எறும்பீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவெறும்பூர் The temple at Thiruverumbur is an ancient Sivan temple referred to as Malaikovil (hill-temple) by the locals. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam on the eastern outskirts of Thiruchirapalli. It is an ASI-protected monument of national importance, but is still an active temple. The architecture is unique. It is a beautiful temple on a rocky hillock, reached by a series of about 115 steps hewn into the rock. Legends say that the Devas once were threatened by an Asuran (அசுரன் – demon) and took refuge here in the form of ants. The ants were trying to worship the Lord by climbing up the self-manifested suyambulingam here. They kept slipping and falling and the Lord tilted himself to help them climb. The Sivalingam is in the form of an ant-hill made of mud and remains tilted. Erumbu (எறும்பு) means ant in Tamil. Thus the Lord here came to be known as Erumbeeswarar and the village Thiruverumbur. In ancient times it was referred to as Thiruverumbiyur. In the early 10th century, the Chola king Adityan I (871-907 CE) built or rebuilt a series of temples along the Kaveri to commemorate the great victory at the epochal battle of Thirupurambiyam as recorded in the Anbil and Thiruvalangadu royal copper-plate charters. It is believed that he built 108 temples and about 30-40 have survived in various degrees of preservation. This is one of the better preserved temples of that era in almost pristine condition. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, the site predates Adityan I by several centuries at least. It must have been there in some form in the early 7th century. There are 49 ancient Chola inscriptions here from the 10th century onwards. It seems relatively untouched by transformation in subsequent eras. During the second Carnatic War (1749-1754), the temple played a key role in that Anglo-French conflict. The temple was desecrated by European colonial forces during the critical Siege of Trichinopoly, when the French used it as an infantry outpost. The temple is built on a natural rocky hillock and blends seamlessly into the rock formation. There is a beautiful and serene water body which is the main theertham. It is entered through a ground level mandapam containing two shrines for Lord Ganesha. Then there are a set of steep steps to climb. You enter through a two-tier rajagopuram at the top. The temple has three prakarams. The outer prakaram is open and gives spectacular views of the surrounding countryside including the distant gopurams of Srirangam on a clear day. The sanctum faces east. The Sivalingam is covered by a metal casing at most times but is composed of earth and direct abishekam on the surface is avoided. It is a self-manifested suyambulingam. In the 1950s thieves broke into the sanctum and split the Sivalingam in two in search of hidden treasure. It has been put together and held by a copper wire since then. Some claim that the split was always there and represents the unity of Sivan and Sakthy. In 1964 thieves again broke into the complex in the dead of night and spirited away precious and ancient Utsavamoothys. The temple is an example of the transformation of early brick and mortar temples to granite in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. They are called Katrali (கற்றளி) or stone-temples. This temple is classified as an early Chola temple. The temples built around that time are relatively small and compact compared to the grand temples that were to follow later during the Chola era. The shrine for the Goddess here, Narunguzhal Nayaki (the Lady with Fragrant Hair), is a south-facing one located in the outer prakaram. There are numerous unique and rare architectural and philosophical elements in the temple. The main koshta idol in the west-facing rear-niche of the sanctum is Sankaranarayana or Hariharan, as opposed to the usual Lingodhbavar or Mahavishnu. The Hariharan idol is part Sivan and part Vishnu and symbolizes the unity of Saivism and Vaishnavism. The thalaviruthcham is the Vilvam. The main theertham is the Brahmatheertham. The main festival, the Brahmotsavam, is celebrated in the Tamil month of Vaikasi in May/June. Many other festivals are celebrated throughout the year. On the Pournami or full-moon day of every month, thousands of devotees undertake the circumambulation of the hill called the Girivalam. If you want to experience the temple in peace and quiet you may want to avoid those days. On the other hand, if you like to experience the devotion and fervour of large crowds you may in fact choose those days. The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and then from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. It is a small temple at just under an acre in area. The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). This is the 124th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 7th south of the Kaveri in Chola Nadu. Thirunavukkararasar or Appar rendered the pathikams here. He dedicated two pathikams to this temple. He sings thus in the Thiruthaandakam with great humility: பன்னியசெந் தமிழறியேன் கவியேன் மாட்டேன் எண்ணோடு பண்ணிறைந்த கலைக ளாய தன்னையுந்தன் திறத்தறியாப் பொறியி லேனைத் தன்திறமும் அறிவித்து நெறியுங் காட்டி அன்னையையும் அத்தனையும் போல அன்பாய் அடைந்தேனைத் தொடர்ந்தென்னை யாளாக் கொண்ட தென்எறும்பி யூர்மலைமேல் மாணிக் கத்தைச் செழுஞ்சுடரைச் சென்றடையப் பெற்றேன் நானே. Thevaram 6.91 (To me, who never knew beautiful chaste Tamil, nor poetry, nor arithmetic, nor melodious music, nor the other arts, nor my true abilities; ignorant as I was, he taught me his abilities and guided me, and showed the love of a mother and a father and when I reached him, he pursued me and embraced me; the Lord who resides here on the hill of Erumbiyur, like a ruby or a bright flame. I received his blessing.) The temple is located on the outskirts of Thiruchirapalli about 20 minutes or 12 km east of the centre of town. It is about 6 hours or 330 km southwest of Chennai. We visited in August 2026. We were based in Thiruchirapalli. Sources: P.K. Nambiyar and K.C. Narayana Kurup, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI-D. Temples of Madras State. Thiruchirapalli and South Arcot, p. 201. S. R. Balasubrahmanyam, Early Chola Art, Part I (1966), pp. 114–123, Pl. 66. Dinamalar. “Sri Erumbeeswarar Temple, Tiruverumbur.” Dinamalar Temple. Accessed October 4, 2026. Courtesy Google Maps

Most of the temples in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are directly or indirectly administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu (HR and CE) in Tamil Nadu and by the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Waqf in Pondicherry or Puducherry. These government departments have taken control of most active and revenue generating temples according to various legislations enacted during the 20th century and this remains a controversial issue. Apart from these there are some temples that are the property of the Archaeological Survey of India or ASI and very few are controlled by private groups. Some others are under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Archeology in Tamil Nadu. The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) was formally established in 1861 by the then British colonial administration for the stated purpose of accomplishing a "complete search over the whole country, and creating a systematic record and description of all architectural and other remains that are either remarkable for their antiquity, or their beauty or their historical interest". The Englishman Sir Alexander Cunningham was its founder and first Director General. Although there were attempts prior to that to try and preserve sites and artifacts of historical and archaeological significance during British colonial rule, the formation of the ASI was indeed a milestone. The early years were not easy with many fits and starts. There were years when it was defunct due to lack of funds. In post independence India, it has been integrated into the Ministry of Culture as a department. It is the custodian of thousands upon thousands of archeological and historic sites of national importance. They range from prehistoric caves and burial sites to relics from the British Raj. They also preserve a large number of temples across India numbering in the thousands. In Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, temples that are deemed to be of national importance come under the purview of the ASI. These are a small fraction of the total temples. While most of the temples that the ASI admisters are inactive or "dead" temples, some are partially active. There are other temples, usually active temples, where they have joint custody with the HR and CE, which manages the functioning of the temples while the ASI supervises the preservation. The temples managed by the ASI are looked after reasonably well. The familiar green fencing and the blue and white sign boards are reassuring signs that the sites are protected. They offer security against encroachment, destruction from miscreants, the elements and theft. They also protect the temples from well intentioned but ill informed renovation efforts that frequently damage ancient inscriptions, murals and sculptures in non-ASI temples. The ASI temples are usually frozen in time and they are relatively free of modern additions. They are of immense value to the student of archeology, history, art and architecture of a certain period. The ASI is divided into circles and sub circles. There are 34 circles and numerous sub circles across India. Most of the monuments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry historically came under the Chennai Circle. Since 2021 there is a Thiruchirapalli Circle. The Chennai Circle had 10 sub circles under it. 3 of them now fall under the Thiruchirapalli Circle. The sub circles under the Chennai Circle are Chennai, Mamallapuram, Gingee, Vellore, Kanchipuram, Puducherry, Salem. Those under the Thiruchirapalli Circle are Thirumayam, Thanjavur and Thiruchirapalli. The occasional temple is protected by other circles such as the Thanumalayan Temple in Suchindram, which falls under the Thrissur Circle. Is the ASI perfect? Certainly not. Given the sheer number of sites under its control and limited resources, it struggles to maintain some remote sites. It can do a better job. It is also saddled by the inefficiencies of government bureaucracy and political priorities like any other government department. Historically it has not been very savvy at generating revenue through the sites it controls. Lately it is getting better at it. It is dependent on the budget of the central government. In the 2023/2024 budget it was allocated 1103 Crore Indian Rupees or 11.5 million USD which indeed is a drop in the bucket given the scale of its operations. The ASI is grossly underfunded. For the visitor, going to an ASI temple site might be a different experience than visiting an active temple. As they are generally less crowded and no active worship is taking place, rules and etiquette may be less formal. But they are essentially places of worship and the sanctity of these sites have to be respected. The timing of opening and closing of these temples might also differ from active temples. Most ASI temples will open around 9 am and close around 4 pm. In remote places, there is usually a single employee on the premises and he/she might take a lunch break at midday and the temple might be closed at that time. One of the problems for those interested in visiting these temples, is that it is difficult to identify these temples prior to a visit. The ASI's mandate is to preserve and safeguard these sites. It is not their job to publicise them. So they are not well advertised. There are no easily accessible lists of ASI administered temples that are comprehensive or very descriptive. The ASI has documentation on the internet as well as published material that are not easily accessed by the general public. This post is an introduction to ASI protected temples in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. In following posts, we will attempt to generate lists that would document these temples. This would enable potential visitors to plan meaningful trip itineraries. We will also identify the closest city or big town for easy access. We will also post a version in the Guide Page for ready reference for our readers in the future. Sources: Website of the Ministry of Culture - Government of India - Archeological Survey of India - Official Database The Annual Outlay of the Ministry of Culture, India FY 2023-2024, Budget records.

Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are home to several thousands of ancient temples. Contrary to popular belief outside of Tamil Nadu and India, most of these temples are owned and administered by the State Government of Tamil Nadu and a similar situation exists in Pondicherry and other South Indian states. In Tamil Nadu, almost all temples are the property of the powerful Hindu Religious and Chaitable Endowments Department (HR and CE). A few nonfunctioning or partially active temples are owned and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which is an agency of the Indian Central Government. Very few are owned by private entities. The fact that the vast majority of these temples are owned by the government and controlled closely is a very controversial issue. The government is secular according to the Indian constitution and in theory should not be involved in religious affairs. The temples are Hindu religious institutions after all and were built hundreds of years ago to function as such. Many believers in Hinduism fume about this apparent contradiction. They point out that other religions are not subject to this ignominy. To add insult to injury, the political parties that control the government in Tamil Nadu have had an ideology that is not supportive of Hinduism. They make frequent pronouncements that their goal is to eradicate the religion as a policy goal. The Dravidian Movement that has had political sway in Tamil Nadu over the last 70 odd years has atheism as one of its central ideologies, but has directed most of its antagonism towards the Hindu religion alone. Their main focus has been the Brahmin community and the control of temples is seen as a means of bringing about social justice reforms and lessening Brahmin domination of temple affairs . The HR and CE is a highly bureaucratic organization directly responsible to the state government and its political masters. It has a government appointed Commissioner and a hierarchical army of other bureaucrats including Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Executive Officers, Auditors, Clerks, etc. Some of these officials are not followers of the Hindu faith and have no stake in the welfare of the temples. They control the temples with an iron fist. Even minor issues arising in temples, cannot be dealt with without the permission of the HR and CE. The Department has sprawling premises in the Nungambakkam area of Chennai that is several city blocks in length. Each temple has a board of trustees and a managing trustee. Most temples have 3-5 trustees. These political appointments are subject to direct patronage by the ruling party. This kind of administrative set up leads to bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption. The HR and CE controls 36,356 temples, 56 mutts or religious orders, 57 temples belonging to them and other Hindu institutions under its jurisdiction. Given this large number of properties and the bureaucratic nature of its administration, the HR and CE functions in a very inefficient manner. The upkeep of temples is poor. Things do not get done in a timely fashion, leading to decay and damage. Temple priests do not get paid enough or on time. Even minor repairs need approval by a government department machinery that is inherently slow. There is bureaucratic inertia. Many temples have become inactive and sometimes abandoned. The temples have been endowed with vast wealth over the centuries by kings, wealthy merchants and the public. When these temples were built they were gifted land and money to keep them active forever. Over time much of this wealth has disappeared, often embezzled by various actors. What remains is being actively stolen according to some sources. Temple lands are encroached upon and appropriated by people with political muscle. Temples also have income from donations of devotees as well as rental income from agricultural and commercial properties they own. These funds are also prone to fraud. Moreover the government uses the temples to indirectly tax the temple goers. It is a source of income for the government. Various fees including rapid entry fees and a variety of pooja fees are designed to increase the income of the temples which ultimately reaches the government. The HR and CE charges a percentage of this money as administrative fees to run its affairs. What is left is managed by the government, but the spending is not very transparent. Various schemes are funded that do not always directly benefit the temple. When devotees give money to a temple, they likely want that money to be spent on the upkeep of the temple and not to fund social welfare schemes of the government for which the temples do not get credit, but the government does. One of the biggest alleged scams is the awarding of contracts for renovation and repair as well as other services. These lucrative contracts are awarded often without tender to political cronies who deliver substandard or shoddy work. There is very little accountability. The government control of temples has in recent years extended not only to the everyday functioning of the temples but also to the nature of worship. In its purported efforts to bring social justice to the religion, the government interferes with rituals which have been in place for millennia and are integral to religious practices. There might be discriminatory practices in temples and there sure have been many instances of such over the years. Certainly there is a lot of room for reform and renewal. But it is the belief of many that such change should come from within the religion and not dictated to by the government. Many wonder how the temples of Tamil Nadu ended up under government control. It is a long and complex story. In ancient times the temples were administered by local people with royal supervision and control. The Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Nayakkan kings who built and maintained these temples were ardent believers of the Hindu faith and appear to have exercised strict supervision of these temples. When the British colonialists arrived, these temples came under the purview of the British East India Company. Initially many temples were desecrated and used as armouries and barracks for soldiers. But over time, the East India Company became interested in the vast wealth of these temples and taxed them for profit. They in fact became custodians of the temples and took on the supervisory role of the ancient kings. Subsequently there was a push from Christian missionaries that the Company should get out of the business of administering Hindu temples. Under pressure from the British Parliament, the East India Company withdrew from managing temples in 1833. It is alleged that what ensued was very chaotic. Many temples fell into private hands. Trustees were accused of perpetrating fraud of various kinds including appropriating temple lands and embezzling funds. Under pressure from Hindu leaders, the British government then enacted the Religious Endowments Act of 1863 that provided for local committees to run temples. Despite that, it was alleged that rampant corruption and theft took place. Many temples fell into disrepair. Some became dens of vice it was alleged. Although the more serious allegations likely were few, all temples were maligned. It set the stage for serious government intervention. In 1927, while India was still a British colony, the democratically elected government of the Madras Presidency enacted the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act, which created a board of commissioners to supervise the administration of temples. The party in power was the Justice Party which was dominated by non-Brahmin higher caste Hindus who detested the Brahmins and their perceived favoured treatment by British authorities. The initial effort was to create a supervisory body. But it was the proverbial camel with the nose in the tent. What followed over the next several decades and beyond India’s independence from Britain, was the gradual erosion of temple independence and more government control and ownership. Successive legislation ensured that. In 1951, the elected government of Madras State (forerunner of Tamil Nadu State as well as Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka and Kerala States) passed an act called the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act of 1951 which essentially brought all Hindu temples and related organizations under government control. This was challenged in the Supreme Court of India in 1954, on the basis that the state did not have the right to interfere. In the judgment in the Shirur Mutt Case, the courts held that while the state cannot dictate religious practices, it could control the secular activities of temples. Subsequent legislation in 1959, gave birth to a new HR and CE Act that negated the objections of the Supreme Court and gave total control of the temples to the state. In 1960 the Government of India appointed a commission to study the issue under the chairmanship of the esteemed statesman C. P. Ramaswamy Aiyer. The commission concluded that the temples were better off under government control rather than private ownership. After the Dravidian parties came to power in the late 1960s and onwards, the legislation was continuously tweaked to give the state control not only over the administration and finances of the temples but also their religious rites and practices. The state that intervened in the running of temples to protect them now stands accused of exploiting them financially and politically. There is a movement to free temples from government control. Several Brahmin groups, the Hindu-centric BJP, other Hindu organizations and individuals have spearheaded this push to make temples function independently of the government. Critics point out that freeing temples from government control might expose them to takeover by corrupt private entities and individuals who in turn might mismanage the temples and embezzle their funds. In the absence of a church or other overarching organization to guide it, the Hindu religion does not have the means to manage these temples without the help of the government they point out. Some argue that democratically elected governments after all are the legitimate owners of the temples on behalf of the people who elected them. This thinking is incorrect as the people who participate in these elections are not Hindus alone but the general population which includes people of different faiths and ideologies. Others argue that if given the opportunity the Hindu population would come with an organization that would care for the temples. But there are no guarantees that that would happen. One of the few temples and perhaps the only major temple that is managed independently of the government is the Chidambaram temple. It is the holiest Sivan temple for Saivite Tamil people. It is controlled by a community of hereditary Brahmin priests called the Dikshitar. They have been present at Chidambaram for several centuries and were highly regarded by the ancient kings and well looked after. Today they own the temple. The Tamil Nadu government continues to try and gain control of Chidambaram under the provisions of ther HR and CE Act. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Dikshitar are the rightful owners as they define themselves as a denomination within Saivite Hinduism. Denominational temples are exempted from control by the HR and CE. So for now the Dikshitar get to control the temple. The Tamil Nadu Government makes frequent pronouncements that they will appeal the Supreme Court ruling and has vowed to take over control. Critics of the HR and CE point to Chidambaram as a model for administration of temples by non-governmental actors, if they are ever freed from control by the HR and CE. But is control by the Dikshitar right and is it ideal? The Dikshitar neither built these temples nor were they given the right to own it by anyone. The holiest Sivan temple for Saivite Tamils should be owned and administered by an institution that is representative of that larger community. After all the temple was built by kings who used funds taxed from the Hindu population of that time and many communities like the mercantile Nattukkottai Chettiar have made immense contributions. Moreover, is the administration of Chidambaram exemplary? It is not. Critics point to the decay of a heritage treasure built over millennia due to lack of maintenance. The Dikshitar apparently lack the funds to maintain it. Others accuse them of using the funds of the temple for their personal and private benefit. There is no transparency in the finances of the temple. This is not ideal either. There are some positives like the lack of entry fees and other service fees callously designed by the HR and CE solely to generate money. Chidambaram does not charge such entry fees. The HR and CE and the Tamil Nadu Government run temples like businesses. But the Dikshitar raise funds in other ways. Temple goers often complain about the way the Dikshitar badger people for donations in a very insistent manner spoiling the whole temple experience for many. Again there is no guarantee that most of the donated money will be used for the upkeep of the temple. Some of the temples including many famous ones like The Big Temple at Thanjavur, the Airavateeswarar Temple at Dharasuram, the Brihadeeswarar at Gangaikondacholapuram, the Kailasanathar at Kanchipuram and a number of lesser known temples are controlled by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) which is an agency of the Indian central government. It is a colonial era institution and has thousands of sites across India under its care. Although beset by the same bureaucratic inertia that is common to all government institutions, the ASI actually does a decent job in maintaining temples that it owns. But the sheer number of properties under its wings is overwhelming. The temples under the control of the ASI are either inactive or only minimally active. They are declared monuments of national importance for their architectural and historic importance. If the majority of the temples in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry become inactive, the ASI cannot look after them all. They would perish. So who should own and administer the temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry? The status quo does not seem fair. Why should the government control institutions that are religious in nature? In this case the political parties that control the government are ideologically opposed to the religion. It is like asking wolves to take care of the sheep. Now the counter argument is that if not the government, who else is capable of looking after such large numbers of temples. Hinduism does not have a church or other overarching institutions. If the temples were to fall into private hands they may encounter the same corruption. There is no guarantee that private entities or individuals will not be as corrupt or worse than government officials and politicians. There are advantages in administering all the temples under the supervision of a single organization but ideally that organization should be a not for profit, non governmental institution that is at arms length from the government of the day but with oversight by the government and accountable to it. The HR and CE should withdraw from direct ownership of the temples and their micromanagement. But it should retain a supervisory role and the right to audit the finances of temples. Everyday management of the temples should be handed over to locally elected committees with representation that reflects that community. A not for profit, non governmental statewide organization that represents the interests of Hindu temples and the religion should be created that can serve as another layer of supervision and accountability. This organization should be accountable to the HR and CE as well as individual temples. It should function without any political interference. The funding for such an organization can easily be found from the income of temples. The membership of such an organization should be democratically elected from the representatives of temples as well as other Hindu organizations. The established political parties from all sides might fear the political implications of such an endeavour. To allay those fears, it is absolutely essential that the organization should be apolitical. Ideally the administration of temples should be depoliticized. It has been so politicized for over a century that complete depoliticization might be a tough call. Government involvement if any should be in a supervisory role and include all levels of government from the Panchayat level to the central government. The legislation has to be modified if needed. In conclusion, we hope that the ownership and management of temples evolve in such a way that above all the temples are protected and they thrive and survive for another generation. Many might not. For the survival of the temples their management has to be more representative of the actual stakeholders. Government involvement should be minimal to ensure fairness and transparency of finances. Change is sometimes difficult. But just change is needed urgently. Sources: Presler, Franklin A. “The Structure and Consequences of Temple Policy in Tamil Nadu, 1967-81.” Pacific Affairs, vol. 56, no. 2, 1983, pp. 232–46. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2758652. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. K.Ashok Vardhan Shetty “ Why Tamil Nadu Temples may not thrive without state supervision” Times of India, October 6, 2021 ( K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty is a retired IAS officer and former Vice Chancellor of the Maritime University , Chennai Vandana Menon “ Who should run Hindu temples? Tamil Nadu is the epicentre in new tug-of war” The Print Feb 23, 2024 Dibakar Dutta “ As priests are arrested over donations in Tamil Nadu, read how a law brought by the British has taken over Hindu temples with mafia-like grip” OpIndia April 30 2024 Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu Demand No.47 Policy Note 2022-2023

மேகநாதர் அல்லது லலிதாம்பிகை திருக்கோயில், திருமீயச்சூர் This fairly small but beautiful Sivan temple is a twin Paadal Petra Sthalam. There are two Sivan shrines here that have been celebrated with Thevaram pathigams. The main or presiding deity is Mehanadhar in the form of a Sivalingam. There is also another Sivan sannidhi at this temple which is known as the Ilamkoyil (இளம் கோயில்) and the Lord there is Sakalabhuvaneswarar. Both Sivan shrines have dedicated pathigams of their own, making them both Paadal Petra Sthalams in their own right. But the temple is most popular because of the Ambigai's shrine here where she is known as Lalithambigai. She sits with her right leg crossed at the knee on the Sri Chakra Simmasanam as a seat. This is known as the Manonmani form of the Goddess. Mehanathar is sometimes referred to as Mihara Aruneswarar or Muyarchinathar. The temple celebrates the grand victory of the Goddess over the evil Asuran Pandasuran. To achieve this, she took on a fierce form and came here to be pacified and regain her composed and benevolent usual self. The Lalitha Sahasranamam which is an ancient composition celebrating the Goddess by a thousand different names is said to have originated here. It is believed that the Lalitha Sahasranamam was imparted to Sage Agasthya by the Sage Hayagriva. In modern times, there is a story of an ardent devotee of Ambigai who was living in Bangalore. One day, in 1999, she had a dream of an idol of the Goddess which was missing an anklet. After a bit of research she found out the idol at this temple was missing an anklet. She made one out of gold and came here and was surprised that the likeness of the idol was identical to the one in her dream. When she presented the anklet to the priest, he told her that there was no room for the anklet to go around the idol's ankle. But miraculously, when he tried it, there indeed was a small passage for the anklet to go around and it fit perfectly. The temple is also associated with the Sun and his charioteer Arunan. Legends say that once the Sun was mean to Arunan and was smitten by a curse which made the Sun lose his light and glow. He regained his brilliance by doing penance to Lord Sivan here. The temple is so designed that the Sun's rays fall in the sanctum from the 21st to the 27th day of the month of Chithirai in April/May. It is believed that once, one of the wives of Sage Kashyapa wished for a child and prayed to the Lord and was blessed with a twin pregnancy. One of the infants was born prematurely and had a disability. His legs were deformed. The distraught mother and her son prayed to the Lord with much devotion at this temple and Lord Sivan made Arunan the charioteer of the Sun. It is an ancient Chola temple with later Vijayanagar and Nayakkan expansions. It is said that Rajendra Cholan I, Kundhavai and Sembiyan Mahadevi all contributed to its renovation. