Tamilnadu – The Land of Temples

As we know Tamilnadu is a land of innumerable temples symbolizing spirituality, art , craft and history so, there are so many important temples in Tamilnadu. The tall gopurams or towers with full of carvings is really inspiring. These architectural wonders have been fascinated by people all over the world. The important temples in Tamilnadu have lot to say about the history of Tamilnadu and it dates back to several centuries. The evolution of the temple architecture began with the Pallavas. The other dynasties which succeeded like Cholas, The Vijayanagar Kings and the Nayaks have all contributed to the architectural brilliance seen in Tamilnadu. Today most of these temples are historical monuments as well. Pilgrimage and attraction of these temple architecture are the main two reason why tourists prefer Tamilnadu.

Most Important Temples in Tamilnadu are as below:

  1. Madurai Meenakshi Temple
  2. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
  3. Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
  4. Brahadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
  5. Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
  6. Temples of Kancheepuram  ( Ekambareswarar Temple, Kailasanatha Temple, Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Vaikunta Perumal Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple )

Lord Murugan Temples – Arupadai Veedu.

There are strong beliefs associated with the temples in Tamilnadu. The main deity of the Tamils is Lord Muruga. There are 6 important temples in Tamilnadu for Muruga. They are as follows.

  1. Tiruttani Temple – It is believed that a devotee worshiping here for five consecutive days will be blessed with the best in this life and after too. Tiruttani temple is located in the district of Tiruvalluvar at a distance of 87 kms from Chennai. This temple can be visited on the way to Tirupati Balaji Temple.
  1. Swamimalai Temple – The golden chariot here is very famous. The Valli Kalyana Festival which is held in the month of April is very famous. Swamimalai temple is located in the district of Thanjavur at a distance of 32 kms from Thanjavur City.
  1. Pazhamudircholai Temple – This is a cave temple known from the Sangam age. Pazhamudircholai temple is located in the district of Madurai at a distance of 21 kms from Madurai City.
  1. Palani Temple – Palani temple was built by the Nayaks in the 7th Palani temple is located near Dindigul at a distance of 54 kms from Dindigul Town.
  1. Tiruchendur – Tiruchendur temple is the only Muruga temple located in the seashore. The temple was built in 2nd century AD. The six day Skandha Shakti festival at Tiruchndur attracts huge crowds. Tiruchendur temple is located 64 kms from Tirunelveli or 40 Kms from Thoothukkudi. Kayalpattanam is the nearest railway station.
  1. Tirupparankundram Temple – This temple is just 8 kms from Madurai. This cave temple is considered as the most sacred place to conduct marriages. Tamil classical litterateurs refer Tirupparankundram as a sacred place where the Gods assemble.

Important Siva Temples

Lord Shiva is worshiped as the five elements – Sky, Fire, Water, Earth and Air. The important temples in Tamilnadu for Lord Shiva are follows,

  1. Chidambaram Temple represents Sky or space
  2. Thiruvannamalai Temple represents Fire
  3. Tiruvanaikkaval Temple represents Water
  4. Kancheepuram Temple represents Earth
  5. Kalahasti Temple represents Air ( Now situated in Andhra pradesh )