Tamil Nadu is known as the ‘Land of Temples’. The renowned temples in Tamil Nadu have been a wellspring of respect for devotees everywhere. Favored with more than 33,000 temples, Tamil Nadu has a few imperative names in the most amazing and most worshipped temples in India.
Other than being immortal architectural marvels, these spots resound with the heavenly energy that draws a large number of explorers consistently. The temples in the waterfront state are a wellspring of verifiable legends, social celebrations, and vacation courses.
Top 20 Most Popular Temples in Tamil Nadu
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
Commonly known as Meenakshi Amman Thirukoil, the auspicious Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is located on the south bank of the Vaigai River in the temple town of Madurai. The deities of this temple are the auspicious Meenakshi, an aspect of Parvati, and the auspicious Sundareswarar, an aspect of Shiva. The temple is located in the heart of the city of Madurai, which is ancient and mentioned in the Sangha literature.
The deities of this temple are glorified in sixth-century literature. The restored temples in Tamil Nadu complex is surrounded by 14 towers with an average height of 45 to 50 meters. The South Tower is the tallest tower with a height of 51.9 meters (170 feet). The temple complex consists of the Ayrangal Mandapam, the Klikkoondu Mandapam, the Kolu Mandapam, and the Pudu Mandapam, all of which have carved pillared mandapams.
A little over ten lakh devotees participate passionately in the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam and Chariot Festival, the annual grand festival held at this temple every year. The festival takes place in Chithrai month of Tamil year (April May month of English year). This temple has been selected as the symbol of the Prime Minister of India’s Clean India Program on October 01, 2017. The temple has five entrance gates.
Adi Kumbeswarar +Temple, Kumbakonam
Adi Kumbeswarar Sanctuary is situated in the sacred city of Kumbakonam. Adi Kumbeswara is the primary god of the sanctuary these temples in Tamil Nadu are very spirit temple tales of arise. Adi is of early stage beginning infers antiquated or the first and the preeminent. The Kumbeswarar is in the Shiva Linga structure which is amorphous and unlimited. Aaru (nebulous) + uru (structure) = aaruuru.
The state of the linga is of extremely extraordinary importance, it is a cone-shaped-formed lingam, This is a one-of-a-kind linga on the planet. The Pururanas determine the importance of the shape and the name. The city name Kumbakonam itself is gotten from the name of God – Kumba and the slight point of the Linga and subsequently the name “Kumbakonam”.
Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
This sanctuary is an ideal delineation of the extraordinary levels accomplished in the field of design by the Chola rulers. It is a tribute paid to Master Shiva and is a showcase of the force of Raja Chola I.
Brihadeeshwar Sanctuary is one of the most lovely architectural qualities of the country. It is raised in the midst of the extraordinary walls made maybe in the sixteenth hundred years. Inside the sanctuary, there is a sanctuary tower popular as Vimana among enthusiasts and sightseers.
This sanctuary tower has a rise of 66 meters. Vimana is one of the tallest sanctuary towers on the earth. An adjusted pinnacle structure is there in the Brihadeeshwar Sanctuary, which is accepted to be built out of cutting on a solitary stone as it were.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
Likely the most sacrosanct Vaishnavite sanctuary, Sri Ranganathaswamy Sanctuary is arranged at Srirangam, in the Trichy area of where temples in Tamil Nadu State. There are 108 sacred Vaishnavite places of worship, and this is thought of as the most unmistakable of all.
Presently let us go through an interesting story of how the sanctuary got laid out. As per the Sriranga Mahatmyam, Master Rama regardless of being a symbol of Ruler Vishnu venerated the icon of Vishnu. Subsequent to killing Ravana in Lanka and safeguarding his partner Sita Devi [Goddess], he gave the symbol to Vibhishana, sibling of Asura Ravana for assisting him with battling his own sibling.