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, it was already an established temple in the early 7th century. The temple has a 5 tier rajagopuram and is east facing. There is a 3-tier secondary gopuram. It is a compact temple at around 2 acres in area enclosed by granite walls in a rectangular form. The shrine of Lalithambigai is to the right as you enter through the rajagopuram. The sanctum of Mehanathar has a beautiful Gaja Prishta vimanam or Thoonganai Maadam with 3 kalasams. The Thoonganai Maadam is shaped like the back of an elephant and is commonly found in Chola era temples of the Thondai Nadu and is less common in the Chola heartland. This one is beautiful. The back koshta idol is a Lingothbavar and together with Brahma in the side koshtam and Perumal in the back koshtam of the Ilamkoyil, you can worship all three Gods of the Hindu trinity at the same time if you stand at the back of the temple. The Kshetra Puraneswarar idol, which is one of the koshtam idols, is very special. It is an idol of Lord Sivan and Parvati in standing posture with the Lord's hand resting on Uma's shoulder trying to pacify her. Depending on the angle from which you look at her, the Amman's face looks either peaceful or angry. The Ilamkoyil with Sakalabhuvaneswarar in the sanctum is adjacent to the sanctum of Mehanathar slightly to the north of it. There are two sthalavirutchams, the Mantharai and the Vilvam. The primary theertham is called Surya Pushkarani. The main festival is the Rathasapthami in the Tamil month of Thai in January and February. People worship Devi Lalithambigai here for prosperity in their lives, As in most temples where the Goddess is given preeminence, it is customary to worship at her shrine before proceeding to the moolasthanam. This is the 173rd Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 56th on the southern bank of the Kaveri River. Thirugnanasampanthar sang the pathigam for Meganathar and Thirunavukkarasar composed the pathigam for the Ilamkoyil. Thirugnanasampanthar about the Mehanathar: காயச் செவ்விக் காமற் காய்ந்து கங்கையைப் பாயப் படர்புன் சடையிற் பதித்த பரமேட்டி மாயச் சூர்அன் றறுத்தமைந்தன் தாதைதன் மீயச் சூரே தொழுது வினையை வீட்டுமே (He burned Manmathan with the fire from his third eye. He has the cascading River Ganga flowing through his matted hair. My supreme Lord is the father of Lord Murugan who slew the demon Surapadman. Those who worship the Lord here at Meeyachur will rid themselves of their karma and attain mukthi) Thevaram 2.062 Thirunavukkarasar on the Ilamkoyil: தோற்றுங் கோயிலுந் தோன்றிய கோயிலும் வேற்றுக் கோயில் பலவுள மீயச்சூர்க் கூற்றம் பாய்ந்த குளிர்புன் சடையாற் கேற்றங் கோயில்கண் டீரிளங் கோயிலே (There have been temples, there will be temples, and there are many other temples in Meeyachur but the one that is the most desirable one for my Lord who kicked Yaman and who has cooling matted hair on his scalp, is the Ilamkoyil) Thevaram 5.011 The temple is located 130 km or 3 hours east of Thiruchirapalli and the same distance and driving time south of Pondicherry. It is 32 km or an hour west of Tharangambadi and about the same distance east of Kumbakonam. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam. Sources: Dinamalar Temples - Mehanadhar Temple N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu: Thanjavur Page 251 Thevaram Shaivam.org Courtesy Google Maps

In this post we will familiarize ourselves with the basic plan and architectural elements of a South Indian temple. This is a simple approach for the benefit of those who have rarely or never visited one of these temples. To others this will be of little value or a refresher. The architecture of South Indian temples belongs to the Dravidian style and is distinctly different from those found in other parts of India, although they follow the same principles. The Dravidian style is the predominant style of temples in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana, Kerala and Sri Lanka. Most temples have a similar layout and design but there are important differences and every temple is unique. They look similar because they were built according to a certain set of principles that were codified in the 8th century. There are several texts called the Shilpa Sastras and the Agamas that clearly lay out how a temple should be built. These temples are built according to the coordinates of Yantras, ancient and mystical diagrams that represent the universe. The most important part of a temple is the moolasthaanam or sanctum sanctorum. It is the womb of the temple or the Garbagraham. The primary deity resides here. It is usually a fixed idol. This space is quite small in older temples. In Sivan temples it is usually but not always a lingam. In other temples, it is an idol made of stone or other material such as wood or metal depicting the primary deity. This small space can be square, rectangular, circular or apsidal and is capped by the Vimanam which also comes in many shapes. Just in front of this is an ante-chamber that is called the Arthamandapam. Surrounding these two structures is the great hall or Mahamandapam that has several subsidiary shrines. This complex has one or 3 entrances and is enclosed. Surrounding these are a series of often rectangular walled enclosures that are the circumbulatory pathways or Prakarams. The inner ones are enclosed with roofs but the outer ones are open. They are in a sequence of odd numbers and are up to 7 in larger temples. The outermost is usually not surrounded by a wall. The enclosures house several subsidiary shrines and the Uthsavamoorthy the processional idol which is usually a movable metal idol. The walls have alcoves or recesses that house a wide variety of deities called Koshta idols. As you enter the temple the first structure is the gopuram or temple tower. It is usually built over the entrance of a walled enclosure. These were mostly later additions in time and in a lot of temples dwarf the height of the Vimanam. You then encounter the Kodimaram (the flagstaff), the Balipeedam (the sacrificial altar) and the Vaahanam ( Vehicle - Nanthi in Sivan temples and Garuda in Vishnu temples). The entrance to the Arthamandapam is flanked by two large guardian statues usually called the Dwarapaalakar. Historically the earliest temples were likely made of brick, wood and mud that did not survive the ravages of time and rebuilding efforts. Many sites are ancient and predate the actual structures that we see today. The original structures likely evolved from caves and dolmen-like stone structures and evolved into existing temples. The Saivite canonical work the Thevaram mentions many temples and some of it was compiled in the early seventh century. It does mention structural temples. The structure of these temples are unclear as they were probably built of perishable or impermanent materials. The structures that have endured were built from the seventh century onwards and start with the elaborate cave temples built by the Pallava kings. The Pandian kings further south also built some. The first structural temples that have survived, started to appear during the Pallava period and the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram built circa 725 CE, is an early example. During this period the temples started taking the shape, form and layout that have persisted to this day. During the tenth century the Chola kings were emerging as the preeminent power in the Tamil country and started to build grand structural temples of granite. Much of this effort has survived. They also converted most if not all existing important temples into granite structures. However. although the core of these temples were from this era, many additional structures were added on to in subsequent periods by Pandian, Vijayanagara and Nayakkan kings as well as others. The area of the temples were expanded by adding a series of walled enclosures creating circumbulatory pathways or Prakarams. Some of these temples became quite large in extent and occupied a central and important part of many towns which became known as temple towns.The Gopuram which is the towering entrance way became an important and prominent feature of the temple beginning in the twelfth century onwards under Pandian, Vijayanagara and Nayakkan rule and persist to this day. They trace their origins to early Pallava and Chola temples but were much smaller structures then.* Hope this will give the reader the context to appreciate these temples. The illustrations below will further explain this. They are examples and illustrate the common design but many variations exist. * George Michell - The Hindu Temple - An Introduction to Its Meaning and Form - University of Chicago Press 1988 1. The Moolavar - The Principal Deity 2. The Dwarapaalakar - The temple guards 3. Arumukar - Murugan 4. The Goddess Shrine 5. Durga 6. Brahma 7. Dhakshinamoorthy 8. Nadanavinayagar 9. Somaskanthamoorthy 10. Vinayagar- Ganesha 11.Naalvar - The Four 12. Saptha Kannis - The Seven Celestial Maidens 13. Balasubramaniyar - Murugan 14. The 63 Nayanmar 15. Athilingam 16. Uma Devi 17. Kannivinayagar 18. Lingothbavar 19. Chandikeshavarar 20. Saneeswarar 21. Sivasooriyar 22. Kaalabhairavar 23. Jooraharasvarar 24. Akora Veerabadrar 25. Navagragha - the nine celestial bodies 26. Oorthava Thandavamoorthy 27. Nataraja 28. Murugan Palliyarai 29. Secret passageway 30. 31. 32 - The Mummudi Vinayagar 33. Nandhi 34. Balipeedam 35. Kodimaram 36. Murugan 37. Sakasralingam 38. Karunambigai 39. Vinayagar 40. Avinasiyappar 41. Kalyana Mandapam - The Wedding Hall 42. Ganesha in Nine Pillared Hall 43. Entranceway 44. Brahmatheertha - the well 45. Brahmatheertha Vinayakar 46. Madapalli - The kitchen 47. Entranceway 48. The Sthala Viruksham - The temple tree 49. Yaaka saalai 50. Vaasakasalai - Reading Room 51. Pandaka Saalai - Store Room 52. Temple Office 53. Vinayakalingam 54. Akayalingam 55. Prithvilingam 56. Vayulingam 57. Theyulingam 58. Appulingam 59. Vinayakar shrine 60. The Gopuram அர்த்த மண்டபம் Artha Mandapam - the antechamber மூலஸ்தானம் - Moolasthaanam - The Sanctum Sanctorum மகா மண்டபம் - Maha Mandapam - The Great Hall

மகாலிங்கேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவிடைமருதூர் This massive, ancient, historic and beautiful Sivan temple near Kumbakonam is one of the most important Sivasthalams in the Tamil country. A Paadal Petra Sthalam, it is a temple well known to followers of Tamil Saivism but less so to the general public. Its importance stems from its great antiquity and its religious significance. It is one of the Panchakrosha Sthalams of Kumbakonam. It has been considered the central Sivan temple for all the Sivasthalams of the Chola region. The Maruthu is a tree that is called the Arjuna tree in Sanskrit. There are 3 ancient Sivan temples that are named after the Maruthu or Arjuna tree. In the south, around Thirunelvely is the ancient temple of Thirupudaimaruthur. In the north is the much celebrated Malikarjuna temple at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. Idai means middle and Thiruvidaimaruthur is the one in the middle. It is believed that during the deluge of the Mahapralayam at the end of the last yugam, Lord Brahma had placed the seeds of future life in the Mahakumbam, filled it with Amirtham and left it on top of Mount Meru. Displaced by the deluge, the kumbam came to rest at Kumbakonam after floating around in the great oceans. 