Tirucherai Temple is located at Tirucherai near Kumbakonam and the deity worshipped here is Vishnu. The Moolavar here is Saranathan or Vishnu, standing facing the east.
Legends: Vishnu worshipped by Markandeya and Kaveriamman. At Tirucherai Shivastalam Shiva was worshipped by Kaveri and Markandeya. Kaveri in the form of Kaveri Amman meditated upon Vishnu with the desire to obtain the stature of the river Ganga. Vishnu appeared with his consorts Sreedevi, Bhudevi, Neeladevi, Saara naayaki and Mahalakshmi and granted her request. During the great deluge, a pot made of clay, was used to rescue and preserve the Vedas. It is believed that none of the pots made by Bhrama would last, and he was directed by Vishnu to proceed to Tirucherai (Saara Kshetram) and make a pot out of the clay on the banks of the Kaveri.
Temple: It has two prakarams and a 90 feet high Rajagopuram. There is a shrine to Yoga Narasimhar here. Shrines to Lakshmi is in the Mahamandapam. There are shrines to Rajagopala with his consorts Rukmini and Styabhama, and to Tiruvenkatamudaiyaan and the Alwars.
Festivals: The grand chariot festival takes place on Taippoosam, in the Tamil month of Thai, when Saranathan is taken in procession in a chariot with Sree Devi, Bhu Devi, Neelaa Devi, Mahalakshmi and Saaranayaki in commemoration of the stala puraanam. When the planet Jupiter was positioned in the Pushya asterism. Once in 12 years when Jupiter transits through the zodiac sign of cancer in the Pushya asterism, the chariot festival on Thaippoosam is considered to be of great significance and is said to be on par with the Mahaamagam festival in Kumbhakonam.