Vibhishana taking the symbol to Srilanka halted in transit at the banks of Waterway Cauvery at Srirangam and held the icon down. He did his routine pooja of the symbol and kept in mind that attempting to lift the icon and proceed with his excursion to Sri Lanka, he couldn’t lift maybe being fixed there is cursed. At a similar second, Ruler Vishnu showed up and said he needs to remain at Srirangam as Ranganathaswamy.
He was persuaded by the repentance done by Ruler Dharma Varma to have Master Ranganatha stay at Srirangam. He guaranteed Vibhishana to set his heavenly look over Sri Lanka, and to that end, the Ranganatha Symbol is pointing toward the south.
Sri Rajagopala Swamy Temple, Mannargudi
Rajagopalaswamy temple is a Vaishnavite place of worship situated in the town of Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The directing god is Rajagopalaswamy, a type of Master Krishna. The temple is spread over an area of 23 sections of land (93,000 m2) and is one of the significant Vaishnavite-hallowed places in India. The temple is called Dakshina Dwarka (Southern Dwarka) alongside Guruvayoor by Hindus.
This old temple was greatly extended by Thanjavur Nayaks during the sixteenth hundred years. The temple has three engravings from the period and furthermore notice in the strict texts. A rock wall encompasses the temple, encasing every one of its places of worship and seven of its nine waterways. The temple has a 192 ft (59 m) rajagopuram, the temple’s entryway tower. Haridra Nadhi, the temple tank related to the temple is outside the temple complex and is viewed as one of the biggest temple tanks in India.
Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval
A renowned Shiva temple situated in the little rural area of Trichy called Thiruvanaikaval is found simply 2.2 km away from the island of Srirangam, Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswarar Temple is without a doubt the following stop for enthusiasts who visit Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
In place of reality, Jambukeswarar Temple is only a stretch of a street away from the Srirangam temple. Some of the time alluded to as Thiruvanaikoil, the Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswarar Temple is viewed as one of the antiquated Shiva temples in Trichy, as the temple was developed close to quite a while back.
The temple totally needs no presentation as it is one among the ‘Pancha Bhootha Sthalams’ and is one of the long-recognizable names among the Shiva aficionados living the nation over. Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswarar Temple addresses the component of nature – Water (neer in Tamil). Hence, the temple is additionally prevalently called ‘Appu Sthalam’.
Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram
The kanchi Kailasanathar temple is the most established structure in Kanchipuram. Situated in Tamil Nadu, India, it is a Hindu temple in the Dravidian architectural style. It is devoted to Master Shiva and is known for its verifiable significance. The temple was worked from 685-705AD by a Rajasimha leader of the Pallava Tradition. The low-thrown sandstone compound contains an enormous number of carvings, including some half-creature divinities which were famous during the early Dravidian architectural period.
The Kailasanathar Temple (meaning:”Lord of the Grandiose Mountain”), is implicit the custom of Smartha love of Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya (Sun), Ganapati and Kartikeya, in Hinduism, a training which supplanted the Buddhism.
Temple development is credited to the Pallava administration, who had laid out their realm with Kanchipuram (otherwise called “Kanchi” or “Shiva Vishnu Kanchi”) as the capital city, thought about one of the seven sacrosanct urban communities under Hinduism. There was an interregnum when the Chalukya rulers crushed the Pallavas and involved Kanchipuram.
In any case, the Pallavas recovered their region and began extending their capital city of Kanchipuram and fabricated numerous temples of extraordinary greatness. The main temple of this period which is surviving is the Kailsahanathar Temple.
Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram
Ekambareswarar Temple (Ekambaranathar Temple) is a Hindu temple devoted to the divinity Shiva, situated in the town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. It is vital for the Hindu faction of Saivism as one of the temples related to the five components, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and explicitly the component of earth, or Prithvi. Shiva is venerated as Ekambareswarar or Ekambaranathar or Rajlingeswaram and is addressed by the lingam, with his godlike object alluded to as Prithvi lingam. His partner Parvati is portrayed as Elavarkuzhali.
