108 Divya Desam Temples

108 Divya Desams

The 108 Divya Desams are a sacred collection of 108 Vishnu temples praised in the hymns of the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. The term "Divya Desam" means "divine abode" in Tamil and Sanskrit. These temples are scattered across India and Nepal, with two residing outside the earthly realm

Significance and origin

Praised by Alvars: The temples' sanctity comes from their being glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars between the 6th and 9th centuries. The Alvars expressed intense devotion (bhakti) to Lord Vishnu in their songs.

Symbolic number 108: The number 108 is considered sacred in Hinduism. It is believed to represent spiritual completeness and cosmic alignment, including the 12 zodiac signs and 9 planets. Visiting all 108 temples is seen as a pilgrimage toward liberation (moksha).

ℹ️ Here i have shared more details about the Divya desam temples, which i have visited it.