Overview

Sree Vaidyanatha Swamy, Sree Santana Gopalakrishna Swamy

Location

History

Deities

Photo Gallery

Utsavams

Vahanas

Adimakkavu

Other Agraharam Information

Contact Information

Well Known Elders from the Agraharam

Food and Catering

Hall for functions and Lodging

Bank Accounts for sending Kanikkai, donation or vazhipadu

Author's Notes

*Govindarajapuram Agraharam – 100 Agraharams Project*

*Agraharam 97 in the 100 Agraharams Project*

Another beautiful agraharam—set within the busy Kalpathy circuit—yet one that has retained its peace and quiet, thanks to its unique geography. This is also one of the earliest agraharams, along with Kalpathy, Vaidyanathapuram, and Mukai.

If you are around Kalpathy, I want you to go to Govindarajapuram about half an hour before sunset. Walk to the eastern edge of the road—where it bends down—and just watch the magic. This happens only during the first few weeks of February: the uttarayanam sun aligns perfectly with the dwajasthambam, and the sight is truly stunning. These are the small moments we should cherish—our way of saying thanks to our forefathers and to the deities of the agraharams.

Every summer, I would return to Kalpathy and spend the entire holiday there as a child—first in the 1970s, and later in the 1980s. I had a wonderful time with my cousins and friends, playing cricket on the empty streets and bathing at the finest kadavu—so filled with sand that it resembled a beach. My maternal grandfather, Sri Ranganatha Iyer of New Kalpathy, spent most afternoons—along with other elders—on the circular platform beneath the huge banyan tree, quietly chewing betel.

Among the agraharams that have not lost much of their character, Govindarajapuram stands out. It is also fortunate to be tucked behind New Kalpathy, avoiding through-traffic—and therefore remaining peaceful even today. The row of homes on the north side enjoy a river view from their backyards.

Sri Sree Bhoomi Sametha Sri Varadaraja Perumal and his gramam are a must-visit when you are in Palakkad. And if you come when the river has a modest flow, a bath at the kadavu is highly recommended.

Radhe Krishna,

Sriram Lakshminarayanan (Hari)

February 2026