Abhimana Kshethram


Abhimana Kshethram or Abhimana Sthalam are a list of 108 sacred Vishnu and Lakshmi temples apart from the other 108 Divya desams. Abhimana desams or close abodes, these temples are the most significant temples in the Sri Vaishnavite tradition which has similar greatness as Divya Desams. These set of temples is classified as an Abhimana Kshethram as it is mentioned in various Puranas and Ithihasas such as Ramayana and Mahabharata and have significant Sthala Puranas based on the Ithihasas and various Puranas of Hinduism. The temples are also said to be visited by many Religious scholars and saints such as Ramanuja, Adi Shankara, Madhvacharya, Nathamuni, Yamunacharya, Vedanta Desika, Manavala Mamunigal, Purandara Dasa, Narayana Teertha, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and by many other great Vedic teachers and Rishis. Some of these Temples are said to be visited by the Alvars who did not sing the god's grace due to various reasons. Out of these 108 temples Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi is considered as the 1st out of the 108 Abhimana Kshethras as Thirumangai Alvar is believed to have visited the temple and is believed to have built the tall flag post outside the temple with the help of cotton bales. The other Alvars who are believed to have visited the temple at various periods were seemingly lost in under the beauty of the presiding deity and were at a loss for words.

Legend

There were many old and highly important temples which were not sung by the Alvars in their Naalayira Divya Prabandham hence, not classified as a Divya desam which made many Vaishnava scholars sad. Nathamuni, Madhvacharya, Ramanuja, Vedanta Desika and many other Vaishnavate scholars classified another sect of temples called Abhimana Kshethras. These temples are so close to the heart of Maha Vishnu hence, called Abhimana desam. These temples are classified as 108 Temples as various Vaishnavite Acharayas, Alvars and Various Rishis of puranas and ithihas glorify them.

