḻvār

Malai-thunginatha-eswarar

Malai-thungi-natha of Kongu Nadu — "Shiva who cradles the mountain"

Patṭīśvara of Perur

Patṭīśvara of Perur — Shiva of the five-legged calf

Pey Āḻvār

Piḍāri Amman

Piḍāri — the boundary-mother

Poigai Āḻvār

Rakkayi Amman

Midnight Mother — Tamil gramadevata of sudden afflictions

Samayapuram Mariamman

The Rain and Pox Mother at Samayapuram

Sārangapāṇi Svāmi

Kumbakonam Sārangapāṇi

Brahmapura-eswarar / Sattanathar / Thoniappar

Sattanathar of Seerkazhi — 3 shrines in 1

Thoniappar

Thoniappar of the divine boat

Shyama Shastri — Kanchi Kamakoti and the Carnatic Trinity

Shyama Shastri — The Third Trinity Composer of Kanchipuram

Silambarasī (Virgin-Māri)

Silambarasī — guardian of the waters

Bhakta Kannappa of Kalahasti

Kannappa — the hunter-devotee

Vaikuntha-nātha of Śrī Vaikuṇṭham

Śrī Vaikuṇṭham (first of Nava Tirupati)

Srirangam Ranganatha

Śrīraṅgam Raṅganātha — first and foremost of 108 Divya Desams

Suryanar Koil

Sūryanār Kōyil — Navagraha Sun-deity temple

Swāmimalai Murugan

4th Padai Veedu — where Murugan taught Shiva

Swamimalai Murugan

Fourth Padai Veedu; Murugan as his father's teacher

Tamil Hindu Deities Sri Lanka

Tamil Hindu Deities in Sri Lanka

Brihadeeshwarar Thanjavur

Bṛhadīśvara — Chola masterpiece, UNESCO

Thingalur Chandra temple

Tingaḷūr — Navagraha Chandra (Moon) sthala

Adbhuta-nārāyaṇa

Thiru-kadithanam — Vishnu of Chengannur region

Sowriraja-perumal

Sowriraja of Thirukkannapuram — Krishna's long-haired form

Koodal-Aḻagar

Koodal Azhagar Koil

Adikesava-perumal (Ashtabujagaram)

Ashtabujagaram of Kanchi — eight-armed Vishnu

Tiruchendur Subramanya

Tiruchendūr — Second Padai Veedu of Murugan by the Bay of Bengal

Thiruchengode Ardhanariswarar

Tiruccengoḍu — Ardhanārī temple on hilltop

Saranatha-perumal (distinct shrine)

Saranatha — Vishnu of Kaveri-wedding

Saranatha-perumal of Thirucherai

Saranatha — Vishnu the shelter-giver

Gōvinda-rāja-perumāḷ (Kerala's Thiruchittrakuta)

Thiruchittrakuta — twin of Chitrakuta

Parimala-ranganatha

Parimala-ranganatha of Thiru-indalur

Bhaktavatsala-perumal

Bhaktavatsala of Thirukannamangai — the lover of devotees

Loganatha-perumal

Loganatha of Thirukkannangudi — Vishnu lord of the world

Annyur-natha-eswarar

Annyur-natha of Thirukanur

Gopala-krishna-perumal

Gopalakrishna of Thirukavalampadi

Varadaraja-perumal

Varadaraja (Devaraja) of Kanchi — great Vishnu of Tondai-mandalam

Amṛtaghaṭeśvara

Amṛtaghaṭeśvara of Thirukkadaiyur — Shiva who defeated Yama

Tirukkalanthar of Thirukkalavur

Tirukkalanthar — Shiva who conquered Kala (Time)

Vedagiri-eswarar (hill shrine)

Vedagiri of the Two Eagles

Veera-sthaneswarar

Veera-sthana of Thirukkandiyur

Sivalokanathar of Thirukkanur

Sivalokanathar — Shiva who opened heaven

Avinashi-appan of Thirukkaronam

Avinashi-appan — the imperishable Shiva

Vedagiriśvara

Vedagiriśvara of Thirukkazhukunram — Shiva of the Eagle Hill

Chokkanathar of Thirukkolakka

Chokkanathar — Shiva as golden Lord

Jagatrakshaga-perumal

Jagatrakshaga of Thirukkoodalur — Vishnu who saves the world

Azhagiya-nambi-perumal

Azhagiya Nambi of Thirukkurungudi — the handsome Lord

Koneswarar of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) — the 5th Pancha-Ishwaram

