Sundararaja Perumal temple, Tiruchirapalli

Sundararaja Perumal Temple
Thiruanbil Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictTiruchirapalli
Deity
  • Sundararaja Perumal (Vadivazhagiya Nambi) (Vishnu)
  • Sundaravalli Thayar (Lakshmi)
Features
  • Tower: Tharaga Vimanam
  • Temple tank: Manduka Theertham
Location
LocationTamil Nadu, India
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates10°52′04″N 78°52′56″E / 10.8678°N 78.8822°E / 10.8678; 78.8822
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture
CreatorCholas

Thiru Anbil, or Sundararaja Perumal Temple (also called Vadivazhagiya Nambi Perumal Temple), in Anbil, a village in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Sundararajan and his consort Lakshmi as Sundaravalli.

The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions from Vijayanagara kings and Madurai Nayaks. The copper plate inscriptions from Anbil indicate generous contribution by the Chola kings to the temple. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water. The rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower, is east facing and has a 3-tier structure. The temple is located on the banks of river Kollidam.

Sundararajan is believed to have appeared to Brahma (the Hindu god of creation) and sage Sutapa. Six daily rituals and two yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Tirthavari festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Maasi (February–March), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.