List of Abhimana Kshethrams

This is the list of the 108 sacred Temples dedicated to various forms of Vishnu the supreme deity of Vaishnavism. These 108 Abhimana Kshethras are present only in India.
No.NameDeityImageLocation
1Rajagopalaswamy Temple, MannargudiSri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy and Sri Sengamala ThayarMannargudi, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu
2Kothandaramar temple, VaduvurKothandaramar and SitaVaduvur, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu
3Kothandaramar temple, ParuthiyurRama and Sita
4Srinivasa Perumal Temple, KudavasalSrinivasa Perumal with Sridevi, BhudeviKudavasal, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu
5Kalinga narthana krishna TempleVeda Naarayanar with Sridevi and BhudeviParuthiyur, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu
6Chakrapani Temple, KumbakonamChakrapani Perumal and Vijayalakshmi ThayarKumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
7Kothandaramar Temple, AdambarRama with SitaAdambar, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu
8Kothandaramar Temple, ThillaivilagamRama with SitaThillaivilagam, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu
9Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal, VaragurLakshmi Narayana Perumal, Venkatesha Perumal and Navaneetha Krishnan
10Mudikondan Kothandaramar TempleRama with SitaMudikondan, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu
11Kothandaramaswamy Temple, PatteeswaramRama with SitaPatteeswaram, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
12Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, ThirumandangudiRanganthaswamy and Ranganayaki Thayar.Thirumandangudi, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
13Ramaswamy Temple, KumbakonamRama with SitaKumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
14Rajagopalaswamy Temple, KumbakonamRajagopalaswamy with Sridevi and BhudeviKumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
15Varahaperumal Temple, KumbakonamVaraha with BhudeviKumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
16Vasudeva Perumal TempleVasudeva perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi
17Veetrirundha Perumal TempleVeetrindha Perumal with Bhudevi and Niladevi
18Amrithanarayana Perumal TempleAmritanarayana Perumal and Amrithavalli ThayarThirukkadaiyur,Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu
19Anandha narayana perumal temple, Abaranadari, NagapattinamAnandha narayana perumal and Alankaravalli Thayar
20Devanarayana Perumal temple, Thevur, NagapattinamDeva Narayana Perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi
21Varadha Narayana Perumal Temple, Vadakalathur, NagapattinamVaradha Narayana Perumal and Perundevi Thayar
22Yadhava Perumal Temple, Kizhvelur, NangapattinamYadhava Perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi
23Sri Veeranarayana PerumalVeeranarayana Perumal and Maragadhavalli ThayarKattumannarkoil, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
24Sri Renganatha Perumal Temple, VadarengamRanganatha Perumal and Ranganayaki Thayar
25Bhu Varaha Swamy templeVaraha and Ambujavalli ThayarSrimushnam, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
26Adhirangam Ranganathaswamy templeAdi Ranganatha Perumal and Ranganayaki ThayarSankarapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
27Sri Lakshmi Narasimhswamy Temple, PolurNarasimha and Kanagavalli ThayarPolur, Tamil Nadu, India
28Sri Yoga Rama templeYoga Rama and Shengamalavalli ThayarNedumgunam, Chettupattu, Tamil Nadu
29Eri-Katha Ramar TempleErikatha Rama and Janakavalli Thayar Maduranthakam, Tamil Nadu, India
30Sundaravarada Perumal templeSundaravarada Perumal and Anandavalli ThayarUthiramerur, Tamil Nadu
31Padalathri Narasimhar TemplePadalathri Narasimhar and Ahobilavalli ThayarSingaperumal Koil, Chennai City
32Adikesava Perumal temple, MylaporeAdi Keshava perumal and Mayuravalli Thayar
33Madhava Perumal temple, MylaporeMadhava Perumal and Amrithavalli Thayar
34Jagannatha Perumal templeJaganatha Perumal and Thirumangaivalli Thayar
35Adikesava Perumal temple, SriperumpudurAdi Keshava Perumal and Yathirajavalli Thayar
36Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple, ThiruparkadalVenkateshwara and Padmavathy
37Varadaraja Perumal Temple, ShoolagiriVaradaraja Perumal and Perundevi Thayar
38Betrayaswamy Perumal temple, DenkanikottaiBetrayaswamy Perumal and Soundaryavalli Thayar
39Adi Srinivasa perumal temple, Mookanur, DharmapuriAdi moola Srinivasa Perumal and Padmavathy Thayar