Koneswarar — Shiva at the sacred mountain of Sri Lanka

Prāṇanātheśvara

Prāṇanātheśvara of Thirumangalakudi

Vamadeva-eswarar of Thirumanikuzhi

Vamadeva — one of the 5 faces of Shiva

Vedaranyeswarar

Vedaranyeswarar of Vedaranyam — "the forest where Vedas hid"

Vaidyanāthar of Thirumazhapadi

Vaidyanāthar — the "divine physician" form

Soundararajan

Soundararajan of Thirunagai (Nagapattinam)

Kalyāṇa-sundarar

Kalyāṇa-sundarar — Shiva of the Divine Wedding

Vinnagaraperumal of Thirunandhipuram

Vinnagaraperumal — Vishnu of the heavens

Srinivasa-perumal of Nachiyar Koil

Nachiyar Koil — where the goddess takes precedence over the Lord

Nambinayaki-sametha Siddinathar

Nambinayaki-Siddinathar of Thirunaraiyur

Naḍuthaṟai Nāthar (Oḍḍiyāna-Nāthar)

Siddhi-vināyaka of Thirunaraiyur (Nachiyar Koil) — Shiva shrine

Navā-mukunda

Thirunavaya — Vishnu at the confluence of Bharatappuzha

Neithana-nathar of Thiruneithanam

Neithana-nathar — Shiva of the lotus-stamen

Nellai-appar

Nellai-appar of Tirunelveli — the paddy-field Shiva

Pattu-nathar of Thirupathurai

Pattu-nathar — Shiva of the silk weavers

Arul-vallar of Thirupazhamannippadikkarai

Arul-vallar — Shiva of the ancient clay river-bank

Vīḍi-vīṭangeśvara

Vīḍi-vīṭangar of Thiruppanandal — the tilted liṅga

Ksheerabdhinatha — Vishnu of the Milk Ocean

Tirupparkadal — Vishnu reclining on Ananta

Pavalavanna-perumal

Pavalavanna — coral-coloured Vishnu of Kanchi

Avinashi-natha

Avinashi-natha of Thiruppukkoliyur

Puṣpavaneśvara

Puṣpavaneśvara of Thiruppuvanam — the Flower-Forest Shiva

Kalyana-jagannatha-perumal

Kalyana Jagannatha of Thirupullani — Rama's chosen shrine

Punnai-vana-nathar

Punnai-vana-nathar of Thirupunavasal

Pushpavaneswarar of Thirupundhuruthi

Pushpavaneswarar — the flower-forest

Pushpavaneswarar of Thirupuvanam-b

Pushpavaneswarar — flower-forest (distinct from Thirupundhuruthi)

Thiruthanigai Murugan

5th of the 6 Padai Veedu — where Murugan married Valli

Svāminātha Subrahmaṇya of Thiruthanigai — Shiva co-shrine

Thiruthanigai Shiva (adjoining Murugan Padai Veedu)

