The Viswaroopa Panchamuga Anjaneya Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, located in Thiruvallur town in the Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. The temple’s main attraction is a beautiful 40-feet monolithic idol of Panchamuka Anjaneyar, which is unique and rare.
Legend
According to legend, the origin of Panchamukha Hanuman can be traced to a story in the Ramayana. During the war between Lord Ram and Ravana, Ravana sought the help of Mahiravana, the king of Pathala. Lord Hanuman formed a fortress with his tail to protect Lord Ram and Lakshman, but Mahiravana took the form of Vibheeshana and took them to Pathala Loka.
To kill Mahiravana, Hanuman had to extinguish five lamps simultaneously. He took the Panchamukha form with faces of Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda, and Varaha and successfully extinguished the lamps, killing Mahiravana.
The temple is also associated with the legendary place of Rudhra Vanam, where great sages like Agasthya have done penance. The temple’s location at Periyakuppam has been chosen after divine approval, and ancient scrolls suggest that Anjaneya stopped there to witness Siva Puja being performed by Sage Agasthya while carrying the Sanjeevi Mountain.
Temple timings
The temple is open to visitors from 5:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM. The pooja timings include Kalasanthi Pooja at 7:30 AM, Abhishekam at 9:30 AM, Sayaratchai Pooja at 6:00 PM, and Arthajama Pooja at 9:00 PM.
How to Reach:
By Air:
The nearest airport to the temple is the Chennai International Airport, which is located about 46 km away.
By Rail:
The temple is approximately 2 km from Tiruvallur Railway Station, which is a railhead on the suburban railway between Chennai and Arakkonam.
By Road: One can easily reach the temple by road. The temple is located about 1.5 km from Thiruvallur Oil Mill Bus Stop and 5 km from Tiruvallur Bus Stand. The town is well connected by buses from various cities.
