About Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple
Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Thiruppullani village in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, near the Gulf of Mannar coast. Revered as one of the 108 Divya Desams, the temple is associated with the Ramayana where Rama is believed to have prayed before crossing to Lanka. Built in Dravidian style with contributions from Chola, Pandya and Sethupathi rulers, it features a sacred tank and shrines to Adi Jagannatha and Padmasini Thayar.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a traditional South Indian temple complex with a tiered gopuram, pillared mandapas, and shrines dedicated to Adi Jagannatha Perumal and Goddess Padmasini. The temple surrounds the sacred Chakra Theertham tank and is set in a quiet village environment near the coast. Inside, visitors can observe Dravidian architecture, sculpted pillars, and daily puja rituals. The atmosphere is devotional and calm, with space for circumambulation and viewing the sanctum and subsidiary shrines.
Key highlights
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One of the 108 Divya Desams sacred to Vaishnavites
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Presiding deity Adi Jagannatha Perumal with shrine for Padmasini Thayar
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Association with Ramayana - Dharbasayanam where Rama prayed to the sea
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Sacred temple tank Chakra Theertham in front of the temple
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Dravidian architecture with gopuram and sculpted mandapas built by Chola, Pandya and Sethupathi dynasties
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Separate shrine for Dharbasayana Ramar depicted reclining on darbha grass
History of Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple
The temple exhibits Dravidian architecture with later contributions from Medieval Cholas, Pandyas and the Sethupathis of Ramnad. Inscriptions and architectural styles indicate development over several centuries. It is traditionally linked to the Ramayana period as the place where Rama performed penance on darbha grass before building the bridge to Lanka.
Culture & Context
The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams glorified in the verses of the Alvar saints, particularly Thirumangai Alvar. It is an important Vaishnavite pilgrimage centre and is closely associated with Ramayana traditions. The deity is worshipped as Adi Jagannatha Perumal with consort Padmasini Thayar, and the temple is also known for the Dharbasayana Ramar form of Rama.