108 Divya Desams: Complete Guide to the Sacred Vishnu Temples of the Alvars

Quick answer: The 108 Divya Desams are the Vishnu temples praised in the Tamil hymns of the twelve Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition, whose roughly 4,000 verses form the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. Of the 108, 105 are in India (most of them in Tamil Nadu), one is Muktinath in Nepal, and two are celestial: Thiruparkadal, the Milky Ocean, and Paramapadam, Vaikuntham itself. Srirangam is counted first, and Tirumala is the most visited.

For Sri Vaishnava families abroad, completing the Divya Desam yatra is a lifelong aspiration, and even visiting a handful of them is a deeply meaningful pilgrimage. This guide explains what makes a temple a Divya Desam, how the 108 are grouped, the shrines worth prioritising and how to plan a trip from overseas.

What makes a temple a Divya Desam

The word Divya Desam means "divine place". The defining test is simple: a temple is a Divya Desam if at least one of the twelve Alvars sang about it. That act of praise is called mangalasasanam. Size, age or popularity do not decide it. Some Divya Desams are vast temple towns; others are small village shrines.

The Alvars lived in South India in the early medieval period. Their hymns were later gathered by the 10th-century acharya Nathamuni into the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, and the tradition was systematised by Ramanujacharya. Sri Vaishnavas regard the Prabandham as the Tamil Veda, and its verses are still chanted in temples and homes today.

The twelve Alvars

• Poigai Alvar, Bhoothath Alvar and Pey Alvar, the first three, known as the Mudhal Alvars
• Thirumazhisai Alvar
• Nammalvar, author of the Thiruvaimozhi, regarded as the foremost of the Alvars
• Madhurakavi Alvar, who sang in praise of his teacher Nammalvar
• Kulasekhara Alvar, a king of the Chera land
• Periyalvar, who sang of Krishna's childhood
• Andal, Periyalvar's daughter and the only woman among the Alvars, author of the Thiruppavai
• Thondaradippodi Alvar
• Thiruppaan Alvar
• Thirumangai Alvar, who praised the largest number of Divya Desams

The 108 Divya Desams by region

Tradition groups the shrines by the old regions of South India and beyond. The counts below are the standard Sri Vaishnava classification.

Together these add up to 108. Note that the eleven Vada Nadu shrines are spread across Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Nepal, so they are usually visited separately from the Tamil Nadu circuits.

Divya Desams to prioritise

Srirangam (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple): The first Divya Desam, set on an island in the Kaveri near Tiruchirappalli. Lord Ranganatha reclines on Adisesha. It is one of the largest functioning temple complexes in the world, with seven concentric enclosures, and its Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival draws vast crowds.

Tirumala (Sri Venkateswara Temple): Known in the Prabandham as Thiruvenkatam, it is the most visited of all. Read our Tirumala Venkateswara temple guide for planning.

Kanchipuram: The temple town has the greatest concentration of Divya Desams, including the Varadaraja Perumal Temple, so pilgrims can visit many in a day or two.

Srivilliputhur: Birthplace of Andal and Periyalvar. Its tall gopuram is the emblem of the Tamil Nadu government.

Alwarthirunagari: Birthplace of Nammalvar, on the Thamirabarani river, part of the Nava Tirupati group of nine shrines.

Thiruvananthapuram Padmanabhaswamy: Kerala's most famous Divya Desam, with Vishnu in a reclining posture seen through three doors.

Badrinath and Muktinath: The Himalayan Divya Desams, open only part of the year because of the climate, and the most demanding to reach.

How the yatra is usually planned

• Kumbakonam circuit: Base yourself in Kumbakonam to reach a large cluster of Chola Nadu shrines, many within short driving distances.
• Srirangam and Tiruchirappalli: Srirangam plus nearby shrines such as Uraiyur and Thiruvellarai.
• Kanchipuram and Chennai: Most Thondai Nadu shrines, including Thiruvallikeni in Chennai city.
• Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi: The Nava Tirupati and other Pandya Nadu shrines.
• Kerala: The Malai Nadu shrines, several of them around Chengannur and Thiruvalla.
• North India and Nepal: Badrinath, Joshimath and Devaprayag in one Himalayan trip; Ayodhya, Naimisaranya, Mathura and Gokul in another; Dwarka and Muktinath separately.

Many smaller village Divya Desams keep limited hours and close in the afternoon. Hire a local driver who knows the circuit, start early, and check each temple's official information or the Tamil Nadu HR&CE listings for current timings.

Tips for NRI pilgrims

• Most families complete the 106 earthly shrines over several India visits. Keep a simple checklist and a notebook of each darshan; it becomes a treasured family record.
• Traditional dress is expected in many Tamil Nadu and Kerala temples. In Kerala, men usually remove shirts and wear a mundu or veshti inside.
• Learn a few pasurams, such as the opening verses of Andal's Thiruppavai, before travelling. Chanting at the shrine the Alvars sang of is a special experience.
• The Himalayan shrines need fitness and acclimatisation; plan them while elders are able to travel.
• Carry cash in small denominations; rural temples may not take cards.

At home abroad, the Margazhi month (mid-December to mid-January) is a lovely time to recite the Thiruppavai daily with children, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the most important day in the Divya Desam calendar.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Divya Desam?

A Divya Desam is a Vishnu temple that was praised (given mangalasasanam) in the Tamil hymns of the twelve Alvars, collected in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. There are 108 such shrines in Sri Vaishnava tradition.

How many Divya Desams can be visited on earth?

106. There are 105 in India and one, Muktinath (Saligramam), in Nepal. The remaining two, Thiruparkadal (the Milky Ocean) and Paramapadam (Vaikuntham), are celestial and are believed to be attained only after this life.

Which is the first Divya Desam?

Srirangam's Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is traditionally counted first and is revered as Bhuloka Vaikuntham, Vishnu's abode on earth. It is praised by eleven of the twelve Alvars.

Is Guruvayur a Divya Desam?

No. Guruvayur is one of the most important Krishna temples in Kerala, but it is not among the 108 Divya Desams because the Alvars did not sing about it. Kerala's Divya Desams include Thiruvananthapuram's Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Thrikkakara, among others.

Which state has the most Divya Desams?

Tamil Nadu, by a wide margin. The Chola Nadu region around the Kaveri delta alone has 40, and Thondai Nadu around Kanchipuram and Chennai has 22.

How long does it take to visit all 108 Divya Desams?

Devotees usually complete them over several trips. The Tamil Nadu shrines can be grouped into regional circuits of a week or two each, while the northern shrines such as Badrinath, Muktinath and Dwarka need separate journeys.

Editor's note

Editor's note (5 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. The regional counts follow the standard Sri Vaishnava classification. A few individual shrines are known by more than one name, and some lists place a temple in a neighbouring region; where we were unsure, we have named only the widely agreed temples. Please check official temple sources for timings.

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