The directing divinity is loved in the seventh-century Tamil Saiva standard work, the Tevaram, composed by Tamil holy person artists referred to as the nayanars and named Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple likewise houses Nilathingal Thundam Perumal temple, a Divyadesam, the 108 temples loved in the Vaishnava group Nalayira Divya Prabhandam.
The temple complex covers 25 sections of land and is perhaps of the biggest in Indium. It houses four-door towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the southern pinnacle, with 11 stories and a level of 58.5216 meters (192 ft), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India.
The temple has various places of worship, with those of Ekambareswarar and Nilathingal Thundam Perumal being the most unmistakable. The temple complex houses numerous lobbies; the most striking is the thousand-pillared corridor worked during the Vijayanagar time frame.
Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram
The Heavenly habitation of the Hindu God, Shri Slam (tended to so with all regard and lowliness) is a virtual heaven for the dedicated. No Hindu’s process is finished without a journey to both Varanasi and Rameswaram for the perfection of his mission for salvation and is blessed by the legendary ‘Ramayana’. Fables makes reference to God Smash’s presence in this land, after his 14-year exile.
Neighborhood rumors have spread far and wide suggesting that Shri Slam was helped once more into Rameswaram and into India by his sibling Lakshman and Hanuman alongside his band of thousands of monkeys, after at last arising triumphant against the evil presence – Ravana. They assisted form a scaffold with rocks from the ocean and shores to cross the ‘Sethu trench’ and arrive at Lanka.
Ruler Rama is likewise accepted to have purified this spot by loving and extolling Master Shiva and consequently denotes the conjunction of Shaivism and Vaishnavism and is subsequently venerated by both Shaivites and Vaishnavites the same and hence there are major areas of strength for that washing in the 22 ‘Theerthams’ or normal springs is a step in the right direction in edification. Hence, Rameswaram has appropriately been announced as one of the Public Explorer Communities in the count.
Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai
Mayuranathaswamy Temple, Mayiladuthurai, or Mayuranathar Temple is a Hindu temple in the town of Mayiladuthurai (previously known as Mayavaram or Mayuram) in Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is committed to Master Mayuranathaswamy, a type of Shiva, and has given its name to the actual town. The primary symbol is a lingam and the managing divinity is called Mayuranathar on the grounds that the Hindu goddess Parvathi venerated Shiva here as a mayura.
Upon the arrival of the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi (November-December), strict Hindus have a stylized shower in the temple tank as refining them from sins is accepted. A yearly dance celebration called the Mayura Natyanjali celebration is commended inside the regions of the temple every year.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai
Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a Hindu temple committed to Ruler Shiva situated in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian province of Tamil Nadu. The type of Shiva’s associate Parvati venerated at this temple is called Karpagambal and is from Tamil (“Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree”). The temple was worked around the seventh century CE and is an illustration of Dravidian engineering.
As per the Puranas, Shakti loved Shiva as a peacock, giving the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) to the area that was created around the temple – mayil is Tamil for “peacock”.[3] Shiva is revered as Kapaleeswarar and is addressed by the lingam. His partner Parvati is portrayed as Karpagambal. The directing divinity is respected in the seventh-century Tamil Saiva authoritative work, the Tevaram, composed by Tamil holy person artists referred to as the Nayanars and named Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Monolithic Rock Temples, Mahabalipuram
Known as the old sanctuary town, Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Legacy site that traces all the way back to the seventh 100 years and is accepted to have been worked under the rule of the Pallava line. The town today remains a declaration of a portion of India’s most noteworthy architectural and sculptural accomplishments.
The fundamental feature of this sanctuary town is its five solid stone cut temples as ‘Pancha Rathas’ or chariots. Each ratha is accepted to have been devoted to a Pandava sibling from the hours of Mahabharata.
With each ratha cut in various shape and size, enhancing enrapturing figures of creatures, people and divine beings; the engineering of these designs furnish you with a profound knowledge of the architectural abilities of the stone carvers during the Pallava rule.
Papanasam Temple, Tirunelveli
A ways off of 15 km from Ambasamudram and 47 km from Tirunelveli, Papanasam is a humble community in Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli locale in Tamilnadu. It is one of the famous excursion spots in Tirunelveli.
Papanasam has a renowned sanctuary called the Papanasam Sivan Sanctuary which lies on the banks of the Thamirabarani Stream. Built-in the Dravidian style of engineering, the heavenly sanctuary is devoted to Ruler Shiva and his partner Parvati who are revered as Papanasanathar and Ulagammai separately. Here Holy person Agasthiyar got the Kalyana darshan of Ruler Shiva and Parvati alongside his better half Lopamudra.
The Shiva lingam of the sanctuary is totally comprised of Rudraksha. Of the nine Kailash Kshetras – Nava Kailash, Papanasam is the primary spot and is credited to Sun God. Subsequently, the spot is known as Surya Kshetra and Surya Kailash. Lovers firmly accept that Ruler Shiva in this sanctuary is the most impressive and fixes a wide range of sicknesses. The sanctuary is popular for its Chittirai Peruvila where the celebrations used to occur for 13 days.
Srivilliputhur Andal Temple – Virudhunagar
A ways off 80 km from Madurai and 100 km from Tirunelveli, Srivilliputhur Andal Sanctuary is an old Hindu sanctuary arranged at Srivilliputhur in the Virudhunagar region of Tamilnadu. This is one of the famous temples in Tamilnadu and furthermore one of the 108 divya desams of Master Vishnu. The 11-level Raja Gopuram is the tallest in Tamilnadu and is likewise the Image of the Tamil Nadu Government.
The sanctuary is committed to Master Vishnu, who is adored as Vatapatrasayi, and his partner Lakshmi as Andal. It is accepted to be the origination of two of the Alwars, specifically Periazhwar and his encouraging girl Andal. The Alwars lived in the eighth 100 years, so the presence of the sanctuary can be followed even previously.
Vatapatra Sayanar Sanctuary was developed by Lord Villi who governed the spot. The tall sanctuary tower was developed by Peria Alwar with assistance given by the Pandian ruler Vallabadevan (765-815 Promotion). The Andal Sanctuary had been developed by various lords of Pandya tradition at various times. Ruler Thirumalai Nayak had done numerous redesigns.
Nagaraja Temple, Nagercoil
Nagaraja Sanctuary is an old large sanctuary in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, India, close to the southern tip of the state. Nagaraja Sanctuary Nagercoil’s age is obscure, yet it is probably pre-twelfth 100 years. The Nagaraja the snake ruler is respected in the fundamental sanctum.
The Nagaraja fundamental sanctuary might have been a functioning Jain sanctuary with Jain ministers through the sixteenth century CE, one that additionally drew in Hindus, as per iconography tracked down in the sanctuary, engravings, and scholarly proof. On the other hand, it might have been a sanctuary that blended Hindu and Jaina iconography.
New Hindu sanctuaries have been added to the sanctuary complex since the seventeenth hundred years, drawing in enthusiasts of Krishna (Vishnu), as well as Shiva and Shakti Hinduism. The first Jaina iconography of the Tirthankaras and Padmavati Devi has stayed a piece of the hallowed pantheon close to the sanctuary’s primary sanctum and will keep on doing as such.
Kumari Amman Temple, Kanyakumari
Situated in Kanyakumari, Kumari Amman Sanctuary is quite possibly of the most consecrated sanctuary on the planet. Considered as one of the 108 Shakti Peethas, this sanctuary is the home of Goddess Devi Kanya Kumari, alluded to as the Virgin Goddess.
Going back over 3000 years, this sanctuary isn’t just strictly critical yet it addition has extraordinary authentic significance. This old sanctuary of Kanyakumari likewise presents hypnotizing grand excellence as it is an area by the side of an immense spread of sea. A profound emanation, stunning normal magnificence, and old design make this sanctuary a must-visit for fans as well as for each explorer on Kanyakumari Visit.
