Tamil Nadu has a rich history and is a fascinating culture with some beautiful temples with awe-evoking architecture. Most of these temples were created by the Chola, Pallava and Dravidian dynasties and showcase India’s cultural heritage to the world....
Tamil Nadu has a rich history and is a fascinating culture with some beautiful temples with awe-evoking architecture. Most of these temples were created by the Chola, Pallava and Dravidian dynasties and showcase India’s cultural heritage to the world. They give you a peek into the artistic and sculptural skills of that era. Check out the list of 15 famous temples in Tamil Nadu to visit.
1.Tanjavur’s Kumbakonam Brahma Temple
It is one of the popular Hindu pilgrimage temples and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Located in Thanjavur, it has a sanctum where an idol of Lord Brahma is placed along with Goddess Gayatri and Saraswati. It is one of the rare temples where Brahma is worshipped. As per legend, it is believed that Brahma had a curse due to which there are not many temples for him.
2. Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple
It is one of the famous temples built during the Nayak rule. It is a temple that is dedicated to Meenakshi, wife of Lord Shiva in the avatar of Sundareshwar. Many important festivals are conducted in this temple, drawing huge crowds from all over South India. It is also one of the most famous tourist destinations because of its magnificent architecture.
3.Sirupuri Bala Murugan Temple
Sirupuri Bala Murugan Temple is one of the famous temples in Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to Lord Karthikey, son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, also known as Murugan. This temple is said to have been built around 500 years ago and has the reputation of fulfilling the wishes of devotees. Because of this, many people across South India visit this temple. It is especially visited by those who want to get married.
4.Vellore Sri Laxmi Narayana Golden Temple
It is a temple situated in Vellore and is also known as Sripuram Golden Temple. It is one of the popular temples which is part of the South Indian temple packages. It is a Lakshmi temple and is built with pure Gold; hence the name – Golden Temple. It is one of the must-visit temples in Tamil Nadu as it has exquisite lighting, outstanding artwork, carvings and sculptures. Another unique charm of this temple is that it is surrounded by water, which adds to the magnificence.
5.Devipattinam Navapashanam Temple
Navapashanam Temple is a temple that is dedicated to the nine planetary gods. It is a famous temple as all nine planetary deities can be worshipped simultaneously. It is an important pilgrimage and is believed to have been built by Lord Ram himself, who is an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
6.Tirupattur Arulmigu Brahmapureeswarar Temple
The legend goes that Lord Brahma, because of his pride, started to feel more powerful than Shiva. That made Shiva destroy all the powers of Brahma, including his fifth head. After Brahma realized his mistake, he is said to have performed many penances, and during this ritual, he worshipped Lord Shiva under a tree at this site; hence, the temple is called Brahmapureeswarar.
7.Thanjavur Brihadeeswarara Temple
It is another famous temple of Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu. Built in the 11th century during the Chola dynasty, it has obtained UNESCO World Heritage status and is one of the best Chola temples in India. Located in Thanjavur, it attracts many tourists keen on learning on architectural designs and is also visited by many devotees to worship Lord Shiva.
8.Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple
It is a famous pilgrimage temple for the Hindus and is a prominent Jyothirlinga temple. It is said that Lord Rama placed the Shiva Lingam, built and worshipped it before crossing the Lanka bridge. Lord Ram had requested Hanuman to bring Lingam from the Himalayas, and when that was delayed, Lord Rama built one using sand and worshipped it in the sanctum. Another lingam is also present, brought from Kailash and is called Vishwalingam.
9.Chennai Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Located in Mylapore, it is a temple built by a Pallava king during the 7th Century. While the Portuguese destroyed the original structure, the current temple structure was restored in the 16th century by the Vijayanagara Empire. It is a pilgrimage site that attracts many devotees and has a shrine of Goddess Parvathi, who conducted a huge penance, and her story is depicted there.
10.Kanchipuram Ekambareswarar Temple
It is a temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the most famous temples in Tamil Nadu. Located in Kanchipuram, it is one of the popular Pancha Bootha Sthalas that represents the Earth element. It is said that Goddess Parvati performed penance by making a Lingam made of sand under a tree. Impressed by this, Shiva came and married Parvati.
11.Thiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar Temple
It is another important Pancha Bhoota Sthala in Tamil Nadu and represents the Agni element. The temple is situated in the Annamalai foothills and was built by the Chola Dynasty in the 9th century. It showcases the artisan skills of the Dravidian architecture and is one of the most crowded temples. The Karthigai Deepam Festival is famous and attracts a huge crowd.
12.Ooty Elk Hill Murugan Temple
Ooty is not only a popular hill station but is also famous for the Lord Murugan temple. This famous temple is similar to the Batu caves in Malaysia. The temple is built on Elk Hill and has a picturesque view with a calm atmosphere.
13.Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple
This temple in Nagercoil is dedicated to Nagaraja, the king of serpents. The original temple was built in the 12th century and had the Jain iconography of Padmavati and Thirtankaras. During the 17th century, Hindu shrines were added, and since then, devotees of both religions have worshipped this temple.
14.Kanyakumari Kumari Amman Temple
It is a temple built for Goddess Kanya Jumari, a Shakti avatar. The temple is more than 3000 years old and, as per legend, was built to honour Goddess Shakti, who killed Banasura, a demon king whom Lord Shiva blessed. He was given a boon that only a virgin girl could kill him and hence Goddess Shakti took this form to vanquish him.
15.Chidambaram Thillai Nataraja Temple
It is dedicated to Nataraja, an avatar of Lord Shiva. It has great architectural and religious significance. It is believed that it is situated in the earth’s magnetic field centre and is called Chitsabha. Built by the Pallavas in the 11th century, it is another Pancha Bhoota Sthalas representing all five elements of the universe.
While it is popular as a religious place with architectural and spiritual significance, the above temples are also a popular destination for families and others alike due to their picturesque views and serene atmosphere.
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