40Kodandaramaswamy Temple, Ayothyapatinam, SalemRama with Sita
41Sundararaja Perumal Temple, SalemSundararaja Perumal and Sundaravalli Thayar
42Narasimhaswamy Temple, NamakkalNarasimha and Namagiri Thayar
43Sri Kalyana Venkataramanaswamy, ThanthonimalaiSwayambu Sri Kalyana Venkataramanaswamy and Lakshmi in Vakshasthalam
44Vedanarayana perumal temple, ThirunarayanapuramVedanarayana Perumal and Vedanayaki Thayar
45Gunaseelam Prasanna Venkatachalapathy TemplePrasanna Venkatachalapathy and Lakshmi in Vakshasthalam
46Kattu Narasimhaperumal Temple, SrirangamLakshmi Narasimha Perumal And Lakshmi on his lap.Srirangam, Trichy district,Tamil Nadu
47Kaliyuga Varadaraja Perumal Temple, AriyalurVaradaraja Perumal and Lakshmi in The Vakshasthala
48Sri Venkatesa Perumal Temple (Melathiruppathi) – MondipalayamShaligrama Srinivasa Perumal
49Soundararajaperumal temple, ThadikombuSoundararajaperumal and Soundaravalli
50Ranganathaswamy temple, KaramadaiRanganatha Perumal and Ranganayaki Thayar
51Guruvayur TempleGuruvayoorapan and Lakshmi in Vakshasthalam
52Janardanaswamy Temple, VarkalaJanardanaswamy Perumal
53Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy TempleVaraha with Bhudevi
54Ananthapura Lake Temple, KasaragodAnanthapadmanabhaswamy Perumal
55Thirunelli, Maha Vishnu TempleMaha Vishnu
56Thirupalkadal Sreekrishnaswamy TempleKrishna as Thirupalkadal Bhattarakar with Bhoodevi and Mahalakshmi
57Thriprayar Rama TempleRama
58Koodalmanikyam TempleBharata
59Payammal Shatrughna TempleShatrughna
60Sri Krishna Trichambaram TempleRaudra Krishna
61Kanipura Sri Gopalakrishna TempleGopalakrishna
62Maramkulangara Krishna TempleKrishna
63Sree Vasudevapuram Mahavishnu TempleMaha Vishnu and Ashta Lakshmi
64Sree Poornathrayeesa TempleAdi Narayana as Santhana gopala murthi
65Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy TempleKrishna
66Chottanikkara TempleLakshmi Narayana
67Andalurkavu Sri Ramachandramoorthi TempleRama
68Sree Krishna Swami Temple, ThodupuzhaKrishna
69Evoor Major Sri Krishnaswamy TempleKrishna
70Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama TempleParashurama
71Vilwadrinatha TempleRama
72Trikkulasekharapuram Sri Krishna TempleKrishna
73Ramapuram Sree Rama TempleRama with Sita
74Varadaraja Perumal, ThiruvenkatanathapuramVaradaraja Perumal With Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi
75Thanumalayan TempleBrahma Vishnu and Shiva
76Padhmanabhaswamy Perumal temple, Nellaiappar TempleAnathapadhmanabhaswamy and Gajalakshmi Thayar
77Sri Varadharaja Perumal KovilVaradaraja Perumal and Mahalakshmi Thayar
78Rajagopalaswamy ManarkoilRajagopalaswamy Perumal
79Kattalagar Perumal TempleKallazhagar Perumal
80Kothandaramaswamy Temple, RameshwaramRama and Seetha Pirati
81Ranganathaswamy Temple, SrirangapatnaRanganathaswamy and Ranganayaki Devi
82Ranganathaswamy Temple, ShivanasamudraRanganathaswamy and Ranganayaki
83Cheluvanarayana Swamy TempleCheluvanarayana Swamy
84Gunja Narasimha Swamy Temple, Tirumakudal NarasipuraNarasimha and Lakshmi Devi
85Udupi Sri Krishna MathaKrishna
86Kalady Krishna TempleSree Krishnaswamy
87Narasimha JharniSri Lakshmi Nararasimhswamy
88Kurmanathaswamy temple, SrikurmamKurmanathaswamy and Kurmanayaki Devi
89Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, MattapalliSri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha with Rajalakshmi Thayar and Chenchu Lakshmi Thayar
90Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, SimhachalamVaraha Narasimha and Simhavalli thayar
91Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple, BhadrachalamRama with Sita
92Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, MangalagiriLakshmi Narasimha
93Kodandarama Temple, TirupatiRama with Sita
94Jagannath Temple, PuriJaganatha and Jaganmata
95Chakra Narasimha TempleChakra Narasimha
96Vithoba TempleVithoba and Rakhumai
97Alarnatha MandiraMaha Vishnu as Jaganatha and Mahalakshmi
98JyotisarKrishna
99Narayan SarovarMaha Vishnu
100Sakhigopal TempleGopinatha
101Khirachora Gopinatha TempleGopinathaRemuna, Odisha, India
102Charbhuja Nath TempleCharbhuja NathKumbhalgarh,Rajsamand district, Rajasthan
103VishnuprayagMaha Vishnu as Theerthamconfluence of India's Alaknanda and Dhauliganga
104Vishnupad Temple, GayaMaha VishnuGaya, Bihar, India
105Tri Yugi Narayanaswamy TempleNarayana and LakshmiTriyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand
106Narasimha temple, Jyothir MathNarasimhaJoshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
107Adi Keshava Temple, KashiAdi KeshavaKashi
108Yoga-Narasimha Swamy TempleSaligrama Yoga NarasimhaMelukote,Mandya district, Karnataka