5 drops of the holy potion splashed and came to rest within 5 krosham distance of the centre of Kumbakonam and became 5 great temples. Thiruvidaimarudur is one of them. Once an ancient king, variously described as Varaguna Pandian or an unnamed Chola king, is believed to have accidentally killed someone, an old brahmin priest, when his chariot ran over the sleeping man. Gripped with remorse, the king became quite depressed and sought relief from the Lord himself who instructed him to go to Thiruvidaimaruthur. The ghost of the dead man, Brahmahathi could not enter the temple and stood guard outside the southern entrance. The Lord instructed the remorseful king to exit through one of the other entrances and thus he rid himself of the dosham of the killing. The ghost awaits at the southern entrance to this day and a bas-relief sculpture of it with dishevelled hair is seen there. It is customary for devotees to enter the temple through one entrance and exit through another to rid themselves of all negative influences. It is believed that Goddess Uma once convinced the Lord to come here to give Dharshan to some sages. To the surprise of Parvati, the Lord himself worshipped the deity here in a display of great humility. There is a story that the Thanjavur Maratha king Pratap Singh Bhonsle (1739-1763), once fell in love with a local damsel, Ammuniammal He prayed to the Lord here and at the end of a successful courtship, the happy couple installed a statue of a woman holding a lamp, the Paavai Vilakku, to show their gratitude. It is still there today. The great Saivite ascetic poet Pattinathar taught the true meaning of renunciation to his disciple Badragiriyar here. There are many other stories and legends too numerous to list. This vast temple has an area of about 22 acres. It is strikingly huge when you enter. The Lord manifests in the sanctum as the Mahalingam or great lingam. It is one of the largest Sivalingams in the Tamil country. The temple has three prakarams the outer ones are spacious and long. The innermost prakaram is called the Pranava Prakaram and its walls are adorned with colourful and exquisite sculptural art from the Nayakkan era. The middle prakaram is known as Kodumudi Prakaram and the outermost prakaram is the Asvamedha Prakaram. Doing multiple circumambulations of this prakaram is considered very pious. There are 4 rajagopurams in all four cardinal directions. The main eastern rajagopuram has 5 tiers. It is 668 feet in height. The western rajagopuram has 7 tiers. The Nandi is massive, imposing and beautiful. Everything about this temple is big. The temple has an east-west orientation and is in rectangular in shape. The Lord faces east. The shrine for the the consort, Goddess Brahatsundaragujambikai is an impressive, large subtemple just to the right of the moolavar. There is a separate shrine for the goddess as Devi Mookambikai, which curiously has a Nagara type vimanam which is usually only seen in northern states of India. It was likely built during the Maratha period. There are numerous shrines within the temple complex. There is a library that contains invaluable ancient Tamil Saivite palm leaf manuscripts. It is called the Saiva Siddhanta Library. The sthalavirutcham is the Marudhamaram. There are 32 theerthams associated with this temple including the large Karunyamitra Theertham and the Kaveri River itself. The main festival coincides with Thaipoosam and is a grand 10 day festival. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, the temple has ancient origins, It was already a great temple in the 7th century. The earliest of the existing masonry dates back to the Cholas in the 9th century. There 159 sets of inscriptions. They are from Chola, Hoysala, Vijayanagar and Nayakkar dynasties. One particular set of inscriptions describe the great contributions of Kulothunga Chola I (1070-1122). The inscription is dated to the 172nd day of the 26th year of his reign. An inscription from the 7th regnal year of Vikrama Cholan (1118-35) describes the practices, processions, dances and traditions of the festivals at the temple. One inscription describes the theatre inside the temple that was used to enact plays. In the 16th century, Govinda Dikshitar, a minister in the Thanjavur Nayakkan court, built the beautiful Pushyamantapa halls. In the 18th century, the Thanjavur Marathas made many contributions. It is the 147th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 30th on the south bank of the Kaveri River in Chola Naadu. It has been celebrated in the Thevaram by all three of the Moovar. Only 44 temples have that distinction. ஓடே கலன்; உண்பதும் ஊர் இடு பிச்சை காடே இடம் ஆவது; கல்லால் நிழல் கீழ் வாடா முலை மங்கையும் தானும் மகிழ்ந்து, ஈடா உறைகின்ற இடை மருது ஈதோ.. (The skull is his vessel. He eats the alms that the village gives him. The cremation ground is his favourite dwelling under the great banyan tree. But here he lives happily with goddess Uma. Is this that Idaimaruthur?) Thevaram 1.032. Thirugnanasampanthar - Thirukadaikaappu The temple belongs to the HR and CE department of the Tamil Nadu State Government like all other revenue generating temples in the state. But the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam plays an active role in the administration of the temple. The maintenance is wanting for such an important site. Areas of the premises are inaccessible to the general public due to lack of maintenance. Lack of funds is the obvious reason. A sorry state of affairs. The temple is located about 10 km or 20 minutes east of Kumbakonam. It is about 100 km or 2 hours east of Thiruchirapalli and 30 km or 3 hours south of Pondicherry. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam. Sources: TN Temples Project - Mahalingeswarar, Thiruvidaimarudur, Thanjavur Dinamalar Temples - Mahalingam Temple, Thiruvidaimaruthur N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu Page 162-165 Shaivam.org - Thevaram Sivaya.org - Thevaram with meaning (Tamil) Courtesy Google Maps Courtesy Google Maps

சட்டநாதர் திருக்கோயில் அல்லது தோணியப்பர் திருக்கோயில், சீர்காழி This much-celebrated and well-known Sivan temple is one of the most revered temples in the Tamil Saivite tradition. It is ancient and beautiful. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and with a whopping 71 pathigams, it is one of the five most celebrated temples in the Thevaram. It is the birthplace or Avathara Sthalam of the boy-saint Thirugnanasampanthar. The Lord here and the temple have 12 different names. There are three manifestations of Lord Sivan in the sanctum. The temple and Lord here are commonly referred to as Thoniappar, Sattanathar and Brahmapureeswarar. In recent times it is sometimes called Sattainathar. In ancient times the temple was also referred to as Thirukazhumalam. The temple is closely associated with Thirugnanasampanthar. He was born here in this town in the early 7th century. When he was about 3 years old, his father Sivapatha Iruthayar took him to the temple and left him on the steps of the water tank and took a dip in the water. When he came out he noticed that the child's lips were white and he was holding a small bowl of milk. The infuriated father, upset that the child had consumed milk from a stranger, grabbed the dish and flung it at the temple walls. There is an indentation on the temple wall across from the Keni or water tank where people believe the Kinnam or bowl struck. Legend says that the child was crying when it lost sight of his father and Goddess Uma herself fed the child with her own milk to soothe him. The child turned out to be a prodigy and started singing Thevarams in praise of Lord Sivan from a young age, The more than 300 pathigams that he sang were later compiled into the first 3 Thirumurai of the Panniru Thirumurai, the Tamil Saivite canon. The sanctum of the temple has 3 levels. At the ground level Lord Brahmapureeswarar takes the form of a Sivalingam with Goddess Thirunilainayaki as his consort. The second level, accessible by a flight of steps, houses a massive sculpture of the Lord in the Umamaheswarar form with Goddess Periyanayaki by his side as his consort. He is known as Thoniappar or Periyanayakar. The idol is placed on a boat. "Thoni "means a boat in Tamil. Legend says that during one of the great deluges that engulfed the earth, Lord Sivan collected the 64 Arts and carried them in a raft or boat to save them from being lost. It is believed to have happened here. Thus he came to be known as Thoniappar, the Lord of the Boat. From the second level a set of stairs go up to the third level where Lord Sivan manifests in the Bhairavar form and is called Sattainathar or Sattanathar in ancient times. "Sattam" means law in Tamil. A grand view of the temple and surroundings can be experienced from the upper two levels. There is also a legend that Lord Sivan once wore Lord Vishnu as his Sattai or upper garment or shirt to quell his arrogance. The temple has spacious and long prakarams. Although the exact area is unclear, it is a moderately large temple. There are 22 waterbodies or theerthams associated with it. The main theertham is called Brahmatheertham. which is within the temple premises. There are two temple trees or sthalavirutchams, the Parijatham and the Pavalamalli. The temple is associated with Bhairavar worship and there is a Bhairavar shrine with the eight aspects of Bhairavar called the Ashta Bhairavar Sannidhi. There are three main sanctums within the complex. The sanctum sanctorum housing the 3 tiered Brahmapureeswarar, Thoniappar and Sattanathar shrines is central. In the northwest corner of the complex, is the shrine for the consort Thirunilainayaki. Between these two shrines, there is a shrine for Thirugnanasampanthar. There are lofty gopurams at the entrances in all four cardinal directions. It is an east facing temple. The Utchavar is Somaskandar. There are 47 sets of important inscriptions here. The inscriptions span 6 centuries from Vira Rajendra Cholan (1063 -1070) to the Vijayanagar king Venkatadevarayar (1598). They not only list the kings and benefactors who donated to the expansion of the temple at various times, but also give us an insight into the customs, practices and traditions of the people at that time. It is believed that in Thirugnasampanthar's period, the three parts of the main sanctum were in different areas of the temple. The current configuration started evolving in the 11th century onwards. Other kings mentioned in the inscriptions include, Kulothungan I (1070-1120), Kulothungan II (1136 -1150), Rajarajan II (1136 -1150), Rajadhirajan II (1163 -1175), Kulothungan III (1179-1216), Rajarajan III (1216-1246), Sundarapandiyan (1251-1270) and Krishnadevarayar (1509 -1529). The major festival or Brahmotsavam occurs in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April/May). The second day is known as the Thirumulaippal Festival and commemorates the event of Thirugnasampanthar's consumption of Parvathi's divine milk. There are several other festivals throughout the year. In olden times, it was customary for men to visit without an upper garment and bare chested and women did not wear flowers on their hair. These rules are not strictly adhered to anymore. The temple's day-to-day affairs are administered by the Saivite monastic institution, the Dharmapuram Adhinam. It is the 68th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 14th sthalam on the north side of the Kaveri River. It has a large number of pathigams in its praise. The Moovar, Thirugnanasampanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar as well as Manickavasagar have praised this temple in song. It is said that Sundarar refused to set foot inside the temple because he thought that his feet would desecrate such a sacred site. He praised it in Thevaram from outside the town. Thirugnanasampanthar's first thevaram and the first thevaram of the entire Thirumurai was sung here: தோடுடைய செவியன் விடையேறியோர் தூவெண்மதி சூடிக் காடுடையசுட லைப்பொடிபூசி என் உள்ளங்கவர் கள்வன் ஏடுடையமல ரான்முனைநாட்பணிந் தேத்தஅருள் செய்த பீடுடையபிர மாபுரம்மேவிய பெம்மானிவ னன்றே. (He wears a ring in his ear lobe, he rides a bull, he has the pure white crescent on his head, he owns the forest, he wears the ash of the cremation ground on his forehead, he is the thief who steals my heart, he has the book of the Vedas, he was worshipped by Lord Brahma in this esteemed Brahmapuram where he resides, he is my Lord) The temple is located 3 hours or 150 km northeast of Thiruchirapalli and 1.5 hours or 100 km south of Pondicherry. It is 1.5 hours or 60 km northeast of Kumbakonam and 1 hour 35 km north of Tharangambadi. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam. Sources: Dinamalar Temples - Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi (Tamil) N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu Pages 9-15 Shaivam.org - Thevaram Courtesy Google Maps