Pāla-sama-nātheśvara

Pāla-sama-nātha of Thiruthuraipoondi

Govardhana of Vraja

Govardhana-giridhari — Krishna lifting Govardhana

Thiruvaiyaru Panchanatheeshwara

Tiruvaiyāṟu — Shiva of the 5 rivers

Śrī Vallabha

Sri Vallabha of Thiruvalla

Bilvāraṇyeśvara

Bilvāraṇyeśvara of Thiruvallam

Tiru-vanji-kāḷi co-shrine at Thiruvallur

Shiva of the Veeraraghava precinct — Thiruvallur

Jambukeshwar Thiruvanaikaval

Appu Liṅga — water-element

Akilandeshwari of Thiruvanaikka — the goddess-consort

Akilandeshwari (Ambal) of Jambukeshwara

Mahadevar of Thiruvanchikulam

Mahadeva of the Old Chera Capital

Tiruvañjikkalam Mahādevā

Mahādevā of Tiruvañjikkalam — Shiva of old Chera capital

Vanji-natha-eswarar

Vanji-natha of Thiruvanjiyam

Vanmikanathar / Thyagaraja

Thyagaraja of Tiruvarur — capital Shiva

Thiruvarur Thyagaraja

Tiruvārūr — great Chola Nayanar birthplace

Adikeshava-perumal

Adikeshava of Thiruvattaru — 22-ft reclining Vishnu

Madhyarjuneshwarar — the middle-Arjuna Shiva

Madhyarjuneshwarar of Thiruvidaimaruthur

Thiruvellarai

Tiruvellaṟai — Pundarikaksha Perumal

Vedapureeswarar of Thiruvelvikudi

Vedapureeswarar — Shiva of the Vedic yajna

Thiruvenkadu Svetaranyeshwara

Tiruvenkāṭu — Navagraha Budha (Mercury) sthala

Swetaranyeswarar — white-forest Shiva; Budha parihara

Swetaranyeswarar — Budha's remission temple

Mahāliṅgeśvara

Mahāliṅgeśvara of Thiruvidaimaruthur — "central" of the three

Vaṭṭa-para-nātheśvara (Ādipurīśvara)

Ādipurīśvara of Thiruvotriyur

Thrikkākara Vāmana

Thrikkakara — Vishnu as Vāmana, origin of Onam

Tirukannapuram

Tirukkaṇṇapuraṃ — Vishnu as Sauri Perumal

Tirukkannamangai

Tirukkaṇṇamaṅgai — Vishnu as Abhishekavalli's consort

Tirupullambhoothamkudi

Tiruppullām Pūtaṅkuḍi — Vishnu with his 4 Pancha Vyuha forms

Tirukkurungudi Vishnu

Tirukkuṟuṅguḍi — Nambiyār Vishnu of the dwarf-body

Tirukkottiyur

Tirukōṭṭiyūr — site of Ramanuja's secret-mantra revelation

Tirumaḻiśai Āḻvār

Tirumālirumcholai

Tirumāl Iruñcōlai — Kallazhagar (Madurai hills)

Tirumazhisai Aamanmakkan

Tirumaḻicaiyāḻvāṉ — where 6th-c. Alvar was born

Tirumaṅgai Āḻvār

Tirumogur Kallazhagar Temple

Tirumōgūr — where Mohini bestowed amṛta

Tirumukkudal

Tirumukkūṭal — three-river confluence Vishnu

Nellaiappar Tirunelveli

Nellaiappar — Lord of the paddy-fence

Tirupparkadal — the milk-ocean

Ksīrābdhinātha — Vishnu reclining on the Milk-Ocean

Tiruppāṇāḻvār

Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple

Tirupparankundram — First of the Six Abodes (Āṟupāḍai Vīḍu)

Tiruttani Murugan

Fifth Padai Veedu — where Murugan married Valli

Tiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar

Aruṇāchaleśvara — Agni Liṅga + Tevaram

Thiruvananthapuram Padmanabha

Tiruvaṉantapuram Padmanābha — wealth-vault Vishnu

Vedapureeswarar of Thiruvedhikudi

Vedapureeswarar — Shiva of the Vedic scholars

Toṇḍaraḍippoḍi Āḻvār

Uraiyur Azhagiyamanavalan

Uṟaiyūr — old Chola capital, Nachiyar's birthplace

Tirupperai

Tirupperai — one of Nava Tirupati

Vaidyanātha of Vaidhīśvaran Koyil

Vaidyanātha — Shiva the divine physician

Vanamamalai Perumal

Vāṉamāmalai / Nāṉkuṇerī — Vishnu as Deivanayagan

Angala Parameswari

Aṅgala Parameśvarī — Queen of the Six Abodes (Arupadaiveedu)

Pechi Amman (Detailed)

Pēchi Amman — Forest-Mother of the Tamil hills

Vyāghra (Tiger)

Tiger — Mount of the Amman Goddesses

Divya Prabandham Recitation (Āḻvār Hymnody)

Kāragathān-perumāḷ

Thiru-kāragam — Vishnu standing in a kārakam (mṛdaṅga/hourglass pose)

Kalva-perumāḷ

Thiru-kārvānam — Vishnu of the "dark form"

Pāṇḍava-dūta-perumāḷ

Pāṇḍava-dūta — Krishna the messenger of the Pāṇḍavas

Ulakaḷaṇḍa-perumāḷ (Trivikrama)

