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சண்முகநாதர் திருக்கோயில், குன்றக்குடி Dedicated to Lord Murugan the popular Tamil deity, this is an ancient temple perched upon a small hillock. The village is sometimes referred to as Kunnakudi, a derivation of Kundrakudi. Kundram means hill in Tamil. Kudi stands for a village. The hill is shaped like a peacock, the Vaakanam or mount of Lord Muruga. Thus it is sometimes referred to as Mayil Malai or Mayuragiri. It is about 40 m in height. It is an easy climb of about 162 steps hewn into the granite rock face. There are many historical and literary references to a river called the Thenaru (River of Honey) which no longer flows around here. Legend says that the peacock, the sacred mount of Lord Murugan had an altercation with Lord Vishnu's mount the Garuda and Lord Brahma's mount the swan and destroyed them. To allay Lord Murugan's wrath for this dastardly act, the peacock did penance at this site. So the hill took the shape of a peacock. It remains a temple that symbolises repentance and redemption. The temple is at least 1200 years old, although it is difficult to date it precisely and the site could be much older. Murugan worship is quite ancient in the Tamil country. It has been built and maintained by Pandian kings in the eighth century. There are inscriptions from later Chola and Pandiyan kings. In the late 18th century the Marudhu Pandiyar brothers have carried out extensive renovation work at this temple. It has a five tier rajagopuram. The steps leading up to the sanctum at the top are covered by a roof, forming a long upward sloping mandapam. The pillars of the mandapam are adorned with granite and stucco statues of donors and benefactors including those of the Marudhu brothers, Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu. The Lord graces at the hilltop sanctum seated on a peacock mount and manifests in his Arumugan form, the Lord with six faces and twelve hands. His consorts Valli and Deivanai are also mounted on peacocks which is special at this temple. Arunagirinathar in his Thirupugazh portrays the Lord thus in the late 14th century: வானா டேழ்நா டும்புகழ் பெற்றிடு தேனா றேசூழ் துங்க மலைப்பதி  மாயூ ராவாழ் குன்றை தழைத்தருள் ...... பெருமாளே. (my Lord thrives here on this hill called Mayuram by the river Thenaru, which is famous in all the surrounding country) Festivals like Thaipusam in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February) and Panguni Uthiram in the month of Panguni (March-April) are celebrated with great fervour. The temple is usually open usually from 6 am to noon and then from 4 pm to 8 pm. Like most active temples it is closed between noon and 4 pm. Kunnakudi or Kundrakudi is also the birthplace of the legendary 20th century carnatic musician and violinist Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. The other famous contemporary personality associated with this village is Kundrakudi Adigal, Saivite acetic, orator and writer who was the pontiff of the Mutt here, the Kundrakudi Tiruvannamalai Adheenam. The Mutt is responsible for the maintenance of this temple. It is located about 80 km or 1.5 hours northeast of Madurai and 12 km or 20 minutes northwest of Karaikudi. It is 40 km or 45 km south of Pudukkottai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan. Sources: Census of India, 1961: Madras Volume 9, Issue 1 of Census of India, 1961, India. Office of the Registrar General . Manager of Publications. Credits: Google Maps

முக்தீசுவர் திருக்கோயில், தெப்பக்குளம், மதுரை This relatively small but ancient Sivan temple is located in the city of Madurai on the western side of the beautiful Vandiyur Theppakulam. The Theppakulam is an artificial waterbody or tank built by the great king Thirumalai Nayakkar in the 17th century. It is believed that sand was dug out of this site to aid in the reconstruction of the Meenakshiamman temple. The exact age of the temple site is unknown, but the existing structures are from the Nayakkan era. The temple is also known as the Iravadhiswarar (ஐராவதீசுவரர்) temple, named after Indira's elephant Iravadham (ஐராவதம்) who legend says worshipped Lord Siva here and was relieved of a curse. This temple is one of the 5 Panchabootha Sthalams of Madurai and represents Vayu. It is also one the 4 ullaavaranam or inner-garland temples of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. Expansion of the temple was restricted by its location close to the Theppakulam. The temple only has one outer prakaram and lacks a rajagopuram. The vimanam over the mandapam in the middle of the Theppakulam serves as the rajagopuram for this temple and the Mariamman temple nearby. The east-facing temple consists of the sanctum and a relatively large mandapam in front with many columns. The columns have ornate sculptures depicting scenes from the Thiruvilayadal Puranam. The idol of Eka Pada Trimurti depicting Siva, Vishnu and Brahma as a single idol and the Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy are very beautiful and special. The temple is constructed in such a fashion that the rays of the sun fall in the sanctum during the couple of weeks spanning the vernal and autumnal equinoxes in March and September. It is as if the sun is paying homage to the Lord here during those times. The temple lacks the usual Navagraha shrine seen in most temples. Nevertheless it is believed that this temple has a close relationship to the Navagrahas. The construction of the temple as it stands today is credited to Muthu Veerappa Nayakkar, brother of Thirumalai Nayakkar. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Photography was difficult as the temple was undergoing renovation and many of the main structures were covered in scaffolding. Source: TN Temples Project Credits: Google Maps

சௌந்தரராஜ பெருமாள் கோயில், தாடிக்கொம்பு, திண்டுக்கல் Renowned for its fine sculptures in granite from the late Vijayanagar and Nayakkan eras, this temple is located just north of Dindigul. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is a beautiful temple and very popular. Although there are some clues in inscriptions that suggest that it might have existed in some form under Pandiyan rule before the 10th century, the structure as it stands today was built during Vijayanagar times and embellished in the Nayakkan era. The village was originally called Thaalapuri due to the abundance of palmyrah trees. It later got the name Thadikombu which means the same in Telugu due to the influx of a large number of Telugu speaking people into the area during the Vijayanagar period. The temple was rebuilt in its current form by the Vijayanagar emperor Achyuta Deva Raya (1529-1542), brother and successor of the great emperor Krishna Deva Raya and his successor and regent Aliya Rama Raya (1484-1565), son-in-law of Krishna Deva Raya. This was in the mid 16th century. Most of the sculptural art is attributed to the reign of the great Nayakkan monarch, Thirumalai Nayakkar of Madurai (1623-1659). The sculptures were commissioned around 1640 in the mid 17th century. This information is from the inscriptions present at the temple. The temple has a 5 level, 90 foot high rajagopuram and is surrounded by granite walls on all four sides. It has two inner prakarams. The prakaram outside the walls is paved to facilitate the movement of the chariot or "ther" during festivals, The Lord is in a standing posture in the sanctum sanctorum. His consort Sundaravalli Thayar is housed in a separate shrine. The main structure is built on a 2 m high plinth and is thus classified as a Madakkoil (மாடக்கோயில்). The temple has a number of mandapams. The Ranga Mandapam contains beautiful sculptures depicting the ten avatharams of Lord Vishnu and are from the Vijayanagar era. The Soundarapandia Mandapam contains 14 life size sculptures in granite that are believed to be some of the best examples of Nayakkan art and craftsmanship. The workmanship is exquisite and reflect a very high level of expertise. There are also seven musical pillars in the Kalyana Mandapam similar to other southern temples of the same era. The temple is located 14 km to the north of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. It is about a 20 minute drive by car. It is about 80 km north or an easy 90 minute drive along NH 44 from Madurai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Source: Temples of Madras State; P.K Nambiar and K.C Narayana Kurup. Census of India 1961 Govt of India Archives Credits: Google Maps

காளமேகப்பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருமோகூர் As a Divya Desam temple, this is a very important Vishnu temple. It is located close to Madurai. The Divya Desam temples are one of 108 ancient temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu that were celebrated by the Vaishnavite Tamil poet saints, the Azhwar, in the Nalayira Divya Prabantham compiled between the eighth and tenth centuries. As such the temple is more than 1200 years old. Legends tell us that Lord Vishnu appeared here as the divine enchantress Mohini and thus the place came to be known as Thirumohur. There are many legends. One describes Lord Vishnu appearing as Mohini to seduce an Asura who had cast a spell on Lord Siva. In another he appears as Mohini to aid the Devas in a battle with the Asuras. The place finds mention in the ancient Tamil literature of the Sangam era such as the Agananooru and Pathitrupathu. The Tamil epic Silappadikaram also mentions the place. There is an inscription in the temple itself dated to 1259 that identities a man named Kalamegam or Kangeyan who donated a large parcel of land to the temple during the reign of the Later Pandian king Sadaiyavarman Sundarapandian. The temple was later renovated by Nayakkan kings. The temple served as a fortress during the Carnatic Wars. The Marudhu brothers Chinna Marudhu and Periya