இராமநாதசுவாமி திருக்கோயில் இராமேசுவரம் This vast temple is well known and one of the most important Shivasthalams in all of India. It is one of the 12 Jyothirlinga Sthalams and one of the four Char Dhams. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and has been praised in song by all three of the Moovar - Sampanthar, Naavukkarasar and Suntharar. It is revered both by Saivites and Vaishnavites and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India. The origins are shrouded in the mists of time. When Lord Rama returned after retrieving Sita from Lanka, he wanted to thank Lord Siva for his blessings and to seek forgiveness for killing Ravana, the great Siva Bhakthan. Hanuman went to Kailash to bring a lingam for Rama to worship but was delayed. Sita became impatient and fashioned a lingam out of sand on the Rameswaram sea shore and it solidified. When Hanuman returned with his lingam he threw a tantrum. Both lingams are in the sanctum - Ramalingam (Sita's creation) and Hanuman's Visvalingam. It is traditional to worship Hanuman's lingam first by Lord Rama's decree. It is believed that Hanuman's tail made a mark on the main lingam when he was angry and it is still there. Many dynasties have contributed to building this temple. Originally built in the 10th century by Pandian kings, it has contributions from Chola, Sri Lankan (the great king Parakramabahu), Jaffna Kings (Singai Ariyan), Vijayanagar and Nayakkan. But the greatest contributions have been by the Sethupathy kings of Ramanathapuram in the early 18th century. What we see today is the culmination of a thousand years of temple building. It is large (15 acres in area) and boasts the longest temple corridor and many gopurams. The only problem with popular temples is that thousands of people converge here from all over India and the world on a daily basis. The sites lack the infrastructure to handle these crowds which leads to congestion and a somewhat messy environment. Add to it the tight but necessary security, it makes it difficult to fully appreciate this temple. No cell phones were allowed inside the premises and I do not have enough pictures to show you. If you go - go in the late afternoon when it is less crowded. We visited in August 2019 and June 2025. We stayed in Rameswaram. Credits: Google Maps

திருமேனிநாதர் அல்லது பூமிநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருச்சுழி This large temple to Siva is situated 45 kms to the southeast of Madurai. Solidly built granite temple with wide prakarams, it is a nice quiet temple to experience without the crowds you will encounter in more well known temples. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam - 12th of the 14 in the Pandian country. Suntharar composed the Pathikam in the 8th century. As usual it has been added on to by many dynasties but has a very solid Pandian foundation. It has a seven tier rajagopuram, likely of Nayakkan or later origin but not very tall. Pay attention to the inner walls built of granite blocks without mortar or other binders that have withstood the test of time for a thousand years. Its is a Katrali or granite temple. We loved this temple and will highly recommend it to anyone. It is only about an hour's drive from Madurai We visited in August 2019. We were based in Madurai Credits: Google Maps

கள்ளபிரான் அல்லது வைகுந்தநாதர் திருக்கோயில், ஶ்ரீவைகுண்டம் Also known as the Vaikunthanathar temple, this is an ancient Divya Desam Vishnu temple on the Thamirabarani River. There are nine important Vishnu temples along the Thamirabarani which are called the Nava Thirupathi Temples, each associated with a Navagraham. Some of the best granite sculptures of the 16th century Nayakkan era are found here at Srivaikuntham. The life size sculptures are exquisitely carved in granite which is a difficult medium to carve as it fragments easily. The Lord here is known as Kallapiran because he once aided a bunch of robbers who stole from the rich and aided the poor. A Robin Hood kind of story. Solidly built granite temple, it is indeed worth visiting both for the blessings and to admire the art. The Thiruvengadamudayan hall to the right as you enter through the main entrance way is very beautiful. Look for the simple elegant columns or pillars of the Pandian era and the more elaborately carved ones from the Nayakkan era. AlwarThirunagari is another one of the beautiful Nava Thirupathi temples very close to here which unfortunately we could not visit due to the lack of time. This lovely temple lies about an hour or 36 km southwest of Thoothukudi and 30 minutes or 29 km southeast of Thirunelvely. We visited in Aug 2019. We were based in Thoothukudi or Tuticorin. Credits: Google Maps

