Sucheendram Sthanumalaya Perumal Swamy Temple is an ancient multi-deity temple in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity is Lord Sthanumalayan — a combined form of Shiva (Sthanu), Vishnu (Mal) and Brahma — making this a significant Trimurthi temple. Within the temple precincts stands a striking large idol of Hanuman in the Viswaroopa form — the enormous form Hanuman is said to have shown to Sita in Lanka.
Quick Facts
- Location: Suchindram, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu
- Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: Approximately 77 km, on the National Highway towards Kanyakumari (verify)
- Distance from Kanyakumari: Approximately 13 km
- Total shrines: Approximately 30 shrines within the temple complex
The Hanuman Idol
Inside the temple precincts stands a Hanuman idol recorded as “almost 20 feet high” in the existing page content, depicted in the Viswaroopa (cosmic) form — the form Hanuman assumed to display his immensity to Sita when she was held in Lanka. The exact height of approximately 20 feet is drawn from the existing content and has not been independently verified on this site.
Ladders are used to place and remove the large garlands adorning the idol. There is a traditional belief among some devotees that the idol grows slightly each year. This is a traditional belief and not an independently verified claim.
Directly opposite the Hanuman idol, at the far end of the corridor, is a small shrine containing beautiful icons of Sri Rama and Sita.
The Temple and Its Deity
The temple is dedicated to Lord Sthanumalayan — a combined form of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma — making it a place of worship for all three principal Hindu deities. It is located on the National Highway near the Kanyakumari route.