Marudhu also contributed to this temple and they are commemorated with life-size sculptures in the temple. In modern times the Nattukkottai Chettiar community and the Sourashtra community of Madurai have undertaken renovation work. There is an interesting story about a British army unit that ransacked this temple during the Carnatic Wars and was moving away with the loot when a group of men from the Kallar community waylaid them and retrieved the temple jewels and idols. Due to this the Kallar community is given pride of place during temple festivals. The temple sports a 5 tier rajagopuram. At 2.5 acres, it is a moderate sized temple. The Vimanam here is called a Kethaki Vimanam and is beautiful. It is an east facing temple and the presiding deity is Lord Vishnu in standing posture in panchayudha kolam. There is a separate shrine for Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture and is called the prarthanasayana form and is very special. There is a large Sudharshana Chakra in one corner that has the idol of Chakrathazhwar on one side and Yoga Narasimhar on the other. Chakrathazhwar is depicted with sixteen hands holding a variety of weapons. This is also a rare sculpture found in few other Vishnu temples. Nammazhvar sang thus in his Mangalasasanam on the temple in the 8th century: மற்றிலம் அரண் வான்பெரும் பாழ் தனி முதலா சுற்றும் நீர்படைத் ததன்வழித் தொல்முனி முதலா முற்றும் தேவரோ டுலகுசெய் வாந்திரு மோகூர் சுற்றி நாம்வலஞ் செய்ய நம் துயர்கெடும் கடிதே (By circumambulating (surrendering to) Kalamegha‑Perumal at Thirumogur who is the sole protector (aran) and heaven’s great destroyer of pain and by venerating him along with the celestial beings, all our sufferings will vanish) -From the Nalayira Divya Prabandham The temple is located about 18 km or 30 minutes by car to the northeast of Madurai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Sources: "Enchanting Mokur, The Alvar's Vivigraphy RKK Rajan Indian Place Names Vol 40(89) March 2020 Madurai District Inscriptions Volume1 Page 229 P. Rajendran,V. Vedachalam,C.Santhalingam 2005 (Tamil) Credits: Google Maps

திருமறைநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருவாதவூர் This ancient Sivan temple is not far from Thirumohur and is in the same area east of Madurai near Melur. More than a thousand years old, it is situated in the town where the great Tamil Saivite poet saint Manickavasagar was born. His birth name was Vathavooran. He was the author of the Thiruvasagam and Thirukovaivayar which constitute the 8th Thirumurai. There is a beautiful 5 tier rajagopuram at the southern entrance. There are two prakarams. The Lord in the form of a Sivalingam is a suyambu lingam (self manifested and not sculpted by humans) and faces east. The intricately designed vimanam looks beautiful. There is an idol of a mythical beast called the Purusha Mirugam at the temple tank that is found only in few other temples. At times of drought, worshipping this idol is believed to restore rainfall. The temple is also visited by devotees who believe that several rheumatological and neurological diseases get cured here. Legend says Lord Saneeswaran was cured of leprosy here by worshipping Lord Sivan. The importance of the temple today is largely due to the fact that Manickavasagar was born in this town in the 9th century. It is said that he contributed to the construction of the temple here. It is considered a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. Thevara Vaipusthalams are those that find mention in the Thevaram Canon but do not have a pathigam dedicated to them. If that is accurate, then it must have existed in the seventh century. The claim that it is a Vaipusthalam is due to its reference as such in later compilations. Athangudi mentioned in Sambanthar's 2nd Thirumurai, 39th Pathigam, the Kshethra Kovai, is believed by some to be the ancient name for Vathavur. Nevertheless it is an ancient temple and initial construction was likely Pandian. Much of the existing temple structures bear the unmistakable style of the Vijayanagar and Nayakkan eras. There are some unreadable inscriptions from those times at this temple. The temple was extensively renovated in 1999 and 2014 and some inscriptions might have been lost. The temple is located 26 km or 45 minutes east of Madurai. It is close to the small town of Melur. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Sources: Project Madurai: Sampanthar Thevaram 2nd Thirumurai Part 1 (Tamil) Veludharan Temple Visits Credits: Google Maps

