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The Saranathan Temple in Thirucherai, a village in the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. The temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Saranathan and his consort Lakshmi as Saranayaki. It is believed that Saranathan appeared for Cauvery, the river goddess, who performed penance at this place.

This is the only temple where Lord Perumal graces the devotees with five consorts – Sridevi, Bhoodevi, Mahalakshmi, Saranayaki, and Neeladevi.

The soil of the place contains high properties (Saram), hence Lord is called Saranathar and the place Tiru Charam which later changed to Tirucherai.

According to scriptures, during the Pralaya, the devasting floods, Lord Brahmma took the soil of this place, made a pot and placed the Vedas in it for safety. 

Mother Cauvery begged Perumal that she too may be granted the status of Holy Ganga considered superior in washing off the sins of those bathing in the river. 

She performed penance for the boon under the Bodhi tree on the western bank of Sara Pushkarini. 

Pleased with her penance, Perumal crawled on the lap of Cauvery as a little child.  Cauvery said that she was not for that boon alone.  Perumal appeared before her with His five consorts. 

Cauvery begged Perumal that He should stay in the place in the same form.  

Obliging Cauvery, Perumal also granted a space to her in the Sanctum Sanctorum to His left, which devotees can see even now.

King Azhagia Manavala Naicken was sending stones for the renovation of Mannargudi Sri Rajagopalaswami temple.  

The carts carrying the stones were routed through this place as per instructions of the king. 

Another Perumal devotee, Narasabhupalan, took one stone from each cart for the renovation of this temple.  

When the king came to know of this, he came here for enquiry.  

When the devotee prayed to Perumal, He granted darshan to the king as Lord Rajagopalaswami.  

The king executed renovation works for this temple too. 

Devotees pray for relief from the consequences of sins committed.  It is believed that worshipping Saranatha Perumal brings benefit of 100 baths in Cauvery.

Lord Perumal grants darshan to devotees in a standing posture facing east. 

There are shrines for Sage Agasthya, Lord Brahma and Mother Cauvery on the western bank of Sara Pushkarini opposite to the temple.  

Shrines for Lord Srinivasa Perumal, Azhwars, Nammazhwar, Udayavar Acharya Sri Ramanuja, Lords Sri Rama and Rajagopala, Sri Anjaneya, Sri Andal, Mothers Rukmini and Satyabama and Lords Narasimha and Balasaranatha are in the inner prakara of the temple. 

The temple is 380 ft (120 m) long and 380 ft (120 m) wide. The temple has a temple tank in front of the temple with the same dimension. The five-tiered gopuram (temple tower) is 120 ft (37 m) tall and pierces the large compound wall around the temple. There is a second gopuram is three-storied and it is located in the first precinct around the sanctum. The presiding deity, Sarantha has a 12 ft (3.7 m) tall image in standing posture. The stone images of Cauvery and sage Markandeya are housed in the sanctum. The festival deity is accompanied by Bhudevi, Sridevi and Neeladevi. A small idol of Santhanakrishna and Selvar are also housed in the sanctum. The shrine of Saranatha's consort Saranayaki Thayar is located adjacent to the sanctum. The image of both the main idol and the festival image in the Thayar are depicted in seated posture. In the second precinct there is a Kalayana hall, where there is a shrine of Rajagoplaswamy. The images of Rukmini and Sathyabama are also housed in the same shrine. In front of the shrine, the shrine of Thiruvenkatamudayam is situated. There are separate shrines of Sri Rama, Narashima, Kaliyamardhana, Bala Saranatha, Senai Mudaliar, Ramanuja, Pillai Logachariar, Azhwars and Manavala Mamunigal in the temple. Mudikondan River flows from the west and Kudamurutti River in the south of the temple. There is a shrine of Hanuman from the west end of the temple tank and Vinayaka from the North eastern side.

River Cauvery is seen in a maternal posture with a child on her lap. The temple is one of the few places where there is a separate shrine for river Cauvery.