Tirucherai Saranathan Temple, Hindu temple in Tiruvarur district, India

Tirucherai Saranathan Temple stands in Thirucherai, about 14 km from Kumbakonam. Its five-tier rajagopuram rises 120 ft (37 m) above a granite compound wall; a second, three-storey gopuram stands in the first precinct. The standing image of Saranathan is 12 ft (3.7 m) tall, with Kaveri and the sage Markandeya seated on either side and the consort Saranayaki in a neighbouring shrine.

Two inscriptions record grants to the temple: one from the Chola king Parakesari Varman (906–946) and one from Babasahib of Madavipallam (1728–38). The shrine was expanded over time by the Medieval Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire and the Madurai Nayaks. A minister of the Thanjavur Nayak ruler Sevappa Nayak, Narasa Boopalan, built the temple overnight to appease the king, adding a shrine to Rajagopala Swamy.

The temple's name comes from the belief that the local soil is rich in sara (essence), and Thirucharam later became Thirucherai. The ten-day Thai Poosam festival ends with a chariot procession on the tenth day, commemorating the day Kaveri was granted her boon. Thirmangai Alvar sang of this place in 13 verses.

The temple lies in Thirucherai, about 14 km from Kumbakonam; buses from Kumbakonam to Thiruvarur pass through the village. The nearest railway station is Kumbakonam and the nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli. The Saranathar shrine faces east, and the Saran Pushkarani tank sits directly in front of the eastern gateway.

What sets this place apart is that Lord Vishnu is worshipped here alongside five different consorts, an arrangement rarely found at other sacred sites. Adding to this, a separate shrine dedicated to the sacred Kaveri River can be found on the grounds.