திருத்தளிநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருப்பத்தூர் This place was called Thiruputhur (திருப்புத்தூர்) in older sources and is sometimes thus referred to even now. It is an ancient temple. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is one of the 14 Paadal Petra Sthalams of the Pandya Nadu and is close to Madurai and Karaikudi. There are other towns and at least one with a famous ancient temple elsewhere with the same or similar name which sometimes leads to confusion. The temple is celebrated in the Thevaram with dedicated songs by Thirugnanasampanthar and Thirunavukkarasar and must have existed in some form in the early 7th century. It has evidence of contributions to its construction by later Pallavas, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Nayakkan, Sethupathi kings and the Maruthu Pandiyar. This period spans a thousand years. There are 51 sets of inscriptions pertaining to various donations made to this temple. Most are from the later Pandyan period from the 13th and early 14th centuries. There also Vijayanagar era inscriptions from the late 14th century to early 16th centuries. One such inscription celebrates the liberation of the temple from control of the Madurai Sultanate and its subsequent purification and reconsecration. At 15 acres in area, it is a very large temple. It has a 5 tier rajagopuram and 3 prakarams. The sanctum has circular pilasters on the vimanam harking back to the Chola era. This feature is found in a few other Chola era temples. The Lord has an east facing shrine. The shrine for Goddess Sivakami also faces the same direction. It has several sub shrines.The sanctums are on raised pedestals. The kodungai work here is impressive. Kodungai are the stone carvings that adorn the roof and overhangs of mandapams that resemble woodwork and are from the Nayakkan era, They represent great skill and craftsmanship in stoneworking. There are architectural features from many eras blending into the final product here. The Sthala Virutcham is the Sarakondrai tree. In between the shrines for the Lord and the Goddess, there is a sub shrine for Bhairavar that is very special at this temple. Here Bhairavar is in a seated position and in meditation as opposed to his usual standing posture and is known as Yoga Bhairavar. Due to this the temple is sometimes referred to as the Bhairavan or Vairavan temple. The Yoga Narayanan idol and shrine is also special. The Navagraha idols are seated and not standing as usual and this is also unique here. There is a special shrine for Thirunageswarar in the third prakaram. Legends say that Lord Siva danced the Cosmic dance called the Gowri Thandavam here at the request of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Sage Valmiki who composed the Ramayanam is believed to have worshipped the Lord here, It is one of the 14 Paadal Petra Sthalams in the Pandiya country. Thirugnanasampanthar and Thirunavukkarasar composed pathikams dedicated to this temple in the early 7th century. Sampanthar sang thus: வெங்கள் விம்மு வெறியார் பொழிற்சோலை திங்க ளோடு திளைக்குந் திருப்புத்தூர்க் கங்கை தங்கு முடியா ரவர்போலும் எங்க ளுச்சி யுறையு மிறையாரே. (In this beautiful verdant grove called Thiruputhur filled with flowers laden with intoxicating nectar, resides our Lord whose crown is adorned with the moon and the Ganga and who also always lives in our minds and thoughts too) The temple is located about 70 km or 1 hour drive northeast of Madurai. It is about 20 km or 30 minutes west of Karaikudi. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan near Karaikudi. Sources: Temple History - Koyilgal Varalar u V.S Gurusamy Desikar Thevaram Govt of India Census Report 1961 Vol 6 Madurai/Ramnad Districts Page 193 Credits: Google Maps

கற்பக விநாயகர் திருக்கோயில், பிள்ளையார்பட்டி One of the oldest temples to Lord Vinayaka or Ganesha in the Tamil country, this temple is very ancient. Lord Ganesha is fondly referred to as Pillayar in Tamil. It is a cave temple. Its origins are shrouded in the mists of time. Although the temple is best known as a Pillayar temple, like most Saivite temples, Lord Siva is also given great prominence. There are two main sanctums at right angles to each other. They are both accorded equal importance, although the Vinayagar cave-shrine is by far the more popular. The layout of the temple is unique in that there is a cave shrine built into the rock face of the hillock behind the temple and is enclosed within the temple. This is the most ancient part of the temple and faces north with an entrance in that direction with a rajagopuram of its own. It houses a rock-cut, large idol of Lord Ganesha facing north. It also houses other sculptures including Lord Sivan in the form of a lingam called the Thiruveesar. At right angles to it is an east facing structural shrine housing Lord Siva as a lingam and is known as the Marudeeswarar. Here the Lord faces east and there is an entrance and a rajagopuram in that direction also. The age of this temple is somewhat difficult to date exactly. The rock cut idol of Pillayar and other idols in the cave shrine appear to be quite ancient. There is an inscription at the bottom of the idol which is a name of a person and widely believed to be that of the sculptor. A signature of sorts. The Tamil script is that which prevailed in the 2nd to 5th centuries. Based