Ulakaḷandhar — Vishnu as the cosmic strider

Varadaraja Perumal Kanchipuram

Varadarāja — one of Kanchi's 3 canonical Divya Desams

Koodal Azhagar Temple, Madurai

The Three-Form Vishnu of Madurai

Alagar Koyil (Kallazhagar Temple)

Kallaḻagar — Vishnu who wades the Vaigai

Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

The Fish-Eyed Goddess — Living Heart of Madurai

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

The Fish-Eyed Goddess of Madurai

Devaraja of Naimisharanya

Devaraja-perumal of Naimisharanya — forest of recitation

Adi-nātha-perumāḷ

Alwarthirunagari — birthplace of Nammāḻvār

Magara-nedung-kuḻai-kātha-perumāḷ

Nava Tirupati — Thenthirupperai

Vaittha-māṇidhi

Nava Tirupati — Thirukkolur

Māyākkūttaṉ

Nava Tirupati — Thirukkulandhai (Perungulam)

Makaranedumkuḻaikkāthar

Nava Tirupati — Thirupperai (Srivaikuntam taluka)

Vijayāsana-perumāḷ

Nava Tirupati — Varagunamangai

Paramapadam

Paramapadam — the Supreme Abode, Vaikuntha

Sārangapāṇi Svāmi

Kumbakonam Sārangapāṇi

Srirangam Ranganatha

Śrīraṅgam Raṅganātha — first and foremost of 108 Divya Desams

Adbhuta-nārāyaṇa

Thiru-kadithanam — Vishnu of Chengannur region

Adikesava-perumal (Ashtabujagaram)

Ashtabujagaram of Kanchi — eight-armed Vishnu

Gōvinda-rāja-perumāḷ (Kerala's Thiruchittrakuta)

Thiruchittrakuta — twin of Chitrakuta

Parimala-ranganatha

Parimala-ranganatha of Thiru-indalur

Bhaktavatsala-perumal

Bhaktavatsala of Thirukannamangai — the lover of devotees

Loganatha-perumal

Loganatha of Thirukkannangudi — Vishnu lord of the world

Gopala-krishna-perumal

Gopalakrishna of Thirukavalampadi

Varadaraja-perumal

Varadaraja (Devaraja) of Kanchi — great Vishnu of Tondai-mandalam

Jagatrakshaga-perumal

Jagatrakshaga of Thirukkoodalur — Vishnu who saves the world

Azhagiya-nambi-perumal

Azhagiya Nambi of Thirukkurungudi — the handsome Lord

Vinnagaraperumal of Thirunandhipuram

Vinnagaraperumal — Vishnu of the heavens

Navā-mukunda

Thirunavaya — Vishnu at the confluence of Bharatappuzha

Ksheerabdhinatha — Vishnu of the Milk Ocean

Tirupparkadal — Vishnu reclining on Ananta

Pavalavanna-perumal

Pavalavanna — coral-coloured Vishnu of Kanchi

Kalyana-jagannatha-perumal

Kalyana Jagannatha of Thirupullani — Rama's chosen shrine

Govardhana of Vraja

Govardhana-giridhari — Krishna lifting Govardhana

Śrī Vallabha

Sri Vallabha of Thiruvalla

Adikeshava-perumal

Adikeshava of Thiruvattaru — 22-ft reclining Vishnu

Thiruvellarai

Tiruvellaṟai — Pundarikaksha Perumal

Thrikkākara Vāmana

Thrikkakara — Vishnu as Vāmana, origin of Onam

Tirukannapuram

Tirukkaṇṇapuraṃ — Vishnu as Sauri Perumal

Tirumālirumcholai

Tirumāl Iruñcōlai — Kallazhagar (Madurai hills)

Tirumogur

Tirumōgūr — where Mohini bestowed amrita

Tirumukkudal

Tirumukkūṭal — three-river confluence Vishnu

Tirupparkadal — the milk-ocean

Ksīrābdhinātha — Vishnu reclining on the Milk-Ocean

Thiruvananthapuram Padmanabha

Tiruvaṉantapuram Padmanābha — wealth-vault Vishnu

Uraiyur Azhagiyamanavalan

Uṟaiyūr — old Chola capital, Nachiyar's birthplace

Vanamamalai Perumal

Vāṉamāmalai / Nāṉkuṇerī — Vishnu as Deivanayagan

Sthalapurana of Srirangam — The Cosmic Island of Raṅganātha