Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple

തിരുവൻവന്ദൂർ മഹാവിഷ്ണു ക്ഷേത്രം

Thiruvanvandoor, Kerala · 9.3432°, 76.5803°

Paambanaiyappan (Vishnu)CheraKeralaDivya Desam
Sacred since
800 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
Second Chera period (800-1102)
Chera

History & significance

A Divya Desam glorified by Nammalvar with inscriptions of the Second Chera empire, counted among the five Pamba-belt temples of the Pandavas and attributed to Nakula.

Sthala katha — the legend

Nakula is said to have installed the image here on the Pandavas' last pilgrimage after Parikshit's coronation.

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Related sites

Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Palani Dhandayuthapani Temple
Palani · India
attributed to Chera kings, early centuries CE; renewed since
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Thiruvananthapuram · India
rebuilt 1730s; shrine far older
Vadakkunnathan Temple
Thrissur · India
classic Kerala-style complex, medieval
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala
Tirumala, Tirupati · India
attested from early centuries CE; enlarged under Pallava, Chola & Vijayanagara patronage

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chera