on this scholars have dated the cave to the 4th century. There are other clues dating it to the 7th century. It has been extensively renovated many times since then, constituting many phases of rebuilding. There is a 7th century inscription that names the Ganesha idol as Desi Vinayaka. Some have postulated that the Pallava monarch Narasimhavarman I built the cave temple around 650 CE. Others believe that it is more likely that the early Pandian kings were responsible. Although the Pallavas built similar temples in the northeast, it is unlikely that their direct influence extended this far south. There are also more recent inscriptions on the walls from 1091 and 1238 CE suggesting further expansions in those times. Since the 13th century onwards the Nattukottai Chettiar or Nagarathar community has actively patronised this temple and has been responsible for its further development and upkeep. It is celebrated as one of the nine ancestral temples of this merchant community. The Pillayar idol within the cave is a magnificent bas-relief sculpted on the granite cave wall facing north. It is 6 feet tall and has been covered in glittering gold. Uniquely, the Thumbikkai or trunk of the Lord is curved to the right instead of the common left curvature. Thus he is called Valampuri Vinayagar. Moreover he only has two hands as opposed to the customary four. The other sculptures within the cave are also unusual. There is an enigmatic bas-relief of a figure with two attendants that has variously been described as a royal figure or Lord Shiva. If it is that of a royal patron, the headdress and attire do not fit the usual Pandian or Pallava styles. There is another figure which is asymmetric, leading to speculation that it is an early Ardhanareeswarar (half Sivan-half Parvati) or Harihara (half Sivan- half Vishnu), but the sculpture is not typical of either form. The structural Marudeeswarar shrine is built like a traditional sanctum with a vimanam and is a later addition. The sthala virutcham is the Marudam or Arjuna tree. It is one of four temples in South India where the Marutham tree is celebrated. The others are Thirupudaimaruthur, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Srisailam in Andra Pradesh. Apart from its historical significance the temple is an important pilgrimage site and very popular among devotees. It draws large crowds of worshippers throughout the year. Festivals like the Vinayaka Chathurthi which usually falls in late August or early September are celebrated with great flair. The temple is located in the village of Pillayarpatti, near Kundrakudi and Thirupathur. It is 80 km or 1.5 hours northeast of Madurai, 15 km or 30 minutes northwest of Karaikudi or 45 km or 1 hour south of Pudukkottai. We visited in July 2012 and June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan. Temple layout Lord Ganesha at Pillayarpatti - Courtesy Temples of Madras State Census 1961 Sources: Nagaswamy, R. “Some Contributions of the Pāṇḍya to South Indian Art.” Artibus Asiae , vol. 27, no. 3, 1965, pp. 265–74. JSTOR , https://doi.org/10.2307/3249074. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025. P.K. Nambiar and K.C. Narayana Kurup (1961), Temples of Madras State, Census of India Volume IX, Part XI-D (vi), Government of India, pp. 196–198 https://archive.org/details/temples-of-tamilnadu/Book-Temples-of-Tamilnadu-Vol-6-Madurai-Ramnad-Census1961-648pp/page/n343/mode/2up Credits: Google Maps

மாணிக்கவாசகர் பிறப்பிடக்கோயில் திருவாதவூர் About 500 meters from the entrance of the ancient Thirumarainathar temple is this temple that is believed to be built on the land where Manickavasagar's house once stood 1100 yers ago . This is where he is believed to have been born and where he grew up. The small temple for Manickavasagar stands in a corner of an enclosed compound. It is a fairly large compound, about 5 acres in area. It is fenced and walled and as such relatively safe from encroachment. A sizeable modern mandapam or hall is at the other corner of the enclosure. It is called the Manickavasagar Arangam. It has a large bronze idol of Lord Nataraja at the front and room for about five hundred or more people. The walls are tastefully decorated with modern murals depicting scenes from his life and verses from the Thiruvasagam. Nicely done. When we visited, a group of middle-aged men and women were at the front doing a continuous recitation of the Thiruvasagam. It was beautiful. It is a daily ritual here There is a lot of empty space that holds immense potential to develop as a fitting tribute to the great saint. It is a place many people visiting Thiruvathavur might overlook. It is well worth a visit and time should be allocated for it. The small temple is closed most of the time. The priests at the nearby Thirumarainathar temple may be able to guide you to someone who will have to open the temple on special request. Although some dispute the