நெடுங்களநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருநெடுங்குளம் The temple of Nedungalanathar at Thirunedungulam, just outside of Thiruchirapalli, is an ancient and celebrated Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is a small and compact Sivan temple, but is a very important one. Although it is of great antiquity, it has been built and rebuilt over the ages. Yet it retains much of its ancient character. It is located just east and outside of Thiruchirapalli. Nedungalam means a large field and that was the original name of the village. It is thus referred to by older sources. The place is now called Thirunedungulam, a modern variant of the ancient name. The Lord here is also known as Nithya Sundareswarar (the Eternally Handsome Lord). His consort here is Mangalanayaki (the Auspicious Lady) or Oppilanayaki (the Incomparable Lady). The temple has many legends. It is believed that Sage Agasthiyar visited this temple during his southern sojourn. The Utsavamoorthy, which is an idol of Lord Sivan as Somaskander lacks the right thumb. The story is that the Lord himself appeared as a witness to protect a devotee who was wrongly accused. The Chola king of the time was annoyed and cut off Lord Sivan's thumb. In another instance, the Lord appeared in a resplendent form to an ancient Chola king and hence got the name Nithya Sundareswarar. The temple has been in existence from the late 6th century at least and is mentioned in literary sources prior to the 7th century. The original temple was likely a brick structure that was converted to a granite one by early Chola kings like Aditya I in the 10th century. A later inscription from the 13th century claims Vijayalayan contributed to this temple, although there is no direct inscriptional evidence for this. There are a number of inscriptions around the temple. The various subsidiary shrines and mandapams bear inscriptions from the reigns of Rajarajan I and Rajarajan III, suggesting that these structures are from the original Chola era temple. The inscriptions on the walls of the sanctum are from the early 15th century during the Vijayanagar period, leading one to believe that the sanctum was rebuilt in that time. There is evidence of the influence of Chola, Hoysala, Pandya, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan patronage of this ancient gem of a temple. At around 2 acres in area, it is a fairly small temple. It is an east-facing temple and is entered through a five tiered rajagopuram. There has been some confusion due to some sources claiming that it is a west-facing temple. This seems to be an error that has been inadvertently propagated by some sources. The temple is constructed in such a manner that the rays of the morning sun fall directly on the deity from the 7th to 12th day of the Tamil month of Aadi (late July). The rajagopuram seems to be of a later age, perhaps of Nayakkan origin. Then you cross a wide courtyard which has a kodimaram, balipeedam and nandi. The Amman shrine is to your right and is south-facing. Next, you enter through a second gopuram which looks Cholan. You then enter the temple proper. The Moolavar is a self-manifested suyambulingam. But the sanctum is also believed to enshrine the goddess Uma in an invisible (Aroopa) form on the Lord's left. Hence the sanctum has two vimanas. Very unique. The unity of the masculine and feminine forms of the Supreme Being as Sivan and Parvati is a central concept in Saivite Hinduism, and is commonly symbolised by the half-male/half-female idol, the Ardhanareeswarar form. Interestingly the west-facing, back, main koshta idol is an Ardhanareeswarar here and not a Lingodbavar or Lord Vishnu, as is usual. The south-facing koshta idol of Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Sivan as the eternal teacher or guru, is a Yoga Dakshinamurthy. It is a rare form where Lord Dakshinamurthy is in a Padmasanam posture, deep in thought with his eyes closed. The lower two hands bear the Chin Mudra and a container of sacred vibhuti. There is a Yoga Patti or Belt on his left leg. There is a covered verandah called the Thirunadaimaligai around the central shrine on three sides, likely built during the Vijayanagar period. This is the 125th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 8th on the south side of the Kaveri River. The pathigam was composed by Thirugnanasampanthar. Gnanasampanthar is the author of the first three Thirumurais of the Panniru Thirumurai, the twelve divine books of the Tamil Saivites. These three compilations are collectively known as the Thirukadaikaappu and contain 384 pathigams. Each one is believed to bring a special kind of boon to those who recite them often. The Thirunedungala Pathigam is called the Idar-Kalayum Pathigam (the pathigam that removes obstacles - இடர் களையும் பதிகம்). People recite it when they are in trouble and to ward off trouble to come. It is a popular hymn. Another Tamil Saivite saint Ayyadigal Kaadavarkon Nayanar (ஐயடிகள் காடவர்கோன் நாயனார்), a Pallava king turned Saivite saint, mentions the temple in his work the Shetra Venba. He was from an era preceding that of Sampanthar and Appar. Thirugnasampanthar extols thus: மறையுடையாய் தோலுடையாய் வார்சடைமேல் வளரும் பிறையுடையாய் பிஞ்ஞகனே யென்றுனைப்பே சினல்லால் குறையுடையார் குற்றம்ஓராய் கொள்கையினால் உயர்ந்த நிறையுடையார் இடர்களையாய் நெடுங்களம்மே யவனே Thevaram 1.052 (Oh you Lord, who possesses the Vedas, who wears the tiger's skin as clothing, has the growing crescent moon adorning your matted long hair and who is the destroyer - if people praise you, those who are in need, who are faultless and live replete with good principles - you will destroy their obstacles, my Lord who is here at Nedungalam) The thalavirutcham is the Vilvam, although the Kasturi Arali (the highly poisonous - pink Nerium Oleander) is also revered here. There are at least two main theerthams, the Agastya Theertham and Sundara Theertham. There are many festivals throughout the year with special poojas on pradosham days twice a month. The main festival, the brahmotsavam falls on Vaikasi Visakam in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May/June). The published open times are 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sundays the doors open 30 minutes later, at 6:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Governemet of Tamil Nadu. The temple is located 22 km or 30 minutes by car east of Thiruchirapalli. It is 350 km or 6.5 hours southeast of Chennai. We visited in August 2026. We were based in Thiruchirapalli. Sources: S. R. Balasubrahmanyam, Middle Chola Temples: Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I, A.D. 985–1070 (Thomson Press [India], 1975), “Temples in Tirunedungalam” Tamil Virtual Academy. “Thirunedungalam – Nedungalanathar Temple.” Government of Tamil Nadu. Accessed September 26, 2026. Veludharan. “Sri Nedungalanathar Temple, Nedungalam, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu.” Veludharan’s Temples Visit, December 2020. https://veludharan.blogspot.com/2020/12/sri-nedungalanathar-temple-nedungala.html The Hindu. “Chola-period inscriptions copied from Nedunkalanathar Temple.” The Hindu, 17 May 2022. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/chola-period-inscriptions-copied-from-nedunkalanathar-temple/article65426579.ece Courtesy Google Maps

தர்பாரண்யேசுவரர் அல்லது சனீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருநள்ளாறு This Navagraham temple associated with Lord Saneeswarar or Saturn is very popular on the Navagraham pilgrimage circuit. People fear and respect Lord Sani's influence on their lives. The position and movement of Lord Saturn vis-à-vis one's Zodiac sign often brings about negative outcomes. People come here to nullify those negative effects. The temple is a Sivan temple and is an ancient Paadal Petra Sthalam. Lord Sivan presides here as Dharbaranyeswarar in a Sivalingam form. In ancient times, this area was a forest of Dharbai grass giving the Lord and the temple their names. There is a separate shrine for Lord Sani and it is customary to worship him before proceeding to the sanctum to worship Lord Sivan. The temple is also a Saptha Vidanga Sthalam. It is one of the seven temples that are the most important in the Thiagarajar worship tradition. Thiagarajar worship is the iconology that gives preeminence to Lord Sivan in the Somaskandar form. Iconographically the Somaskandar is the form where Lord Sivan is in a sitting posture with his left leg bent across at the knee, with Parvati sitting at his left and the child Murugan between them. The Thiagarajar is the Utchavar here. This temple is actually situated in the Union Territory of Puducherry or Pondicherry. What is not known to many outsiders, is that there are pockets of territory administered by the Union Territory that are away from the city of Pondicherry and within the Tamil Nadu borders. It is a result of the French colonial holdings in the area. Karaikkal is one such district in the Kaveri Delta. It is close to Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam. The area is rich in Tamil history and temples. Legends say that King Nalan of Nishadha, who was married to the beautiful princess Damayanthi, went through untold misery and loss due to the negative influence of Lord Sani. He worshipped Lord Saneeswaran here at this holy site and was eventually relieved of his bad fortune and regained his kingdom, wealth and family back. Thus the place came to be known as Nallar. Others believe that the place got its name because the Kaveri divides into many small rivers like Arasalaru, Noolaru and Vanchiyaru around here in the Kaveri Delta. The temple got its name because it is situated amidst these rivers. "Nal" means middle and "Aru" means river in Tamil. There are many stories of people getting relief from negative influences in their lives here, making a pilgrimage to this temple very popular. With an imposing 7 tier rajagopuram and containing numerous shrines, it is an east-facing temple. It is about 2 acres in area and not very large. The presiding deity is Lord Sivan as a suyambulingam in the sanctum. He is known as Dharbaranyeswarar or Nallarar. The consort is Goddess Praneswari or Pranambigai and has her own shrine. To the left of the sanctum (to your right as you enter) is the shrine for Lord Saneeswarar. It is customary to worship there first. He is the gatekeeper. It is an east-facing shrine unlike at other temples where Lord Sani faces south. The resplendent idol of Saneeswarar has only two hands here as opposed to four usually. There are no shrines for the other Navagrahams here. The balipeedam, peculiarly is not in a straight line with other main elements, but is off to a side. In the prakaram, at the end of the gallery of the idols of the 63 Nayanmar, there is a small shrine for KIng Nalan. There is a set of 3 sculpted figures in the western inner prakaram, one of which is believed to be that of King Rajarajan I. The shrine for the Utsavar, Lord Thiagarajar as Somaskandar is in the southwestern corner of the prakaram. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam venerated in song by all three of the Moovar, Sampanthar, Appar and Suntharar, it was already a very revered site in the 7th and 8th centuries. Originally a Chola temple, it was greatly expanded during the Later Pandyan and Vijayanagar eras. The earliest existing structures appear to be from the 9th century. The oldest available inscription is from the reign of the Chola king Rajadhirajan I (1044-1052), son of Rajendran I. It mentions the donations made to this temple during Rajendran's rule. Other inscriptions have been lost, perhaps due to overzealous renovations by devout well-wishers over the centuries. The temple has many sacred water bodies or theerthams. The primary one is called the Nala Theertham. Bathing in it relieves people of their Sani Dosham it is believed. The Sthalaviruthcham or temple tree is the Dharbhai plant. The temple is thronged by devotees on Saturdays and during the shifting of Lord Sani's position in the Zodiac, called the Sani Peyarchi which occurs every 2.5 years. The main festival, the 18 day Brahmotsavam, begins on the day of the Uthirattathi Nakshatram, in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May/June). The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious Institutions and Wakf Department of the Government of Puducherry. This is the 169th Paadal Petra Sthalam on the south side of the Kaveri River and the 52nd in the Chola Nadu. Thirugnanasampanthar dedicated 4 pathigams to this temple. Thirunavukkarasar or Appar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar or Sundarar also have sung in its praise. In a famous incident in Madurai described in Tamil Saivite history and lore, Sampanthar was once confronted and ridiculed by Jain monks. In the ensuing debate he threw a copy of one of his Thirunallar pathigams into the fire while the Jains did the same with their holy scripture. The Jain manuscript apparently burned to ashes while Sampanthar's scroll remained untouched and green. It is called the Pachai Pathigam or the green pathigam. The Pandiyan king Nindraseer Nedumaran subsequently converted to Saivism from Jainism. போகமார்த்த பூண்முலையாள் தன்னோடும் பொன்னகலம் பாகமார்த்த பைங்கண்வெள் ளேற்றண்ணல் பரமேட்டி ஆகமார்த்த தோலுடையன் கோவண ஆடையின்மேல் நாகமார்த்த நம்பெருமான் மேயது நள்ளாறே (My Lord who has a blissful countenance, has Uma adorned with golden ornaments on her chest as part of him, rides the white bull with gentle eyes, is the essence of the Agamas, wears the (tiger's) skin as his loincloth, has the cobra as an ornament, He dwells here at Nallar) Thevaram 1.049 The temple is located 140 km or 3 hours east of Thiruchirapalli or the same distance south of Pondicherry. It is 33 km or 45 mins southeast of Mayiladuthurai, 17 km or 30 mins south of Tharangambadi and 25 km or 45 mins north of Nagapattinam. It is close to Karaikkal in the Union Territory of Puducherry or Pondicherry. We visited in August 2017 and June 2025. We were based in Tharangambadi and Kumbakonam. Sources: S.R Balasubrahmanyam, Middle Chola Temples, 1975. Chapter IV. Temples of Rajendra's Time Thevaram Shaivism.com Dinamalar Temples - Dharbaranyeswarar Temple - (Tamil) Courtesy Google Maps

சத்தியமூர்த்தி பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருமயம் Situated right beside and a bit east of the Sathyagirisvarar Sivan temple on the same south face of the Sathyagiri Hill, this Vishnu temple is equally ancient. It is a much revered temple and is a Divya Desam temple celebrated in the Naalaayira Divya Prabandham by the Tamil Vaishnava Alwar. It is part of the Thirumayam ASI site and is a protected monument of national importance. Like the Sathyagirisvarar Sivan temple adjacent to it, this is also a cave temple. It was likely excavated at the same time. It also has early Pandiyan and Pallava origins. Utilising a naturally existing cavern on the southern face of the rock, a temple has been carved out. This has been expanded in later centuries with other external structures. Some of the earliest inscriptions here belong to the Mutharaiyar. The Mutharaiyar were minor kings who ruled these borderlands between the Pallava and Pandiyan spheres of influence and preceded the ascent of the imperial Cholas. They periodically switched alliances with the major powers. It is not clear whether the original excavation was done by Pandiyan kings or a Mutharaiyar vassal of the Pallava. The adjoining Sathyagirisvarar Sivan temple, which likely was built at the same time has inscriptions from the time of Pallavan Mahendravarman I in the early 7th century. The oldest inscription here is attributed to Perumbidugu-Perundevi, wife of the first known Mutharaiyar king Sattan, and mother of his son Sattan Maran who were feudatories of the great Pallava emperor Pallavamalla Nandivarman II (CE 731-795). It is found on a slab or balustrade between the two cave temples. It appears to be from the first half of the 8th century. The temple has been renovated by Chola, Later Pandya, Hoysala, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings, Suraikudi Chieftains as well as the Sethupathi and Thondaiman rulers. There are about 30 inscriptions in total here and describe contributions from the time of Rajaraja Cholan I, Maravarman Sundarapandiyan II, Jatavarman Veerapandian II, Jatavarman Veerapandian III, Jatavarman Parakramapandiyan, Maravarman Kulasekarapandiyan I and Vijayanagar kings Virupaksha I and Krishnadevaraya. The presiding deity, Lord Vishnu, appears in two forms in two sanctums here. One is Lord Vishnu in a reclining or Ananthasayana posture. He is known as the Pallikonda Perumal or Thirumeyyar. He lies in a bed made of the coils of Adisesha. It is a large idol carved out of the wall of the cave and the Lord lies with his head to the west and feet to the east. The reclining idol of Lord Vishnu is one of the largest idols of its kind in India and is quite impressive. The shrine faces south. There are a number of smaller figures from stories and legends from the puranas, also beautifully carved here. There is another sanctum for Lord Vishnu here, where he is called Sathyamurthy. It is an east facing shrine with a beautiful vimanam. The consort Uyyavantha Thayar has her own east facing shrine. There are also a number of sub shrines for various deities. The temple complex is entered through an elaborately carved 5 tier rajagopuram. The long mandapam that you enter after passing the rajagopuram has ornate pillars with beautiful carvings and most are from the Nayakkan period. The sthalavirutcham or temple tree is the Banyan tree. The theertham is known as the Sathyapushkarani and is situated just to the east of the temple. It is an elaborate octagonal tank of ancient origin. It was renovated in 1919 by Ramanathan Chettiar of Karaikudi. The 10 day festivals of Vaikasi Poornima in May/June and Adi Pooram in July/August are the main celebrations that draw thousands of devotees. Legend says that Adisesha once acted on his own to destroy some evil demons without the Lord's permission and sought repentance here. The Lord not only forgave Adisesha but appreciated him. The hood of Adisesha is subdued here for that reason. The sage Sathyamaharishi is said to have worshipped here. The temple is celebrated in the Naalaayira Divya Prabandham and is thus a Divya Desam temple. Thirumangai Alwar in his mangalasasanam from the 8th century says: மையார் கடலும் மணிவரையும் மாமுகிலும், கொய்யார் குவளையும் காயாவும் போன்றிருண்ட மெய்யானை, மெய்ய மலையானைச் சங்கேந்தும் கையானை, கைதொழா கையல்ல கண்டாமே. (Like the dark and inky sea, and a jewel- studded mountain, like a deep dark cloud, and the beautiful water lily and the ironwood flower, the dark Lord Meyyan resides on the hill of Thirumeyyam holding his conch high. Hands that do not worship this Lord are not hands at all) The temple is located 100 km or 1.5 hours northeast of Madurai, about the same distance and time south of Thiruchirapalli and is close to Pudukkottai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan. Sources: Dinamalar Temples - Sathyamurthy Perumal Temple Thirumayam - The Land of Truth - Saurabh Saxena, Puratattva.in Nalaayira Divya Prabandham Courtesy Google Maps