கைலாசநாதர் திருக்கோயி்ல், ஶ்ரீவைகுண்டம் Very close to the Kallapiran temple in Srivaikuntham that we explored in the previous post, is this ancient Sivan temple. It is one of nine Sivan temples along the Thamirabarani river called the Nava Kailasam temples. The Sivan in all these temples carries the name Kailasanathar and each one is dedicated to a Navagraha. This one is the Saneeswaran temple dedicated to Saturn. It is a beautiful old temple originally built by the Pandian kings and added on to by Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings. The sculptures here although less in number than at the Perumal temple, are equally awe inspiring. Note the intricate work done in granite on the warrior sculpture in the Muhamandapam. To the right is the shrine for a beautiful Nataraja idol that is called the Santhana Sabapathy covered in sandalwood paste. Also note that this temple has a large flat topped granite entrance way without the customary gopuram on top. Perhaps the builders never got around to building one or they never meant to build one. You may have noticed most temples that we went to were rather empty and devoid of people, which was nice for us to experience these places in peace. These are small towns and villages after all. But the people do flock to these temples on special days and times. We visited this particular temple during the Pradosham, which is the 13th day of every fortnight and occurs twice a month. The 3 hours that span the sundown are auspicious to worship Sivan. This ancient temple lies about an hour or 36 km southwest of Thoothukudi and 30 minutes or 29 km southeast of Thirunelvely. We visited in Aug 2019. We were based in Thoothukudi or Tuticorin. Credits: Google Maps

திருச்செந்தூர் முருகன் திருக்கோயில் One of the Aru Padai Veedu (6 abodes) of Lord Murugan, this is a well known temple to many and a popular pilgrimage site. One of the largest temple complexes and one of the most popular temples in Tamil Nadu, it is an ancient site. It is located on the coast. It is the second most important Aru Padai Veedu. Although there is plenty of inscriptional evidence of Pandian benevolence towards this temple, much of the architecture that you see today is relatively recent and was built by private donors over the centuries rather than by royal grant or decree. The Rajagopuram is on the west, away from the seashore and is only about 300 years old. In most temples the main gopuram is on the east. In the mid 1600s the Dutch occupied this area. The story goes that one day the Dutch soldiers raided this temple and took the idol out to sea thinking that it contained gold or precious stones. When they did not find any, they threw into the sea. A few years later one of the ardent devotees of Lord Murugan had a dream about its location and divers dove to the sea bed and found the idol and reinstalled it. Thiru means holy and Chendur means red land. The legend is that Lord Murugan slew the evil demon Surapadman here in a classic battle between good and evil. The land became blood soaked and red by the epic fight. We visited in Aug 2019. We were based in Thoothukudi. Credits: Google Maps

சுசீந்திரம் தாணுமாலயன் திருக்கோயில் The Thanumalayan or Sthanumalayan temple is one of the most popular temples in this area. It is unique as it is one of very few temples where the the triumvirate of the Hindu gods, Brahma (Ayan) the creator of the universe, Vishnu (Mal) the preserver and Siva (Thanu or Sthanu) the destroyer are venerated as principal deities in the same temple enshrining the concept of the eternal cosmic cycle. The lingam in the sanctum sanctorum represents all three gods. There is a separate shrine for Lord Vishnu and a tall 22 feet statue of Hanuman carved out of a single rock, which is one the best examples of its kind anywhere. It is a large temple with an outer wall enclosing multiple shrines and halls. The layout suggests that it is quite an ancient temple. It is first mentioned in the 8th century and there is inscriptional evidence that it was here in the 9th. The Pandian, Chola and Chera kings have contributed to it. The Nayakkan and later Travancore kings were very fond of this temple and made many contributions. Most of the architecture as it stands today is from the 17th century. The tall and majestic rajagopuram at 134 feet is visible for miles around the countryside. It is white in colour and adorned with a myriad of sculptures. But the best known sculptural works here are the musical columns in the Alankara Mandapam. There are 4 main ones, carved out of a single granite block. There are a number of columns that make a distinct musical note when pounded upon. The technique they used to create these remains a mystery. Impressive. Situated midway between Kanyakumari and Nagercoil, this is a must visit temple for many reasons. Photography was tough as the temple was busy. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Kanyakumari Credits: Google Maps

நாகராஜா திருக்கோயில், நாகர்கோயில் The snake, especially the cobra, has a special place in the cultures of South Asia. The cobra is venerated as a sacred animal in many traditions including the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist. It is a mythical being in many beliefs. Cultures that worship the snake have been around this region for centuries preceding the advent of more structured religions. With its deadly bite and appearance, the cobra was feared and respected. People never harmed these animals and it is a cardinal sin to harm a cobra in many cultures. Many ancient tribes have been named after the cobra. Along the coast of the Tamil country, Kerala and in Northern Sri Lanka, one or more tribes have been named as such. A people called the Nagar (நாகர்) appear in many legends, myths and historical texts in India and Sri Lanka. From the Mahavamsa and the Manimekalai to the Periplus of the Erythraean sea, snake worshipping Nagar tribes are everywhere. They seem to be one of the earliest Tamil or Tamilized tribes. In Kerala a community called the Nair derives its name from the snake. Many place names seem to remind us of the Naga tradition. Here, in the very south of India, in the heart of the city of Nagercoil, is a temple dedicated to the snake giving the city its name. Nagaraja, the king of snakes and the cobra around Siva's neck is the main deity here. So in a way it is a temple of Siva. But there is an idol of Vishnu here making it special for Vaishnavites too. In ancient times, it appears to have been a Jain temple also. Plenty of Jain sculptures and inscriptions here. The architecture is not very impressive but unique. The current structure was built in the Keralan style by the Travancore kings. Snakes are encouraged to visit the temple and they say that there are two resident cobras here. They are fed with milk on a regular basis. Hundreds of idols of snakes are found everywhere. They say nobody has died of a snake bite in this area as far as anybody can remember. Credits: Google Maps

சிதறால் மலைக்கோயில் Jainism (சமணம் /அமணம்) in the Tamil country has a long and illustrious history beginning in the 3rd century BCE and lasting till about the 10th century when it eventually more or less disappeared. Today Tamil Jains are a minuscule minority. During the first few centuries of the first millennium Jainism and Buddhism were the predominant religions in the Tamil country. Buddhism had an urban presence and there is very little evidence of its legacy to be seen today. The Jains on the other hand had a presence in remote areas too. They have left a rich legacy in our language, customs, beliefs etc. Some of the richest literary works like the Silapathikaram are Jain works. Kovalan and Kannagi were Jains. Manimekalai was Buddhist. Many Pandian kings of the early part of the first millennium were Jains. The Jains brought literacy to the masses through their schools. To this day, in the Tamil language, we call schools Pallikkoodam (பள்ளிக்கூடம்) after the Jain Pallis or monasteries. There is plenty of physical evidence that the Jain monks have left behind in the hills, rocks and woods in the Tamil countryside. Many have been heavily vandalized over the centuries. Some are relatively inaccessible. Some have been lost to greedy granite quarry operators . Some others have survived and some of the most famous ones are in places like Sittannavasal. But here in the deep south, there is a place called Chitharal, about an hour northwest of Nagercoil (about 33 km), in the Thirucharanattu Malai Hills (Charanathar means celestial beings in the Jain tradition), where you will be able to appreciate the ruins of a Jain monastery in a peaceful, tranquil and sylvan atmosphere. It was occupied by Jain monks from the 1st century BCE until the 9th century. It is beautiful. Go in the early morning or late afternoon. It gets very hot on the rocks by midday. It is a climb and you have to be fit. It is remote. Be safe. Sometimes hard to find. Be sure your driver knows where he is going. It is sometimes called the Bhagavathy Amman temple because it served as such briefly in the 13th century. The locals call it the Malaikovil. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Kanyakumari. Credits: Google Maps

நெல்லையப்பர் திருக்கோயில், திருநெல்வேலி Situated in the heart of Thirunelveli town on the north bank of the Thamirabarani river, is the vast and majestic Nellaiappar temple. At 14.5 acres this twin temple complex is slightly larger in area than the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar in Madurai. It lacks the tall gopurams of Madurai but has many of the same features like the massive sculptures that you see there. It also has the famed musical columns. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and has been praised in song by all three of the Moovar, Gnanasampanthar, Appar and Suntharar. It has been in existence since the 7th century at least and the two temples were joined together by the impressive Sankili Mandapam in 1647 and the entire complex is enclosed by a wall. Although the Saivite Pandian king Arikesari Nindraseer Nedumaran is credited with the initial construction in the 7th century, many dynasties including Chola and later Pandian kings contributed to it. Much of the architecture that we see today is from the Nayakkan era. Legend says that a poor farmer prayed to Sivan to protect his ready-to-harvest rice paddy from an impending storm and Sivan himself came to his aid and built a fence. That is why it is called Thirunelveli. The Lord here is also called Venunathar because they say this used to be a bamboo forest. It is one the five Pancha Sabas (பஞ்ச சபைகள்) of Lord Nataraja. The Ponnambalam (பொன்னம்பலம்) or Golden Hall is in Chidambaram. The Velliambalam (வெள்ளியம்பலம்) or Hall of Silver is in Madurai. The Rathina Sabai (இரத்தின சபை) or the Hall of Rubies is in Thiruvalankadu where he performed the Rudrathaandavam. The Chitra Sabai (சித்திர சபை) or Hall of Paintings is in Kutralam and the Thaamira Sabai (தாமிர சபை) or Hall of Copper is here in Tirunelveli. The Thaamira Sabai is found in one of the inner precincts. We went on a Friday evening and the temple was busy but in a pleasant way. Groups of people were moving along the precincts singing the Thevarams of our childhood and clapping on their cymbals. In the outer precincts old men and women were telling stories from the Puranas to eager young kids who were enthralled. This is a scene that has played out in these halls for a thousand years or more without a break. We were so wrapt in the atmosphere that I forgot to take a lot of pictures. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Thirunelveli. Credits: Google Maps

பக்தவத்சல பெருமாள் கோயில் - சேரன்மகாதேவி Cheranmahadevi or Cheranmadevi is a small town about 1/2 an hour or 25 km west of Thirunelveli on the southern bank of the Thamirabarani river. It is a historical town with many ancient temples. In the two centuries that followed the Chola conquest of this region in the mid 10th century and after the Pandian resurgence in the 12th century, this town appears to have been an important cultural centre. In the following, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan periods, it seems to have lost its relevance. The temples here retain the Chola and Pandian influence. The Bhakthvatsala Perumal Koil belongs to that period and was first built in the mid 11th century and renovated in the 12th. It is one of the finest examples of the architecture of the period and is in a pristine state of preservation. It is a nationally important monument protected by the ASI (The Archeological Survey of India). Lots of inscriptions. This is a true hidden gem not known to many. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Thirunelvely. Credits: Google Maps

அம்மைநாதர் திருக்கோயில் - சேரன்மகாதேவி The Ammainathar temple is an important, ancient and elegant temple in Cheranmahadevi on the banks of the Thamirabarani. It is one of the Navakailasa temples - the nine ancient Sivan temples along the Thamirabarani where the Moolavar is named Kailasanathar and is dedicated to one of the Navagrahams. This is the second most important. This temple is dedicated to Chandran or Thingal, the Moon God. Legend says that this temple is 1100 years old. That dating appears to be correct, as you find both Vatteluthu (வட்டெழுத்து) and Tamil inscriptions here. The Cholans usually did not write in Vatteluthu. They preferred the script that evolved into the script that we today call Tamil script. The Pandians before the Chola conquest preferred the Vatteluthu. So this temple must have been built around the time of the Chola conquest in the mid 10th century. This temple is covered with inscriptions. It looks like the Pandians built this temple in the early 10th century before the Chola invasion and the Cholans expanded it. There is evidence that Kulothungan I renovated it in the late 11th century. Although the later dynasties did make minor contributions they appear to be subtle. Some of the sculptures are definitely from the 15th or 16th centuries, but are incorporated into the overall structure very tastefully. Beautiful temple. We loved the subtle elegance of the pre Nayakkan era. Although the animated sculptures and colourful and crowded gopurams of the Nayakkan era are indeed fascinating , the softness of the Pandian and Chola styles are also beautiful and we see that in abundance here. We visited August 2019 . We were based in Thirunelveli Credits: Google Maps

பிரம்மதேசம் கைலாசநாதர் திருக்கோயில் - அம்பாசமுத்திரம் This massive, beautiful and ancient temple is located in a small and verdant village called Ambasamudram on the banks of the Thamirabarani about 40 kms or 1 hour west of Thirunelveli. Although not a Paadal Petra Sthalam, it is mentioned in the 6th Thirumurai in passing and is thus classified as a Thevara Vaippu Thalam. It was called Ayaneeswaram (Ayan is Brahma) in the Thevaram. Some believe it is the first of the Navakailasa temples and is dedicated to the Sun. Some believe that the ancient temple in Papanasam close by is the real first Navakailasam. Many dynasties have contributed to the construction of this vast and grand temple. The great emperor Raja Raja Cholan was very fond of this temple and made many contributions. With 3 tall gopurams and 7 vimanams and innumerable sculptures, it is an architectural masterpiece and hidden treasure. The Nandi here is the largest in the region and has an animated and beautiful appearance. The solid massive doorway is intricately carved by artisans from Kerala and fortified. Much of the structure that we see today is from the Nayakkar renovation in the late 1500s. There is a spot in the outer prakaram (the locals will show you) from where you can see all the towers. The temple has a bit of a forlorn look. It is very much an active temple but needs some repair soon. Politics, as well as administrave inertia and controversy appear to be barriers for urgent preservation of this wonderful temple. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Thirunelvely. Credits: Google Maps