exact period of Manickavasagar and claim that he lived in the 3rd century or the 6th century, the conventional wisdom has been that he lived in the 9th century which makes more sense. He is one of the most important of the Saivite poet-saints who revived Tamil Saivism. After centuries of domination by the Jain and Buddhist faiths, there was a movement to revive Tamil Saivism and Tamil Vaishnavism. It is often referred to as the Bhakti Movement and lasted about 3 centuries beginning in the early 7th century. The 63 Nayanmar were the saints on the Saivite side who worked tirelessly and selflessly to advance the faith. They came from all walks of life and included men and women from various castes and communities from Brahmins to the most oppressed sections. They crisscrossed the Tamil lands, visiting ancient temples, reviving and renovating them. They engaged in philosophical debates with Jain and Buddhists monks. They sang devotional songs. They converted monarchs. The 12 Azhwar did the same on the Vaishnavite side. Manickavasagar is one of the most important personalities in this movement and is included in the quartet known as the Saivite Naalvar (The Four) together with Thirugnanasampanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar. However, he is not one the 63 Nayanmar like the other three, perhaps because he belonged to a later time. Manickavasagar was born in this village and his birth name was Vathavoorar. He was born into an erudite Amathya Brahmin family and gained great knowledge at a very young age, By the time he was sixteen he joined the service of the Pandian king at Madurai, Varagunavarman II or Arimarthana Pandian (CE 862-885). He soon became the most trusted advisor to the king and was made his chief minister. He was given the title Thennavan Brahmarayan. One day the king sent the young Vathavooran to the eastern coast with a large sum of money to buy imported Arabian war horses. When he reached the town of Thiruperunthurai he fell under the spell of an old man sitting under a Kurunthai tree who revealed divine knowledge to him. The old man was none other than the Lord himself and on his advice Vathavoorar built a temple at Thiruperunthurai using all the money he brought with him. The temple stands to this day and is known as Auvudayar Koil. Soon the day came when the king sent word to return with the horses. Vathavooarar panicked and ran to his guru under the Kurunthai tree who calmed him down and told hom that he would take care of it and that he should return to Madurai. He promised to bring the horses in a few days. Sure enough the horses arrived on the promsed day only to turn into foxes during the night. The angry king got Vathavoorar arrested and imprisoned, The next day there was a great flood and the Vaigai broke its banks and inundated the city of Madurai. Realising his mistake the king set Manickavasagar free and he returned to Thiruperunthurai to start composing the Thiruvasagam. Over the ensuing years he travelled far and wide visiting many temples and completed the Thiruvasagam and the Thirukovayar in Chidambaram where he attained Mukti. Although many temples are mentioned in his works, his favorite temples were Thiruperunthurai, Chidambaram, Thirukazhukundram, Thiruvannamalai and Thiru Uthirakosamangai. It is located about 34 km or 45 minutes to the east of Madurai. It is close to the Thirumarainathar temple at Thiruvathavur and not far from Thirumohur. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai.. Sources: TN Temples Project Shaivam

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

ஏகாம்பரநாதர் அல்லது ஏகாம்பரேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில் காஞ்சிபுரம் One of the most sacred Saivite temples in Tamil Nadu, this ancient Sivasthalam is a very special temple. It is one the five Pancha Bootha Sthalams. Here the Lord is celebrated as the Earth - the Prithvilingam. The lingam in the sanctum is made of sand. It is venerated in Thevaram by all three of the Moovar and Manickavasagar, making it one of the temples celebrated by all four of the Kuravars. It is the first Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Thondai Nadu. It is mentioned in numerous other Tamil Saivite literary works. It has a Vishnu shrine within the premises celebrated in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, making it a Divya Desam temple also. Only two temples including the Thillai Natarajar at Chidambaram have this rare distinction. It is a vast temple and covers an area of 23 acres. Together with the adjacent Kamakshi Amman temple and the Kumarakottam Murugan temple in the middle, it forms a Somaskanda configuration. The 59 m or 192 feet rajagopuram built by the great Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya in 1509 is one of the tallest in South India. It has nine tiers or nilai. It has wide prakarams and numerous beautiful sculptures. An ancient mango tree is the Sthala Virutcham here. The temple predates the Pallavas and was certainly in existence in the 7th century as it was venerated by the Nayanmar in the Thevaram. It was rebuilt by the Pallavas and rebuilt again by the Cholas. Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings also contributed much to its maintenance and expansion. During colonial time the great philanthropist, Pachaiyappa Mudaliar in the 18th century and the Nattukkottai Chettiar in the 19th and early 20th centuries were very generous in their support of this temple. Today it is under control of the HR and CE Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is located in Kanchipuram, about 80 km or 2 hours southwest of Chennai. We visited in July 2010. We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

ஆதிபுரீசுவரர் அல்லது தியாகராஜ சுவாமி திருக்கோயில், திருவொற்றியூர், சென்னை This vast and much revered Paadal Petra Sivasthalam, also referred to as the Vadivudai Amman Temple, is situated in the northern part of Chennai city. Today this part of Chennai is a poor and crime ridden area of town known for gangs and violence. When we tried to visit here in previous years we were discouraged by many including our drivers. When we visited in May 2023 also our driver was very reluctant to venture out here but we were determined to go, although a bit nervous at the same time. It turned out to be a very pleasant experience. One of only four Paadal Petra Sthalams within the city of Chennai, it is a very ancient site. All three of the Moovar, Appar, Sampanthar and Sundarar have sung Thevaram Pathikams here. Appar sang thus: வெள்ளத்தைச் சடையில் வைத்த வேதகீ தன்றன் பாதம் மெள்ளத்தானடைய வேண்டின் மெய்தரு ஞானத் தீயால் கள்ளத்தைக் கழிய நின்றார் காயத்துக் கலந்து நின்று உள்ளத்து ளொளியுமாகும் ஒற்றியூருடைய கோவே This is where the Tamil Saivite philosopher-saint Pattinathar (பட்டினத்தார்) lived and died. This is also a very important site for the Thiyagaraja belief system within Saivism which venerates the Somaskanda iconography of Siva and originated in the Chola country in the 10th century. Sankaracharya visited here in the 8th century. In existence from Pallava times, the temple was expanded in the 11th century by Rajendra Cholan I. There are many inscriptions here including an inscription belonging to Gandaraditya Cholan dated to 954 CE. This temple was in the direct path of the 100,000 strong invading force of the Delhi Sultanate under Malik Kafur in 1310 CE and bore the brunt of this invasion. Much of the temple was ransacked and destroyed. It was rebuilt again by Vijayanagara kings in the 15th and 16th centuries.The temple is now administered by the HR and CE department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the north part of the City of Chennai. We visited in May 2023 Credits: Google Maps

திருவலிதாயம் திருவல்லீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில் பாடி சென்னை Of the four Paadal Petra Sthalams within metropolitan Chennai, this is likely the least well known. Situated in the industrial and working class neighbourhood of Padi, it is not as famous as others such as the Kapaleeswarar in Mylapore or the Marundeeswarar in Thiruvanmiyur. Today the temple is popular with the locals as it is associated with Guru or Jupiter and is one of the Navagraha temples around Chennai. The temple must have been in existence in some form in the early 7th century as Sampanthar has praised it in his Thevaram. It was a much larger complex during the heyday of the Chola empire in the 11th and 12th centuries when much of the temple was rebuilt by Rajarajan III and Kulothungan III. Added on to during Vijayanagar and Nayakkan times, it must have been a grand temple. Heavily encroached upon by an expanding city, today only the core remnant remains. The nearby Padaivettu Amman Koil a kilometre away was part of the original complex and is proof of the large extent of the original temple. Chola military commanders paid homage to the Amman here before their northern campaigns. The name Padi likely came from the Chola military encampment that existed here. Padi means a military settlement. Some say that it got its name from the Nayanmar and others who sang hymns in praise of the lord here. The sanctum and the Vimanam here are of the Gajaprishta or Thoonganai Maadam type. It is a fine example of this type of Vimanam that was very popular in the later Chola period. Although this is only a small part of the original temple, it is still a large complex. The relatively small 3 tier rajagopuram is likely a gopuram over an inner entrance way. The outer prakarams have been swallowed by encroachments from an expanding city. It is a beautiful and ancient temple in a bustling part of the city. It is located in the Padi neighbourhood in the western part of the city of Chennai. The locals refer to it as the Padi Sivan Koil. We visited in August 2017. We stayed in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps