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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ஆதிஜெகநாதப்பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருப்புல்லாணி This ancient Vishnu temple is located about 122 km or 2 hours southeast of Madurai. It is quite close to Uthirakosamangai . It is a Divya Desam temple venerated in the Naalayira Divya Prabantham and closely associated with the Ramayanam. Sri Raman spent 3 nights here contemplating the invasion of Lanka resting his head on a pillow of Dharbai grass. Hence the name of this place. The legends speak of a coastal temple but it now lies at least 5 km from the shore, suggesting that the sea receded around here. It is the end result of a thousand years of temple building with a Pandian core. The Cholas, Vijayanagar, Nayakkar and the Sethupathis contributed in their own way. It is a beautiful temple. We visited in August 2019. We were based in Rameswaram. Credits: Google Maps

மங்களநாதசுவாமி திருக்கோயில், உத்திரகோசமங்கை This is a very ancient Siva temple on the coast in the southern district of Ramanathapuram of Tamil Nadu. Some claim that this is the oldest Sivan temple in the south. The site obviously is very old. It is not a Paadal Petra Sthalam (பாடல் பெற்ற தலம்) but is mentioned in the 9th century work by the Tamil Saivite poet-saint Manickavasagar ( மாணிக்கவாசகர்), the Thiruvasagam (திருவாசகம்). It lies 72 km or a 90 minute drive west of Rameswaram, over the Pamban bridge, on the mainland of the ancient Sethu country. Set in a serene rural area, this is indeed a hidden treasure. It is 111 km or 1hour and 45 minutes southeast of Madurai. Originally built by Pandian kings it was renovated and expanded many times later by other dynasties including Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings. The current structure is an amalgamation of many styles by different builders over time. The Pandian kings built the core and others added on to it. We can see the stamp of the Sethupathi kings too. At 20 acres, it is larger than most other temples. The 5.5 feet high ancient emerald statue of Nataraja here is very special and is covered in sandalwood paste for most of the year to protect it. There are also Yalis with rolling balls in their mouths which are sculptural marvels. The legends mention a coastal temple. The sea seems to have receded several kilometres here over the centuries. Numerous legends abound. The name comes from the legend that Siva disclosed the secret of the universe to Uma at this site. Mandothari worshipped Sivan at this place and married Ravanan here. The 64th Thiruvilayadal (திருவிளையாடல்) - the Valai Veesiya Padalam (வலை வீசிய படலம்)- when Siva in a fit of anger cursed Parvathi to be born as a fisherman's daughter and Nanthi as a shark, is believed to have happened here. He later appeared as a fisherman, caught the shark and married the fisherman's daughter. Siva gave a private audience of the cosmic dance to Parvathi here before he danced in the Thillai forest. There are many many other stories, too numerous to write here. Come here to be blessed if you are a Hindu, especially a Saivite. If you are not, still come here to experience the history and the beauty of an ancient temple in a peaceful setting. Please note the differences in style of the inner gopurams (likely Pandian) and the outer gopurams (likely Vijayanagar or Nayakkan). Different eras. The narrow tall rajagopuram is for the Siva shrine and the squat shorter one is for the Amman shrine. It is administered by the controversial Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. We visited in Aug 2019. We used Rameswaram as the base. Credits: Google Maps

The temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are numerous. They vary according to their antiquity, traditions, regions where they are found and styles. Some are ancient and some are of recent construction. Some are active and some are not. Some are well known and others are not. How does someone who has very little knowledge, experience at least some of these temples when there are such a bewildering number to choose from? The earliest existent temples are around 1500 years or older. Some temples have been constructed on the sites of older places of worship and as such the actual sites are older than the current structures. So one approach would be to concentrate on the antiquity of the temples. Here too it becomes complicated because many temples were not entirely built in a certain era or period in history. Their construction spans multiple centuries. They were built upon by different dynasties that ruled this land. So these temples are the end result of about 1500 years of constant renewal, renovation and addition. Some other temples were built in a certain, single era by a single king or dynasty and have remained more or less untouched since. Most temples are active temples and are places of current worship. People who visit these temples should take care to be respectful and not offend people who worship at these temples. Having said, that most Hindu temples are very tolerant and welcoming places, although some temples have areas that are restricted to Hindus only. Most older, active temples are owned and operated by the government. Initially independent institutions, they were, except for a very few, taken over by the government in the 1920s. Today they are administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Other temples, which are not active, are historical monuments and are administered by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), which is a an agency of the Indian Central Government while a few are managed by the Archeological Department of the Tamil Nadu Government. Access to these sites are generally less restrictive. Some have paid admission while others are free. Temples can also be classified according to popularity and fame. If you type in "Temples of Tamil Nadu" or " Best Temples of Tamil Nadu" or some such entry into a Google search you will end up with about 30 to 40 temples. These are but a handful of the temples in existence. They are well known because they are large and beautiful temples. To the faithful, they are also special due to their reputation as very sacred places of worship. It is difficult to define the line between well known and lesser known temples as it depends on the knowledge and experience of the person making these definitions. Temples can be classified according to the main deity in the temple. There are temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Shakthy, Murugan and Ganesha. The majority of the temples are either Saivite (Siva is the primary deity) or Vaishnavite (the primary deity is Vishnu). Numerous other temples are dedicated to Murugan, frequently identified as the Tamil god. There also Jain temples which are mostly inactive. The temples can be classified according to literary mention too. There are about 276 temples that are dedicated in the 7th to 9th century Saivite canonical work the Thevaram. These are called the Paadal Petra Sthalams. These sites can be safely dated to that period. The vast majority of them are in Tamil Nadu. There are another 150 or so sites that are casually mentioned in the Thevaram and are called Thevara Vaippu Sthalams. The most important Vishnu temples are known as the Divya Desams. They find mention in the Vaisnavite Tamil canonical work the Naalaira Divya Prabantham. They are 108 in number and most of them are in Tamil Nadu. Then there are the Arupadai Veedu or the 6 abodes of Murugan. There are other groupings according to their importance. We will explore these further on. Tamil Nadu is a big state and has many regions. In ancient times these regions were different kingdoms. As such the temples can be classified according to region also. The very south including the area around Madurai and further south is Pandian country. To the northeast of it and with the delta of the River Kaveri as its centre, including the ancient city of Thanjavur, is the Chola country. Further north along the coast the area around the current state capital of Chennai is known as Thondai Nadu. To the west, closer to the Western Ghats is the Kongu. Then there are areas like Nadunadu or middle country sandwiched between the Thondai and the Chola lands. Pondicherry is in the Nadu Nadu. So there are many ways to approach the temples of Tamil Nadu and explore and experience them. Nobody can expect to see them all in their life times. So it is important to pick some and visit them to learn about a culture that has existed for millennia. The cultural treasures including the sculpture and architecture are fabulous. They are spiritual places to visit and be blessed.