The managing divinity of Kanyakumari Sanctuary is Kumari Amman, otherwise called Bhagavathi Amman. A surprising component of the charming symbol of the Goddess Kanya Kumari is the jewel nose ring of the Goddess. There are numerous famous stories connected with the striking sparkle of the nose ring. As indicated by legend, the nose ring precious stone was acquired from Lord Cobra. According to one well-known story, the sparkle reflecting from the nose rings serious areas of strength for is such an extent that once a mariner mixed up it as a beacon and at last hit the boat on the rocks.
Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
The Nataraj Sanctuary Chidambaram is additionally alluded to as Thillai Nataraj Sanctuary. This sanctuary is devoted to Master Shiva. It is in the southern province of Tamilnadu in India. The sanctuary has a profound legendary association. At the point when the name of the town was Thillai, a Shiva sanctum used to be there in the sanctuary. Chidambaram is the name of the city where the sanctuary is currently arranged in a real sense signifying “dressed in thought” or “environment of shrewdness”.
The engineering of the sanctuary addresses the connection between expressions and otherworldliness. The sanctuary was developed during the tenth Century when Chidambaram used to be the capital of the Chola tradition. The Cholas thought about Master Shiva as Nataraj their family god. The Nataraj sanctuary has gone through harm, redesign, and development all through the second thousand years.
In spite of the fact that Shiva is the principal divinity of the sanctuary, it likewise addresses significant topics from Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and others with all due love. The Chidambaram sanctuary complex gladly brags of being one of the most seasoned sanctuary edifices in Southern India. The most interesting trait of the Nataraj Sanctuary is the bejeweled picture of Nataraj.
Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai
Annamalaiyar Sanctuary or Arunachaleswarar Sanctuary is a Hindu sanctuary devoted to the divinity Shiva, situated at the foundation of Annamalai slopes in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the 5 Panchambootham linga temples in the country. It addresses the fire or Agni of the Panchambootham. Master Shiva is displayed here as the Agni Lingam.
The sanctuary complex covers 10 hectares and is perhaps of the biggest in Indium. It houses four entryway towers. The sanctuary has various hallowed places, with those of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman being the most conspicuous. The sanctuary complex houses numerous corridors; the most outstanding is the thousand-pillared lobby worked during the Vijayanagar time frame.
Sripuram Golden Temple, Vellore
The sanctuary is situated on 100 sections of land and has been developed by the Vellore-based magnanimous trust, Sri Narayani Peedam, headed by its otherworldly chief Sri Sakthi Amma otherwise called ‘Narayani Amma’. The sanctuary with its gold (1500 kg) covering, has complicated work done by craftsmen gaining practical experience in sanctuary craftsmanship utilizing gold.
Each and every detail was physically made, including changing over the gold bars into gold thwarts and afterward mounting the foils on copper. Gold foil from 9 layers to 10 layers has been mounted on the carved copper plates. Each and every detail in the sanctuary craftsmanship has importance from the Vedas.
Bala Murugan Temple, Siruvapur
Siruvapuri is situated around 40 km from Chennai on the Chennai Kolkata Parkway. The sanctuary is situated around 3 km off the parkway.
History of the sanctuary has that Magma and Kusa, the children of Rama resided here. Once when Rama was passing this spot, they battled a conflict with Rama himself without realizing that he was their dad. As the small kids pursued a conflict here, the spot was called as Siruvar Por Puri. (Siruvar implies youngsters, Por Puri implies pursuing a conflict, in Thamizh). This spot is presently called Chinnambedu, which initially was Siruvar Ambu Edu (youngsters who took their bolts for the battle).
Nearly many years back there carried on with a woman called Murugammai in this town. She had been an extremely enthusiastic fan of Ruler Muruga here. She generally used to recite His name and implore Him, for quite a long time. Her significant other who could have done without her adoring constantly was cautioning her to stop it. In any case, she never stood by listening to him, and her better half one day cut her arms off bitterly. And still, after all that, Murugammai sobbed for help just from Master Muruga. The Master who was satisfied with her bhakti, made her hands join even without the indications of any injury.