கைலாசாதர் அல்லது சந்திரனார் திருக்கோயில், திங்களூர் This popular Sivan temple near Thanjavur is the Navagraham temple associated with Lord Chandran or the Moon. Thingal means the moon in Tamil and Oor is a village. Thus Thingalur is the village of the Moon. The temple is in a rural setting on the eastern edge of the hamlet. Lord Sivan as Kailasanathar presides in majestic Sivalingam form in the sanctum. There is a special sanctum for Lord Chandran which is much revered, The contemporary significance of the temple stems from its place as the Moon temple in the Navagraham temple circuit. It is visited by many to mitigate the negative influence of Lord Chandran in their lives and has become an important stop on the Navagraham pilgrimage route. It is mentioned in passing in the 7th century Thevaram canon and is thus classified as a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. Although Thirunavukkarasar visited here and composed a pathigam, the pathigam does not mention the Lord here by name. Hence, it is not classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam. There is a legend here that is associated with Apputhi Adigal and Thirunavukkarasar. Apputhi Adigal was a merchant in this village in the early seventh century and is among the 63 revered Tamil Saivite saints, the Nayanmar. He was a pious Saivite and a great admirer of Thirunavukkarasar. He once invited Appar to his home for a meal. In fervent anticipation of the great saint's visit, Apputhi Adigal sent his son to the garden to fetch a plantain leaf. There the young boy was bitten by a snake and fell unconscious. When Appar reached the house the boy was near death. Appar appealed to the Lord here and composed a pathigam and the young child miraculously revived and recovered. Even today, people in the surrounding villages rush to this temple when someone gets bitten by a snake. The temple is adorned with a 3 tier rajagopuram, which has been built recently. There are two prakarams. The sanctum faces east. Lord Chandran has a shrine facing southeast. The temple is so designed that in the months Purattasi (September/October) and Panguni (March/April) , during the 3 days spanning the Pournami or Full Moon, the rays of the rising moon fall in the sanctum. The Thaayaar Periyanayaki Amman has her own shrine. With recent renovations and a fresh coat of paint, the temple looks resplendent these days. The vimanams and sannidhis have been reconstructed in modern times. The temple is tastefully landscaped. The core of the temple is clearly of Chola origin. It was renovated in the Nayakkan era in the 16th century. It has undergone extensive renovations in modern times giving it a brand new look. Although I am not a fan of complete or near complete renovations, as they tend to destroy irreplaceable historical features such as inscriptions and the finer archeological elements, I have to admit the renovations here have been done well. Sometimes preservation of the site is better than total decay and loss. The temple is controlled and administered by the HR and CE Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu these days. The temple is popular for the ritual associated with the first feeding of rice to an infant. Villagers bring their infants to this temple for this important ritual called the Annaprasanam. It is considered auspicious to visit the temple on a Monday. The sthalavirutcham is the Vilvam. The main theertham is the Chandra Pushkarani. There are 4 main festivals, Mahasivairathri in Maasi (February/March), Margazhi Thiruvadhirai (December/January), Panguni Uthiram (March/April) and Thirukarthigai ( November/December). Although not a Paadal Petra Sthalam, as the Lord here is not praised in Thevaram, Appar visited here and composed a pathigam in the early seventh century. It is classified as a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. The pathikam composed by Thirunavukkarasar is called the Vidam Theertha Pathigam (the pathigam that cured the poison) : ஒன்றுகொலாமவர் சிந்தை யுயர்வரை ஒன்றுகொலாமுய ரும்மதி சூடுவர் ஒன்றுகொலாமிடு வெண்டலை கையது ஒன்றுகொலாமவர் ஊர்வது தானே (Lord Sivan has many attributes: one, his mind is as high as a tall mountain, one is the bright crescent he wears on his head, one is the white skull that he carries in his hand, one is that he resides in this village) Thevaram 4.018 The temple is located 60 km or 1.5 hours east of Tiruchirapalli and 170 km or 3.5 hours southeast of Pondicherry. It is 16m or 30 minutes north of Thanjavur and 35 km or 1 hour west of Kumbakonam. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam. Sources: Dinamalar Temples - Kailasanathar Temple Thingalur N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu: Thanjavur Page 309 Thevaram Shaivam.org Periyapuranam 5,5 Sekkizhar. 12th century. Apputhi Adigal Puranam verses 1788-1832 Courtesy Google Maps

The temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are not only structures with beautiful architecture and art, but are also part of a living culture that is hundreds of years old. Nowhere is this more evident than in the many temple festivals that dot the temple calendars across the region. Colorful and full of energy, these unique events are outpourings of devotion to the deity. They bring alive centuries-old traditions in dance, music, drama and various performing arts. In Tamil they are called Utsavam (உற்சவம்) or Thiruvizha (திருவிழா). These are social, congregational events that bring together the whole community to worship with much fanfare. Loud and energetic, they involve decorating the temple and performing special poojas. Devotional music is played loudly from the temple. Various artists of the performing arts like drummers, singers, nadaswaram artists, dancers etc. perform at the temple. Some rare musical instruments like the Kombu, a horn-like instrument are brought out. Conches are blown. Bells are rung. Temporary stages are set up outside the temple where plays and dramas about the temple history and the epics are enacted. Traditional dance-dramas like Naattukoothu are performed. Storytellers enthrall the public with witty stories about the deities. Debates are held. The Villu Paattu, a traditional musical storytelling with a bow held across the stage is a common feature. The deities are often taken out in procession. In many temples, the deities come out onto the streets. In some temples the procession is restricted to the inner or outer prakarams while at others the deities go out to the streets and sometimes take a tour around town. In some temples the deity is taken for a dip in the sacred water bodies, the theerthams. Sometimes the deities are carried on the shoulders of devotees on palanquins while at other times they are placed on elaborate chariots or "Ther" (தேர்) and pulled along their route. These chariots come in various sizes and shapes, from small vehicles in village temples to massive ones like the 96 foot tall, 250 ton one at the Thiruvarur, which is the largest Ther in Tamil Nadu. Long, massive ropes are used to pull the chariot and to lay a hand on the ropes is believed to bring a lot of blessings. They run on large wooden wheels that are skillfully maneuvered along narrow winding streets backed by generations of experience. Most temples have special metal idols of bronze or panchaloha called the Utsavamoorthy, which are mobile statuettes and used for the processions. Often the deities are placed on their traditional mounts such as the peacock for Lord Murugan, Rishabam for Lord Sivan and Garuda for Lord Vishnu. The processions, called Ula (உலா) often resemble a parade and feature groups of performers ahead and behind the deity. Groups of singers sing the sacred hymns. and join the parade. Some dance on the streets. People line the streets and set up special altars in front of their homes and businesses to pay homage to the deity on parade. They light lamps at their doors and decorate their courtyards with kolams. The vehicle, quite often a chariot stops at various points along the way for people to get blessed. Fireworks are common. Some devotees perform special acts of piety and devotion during the festivals. Carrying the Kavadi is common practice, especially in Murugan temples. The Kavadi is a structure made mostly of wood and shaped like a palanquin and carried on a devotee's shoulders. Often heavy, they come in several sizes according to the person's ability. There are some extreme acts like piercing the cheeks and tongue with a sharp, small spear to the Thoongu Kavadi, where the devotee hangs from metal hooks pierced through their back muscles and suspended while taken in procession on a moving vehicle. Some roll on the ground and circumambulate the temple thus. Some temples have fire walking rituals where people walk on hot embers with bare feet. The more extreme forms of devotion are less common these days. Many people fast for various durations. It is called Viradham. The temple surroundings attract a large number of devotees and others who come to take in the festivities. Vendors of various products set up their stalls and do brisk business. From trinkets to clothes to pots and pans every kind of ware is bought and sold. The temple surroundings take up a fair-like atmosphere, Buskers or street performers of various talents ply their trade. It brings entertainment and a fun element to an otherwise sacred event. In remote villages, it was the primary form of entertainment for young people before the advent of movies and television. Some temples have multiple festivals in a year. Some have one primary one called the Brahmotsavam held once a year coinciding with an auspicious day in a certain month. Some temples sadly have given up on festivals altogether, mostly due to lack of funds. Some festivals are short and last a few days, while others can go for more than 10 days. Then there is the Kumbabishekam or Kudamulukku festival every 12 years ideally, when the temple is renovated, repainted and a grand festival of consecration is held. Large scaffoldings are built and abhishekams or ritual bathing of the Kalasams on top of the vimanams and gopurams are performed. Festivals are joyous and entertaining events in a temple's calendar and many people throng to these. It is an experience most people treasure from multiple perspectives. Those who are interested should look at the calendars of individual temples and plan their trips accordingly. The festivals are by and large safe from a crowd control point of view and mishaps like stampedes are extremely rare. Due to the large crowds and lack of infrastructure and staffing at many temples. they can sometimes get messy from a public hygiene perspective with widespread littering etc. Things are certainly getting better and should improve further. While festivals can be extremely positive experiences for some people, for others who want to experience temples in peace and quiet, they might be too disruptive. Those who want to take in the art and architecture at a more leisurely pace might want to avoid festival times. Some of the most famous temple festivals are the Chithirai festival in Madurai in April/May, the Karthigai festival at Thiruvannamalai in November/December and the Thiruvarur Chariot Festival or Aazhi Ther at Thiruvarur in March/ April among others., Festivals are integral to temple culture in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. From preserving traditional arts to reaffirming people's belief systems, they are important events in the temple calendar. To attend one could be a great experience for many. With thoughtful planning a festival can be experienced in an enjoyable and meaningful manner. Sources: Branfoot, C. (2020). Power, Processions and the Festival Architecture of the Tamil temple. In H. Albery, J.-U. Hartmann, & H. Prabha Ray (Eds.), Power, Presence and Space: South Asian Rituals in Archaeological Context (pp. 164-187). Routledge Orr, Leslie C Processions in the Medieval South Indian Temple: Sociology, sovereignty and soteriology p. 437-470 Michell, George. Temple Towns of Tamil Nadu , Marg Publications 1993 Mrs. S. Nandhini, & Dr. N. Subha Nanthini. (2023). Festivals of Tamil Nadu: Traditions, Celebrations, and Cultural Significance. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 29(4), 4838–4841.