The Most Famous Temples of Tamil Nadu
ď‚— Tamil Nadu in many ways
is a celebration of the divine. Most temples in the region are built in honour of Shiva, Vishnu, and their consorts.
ď‚— They are architectural
wonders, which showcase the rich cultural heritage of the land.
ď‚— Most tour operates offer Tamil Nadu temple tour
packages. And they include pooja services, too.
ď‚— Next time you embark on a South Indian temple tour,
see to it that these famous temples are included in your itinerary.
Cave temples of Mahabalipuram ď‚— The Cave Temples of
Mahabalipuram are covered with bas-reliefs. There are 11 caves seen in Mahabalipuram, and the most distinguished are the Krishna Cave Temple, Varaha Cave Temple, Panchapandava Cave Temple, and the Mahishasuramardini mandapa.
ď‚— Archaeological
studies show that these caves were plastered and painted when built. They are built in an elegant architectural style, and have no deities sanctified in the sanctum sanctorum.
Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram
ď‚— The highlight of the temple is the half-animal deities
and the 58 shrines that surround the main temple.
ď‚— The squat sandstone complex of the Kailasanathar was
built by the Pallava dynasty in 685-705 AD. The most fascinating feature of the temple is the thin passage around the deity where devotees crawl to the left and emerge to the right.
Chidambaram ď‚— It is the temple of Nataraja where Lord Shiva appears
as the Cosmic Dancer. It was built by Dravidian dynasty and spread across 51 acres. Chidambaram is one of the five holiest Shiva temples.
ď‚— Each temple represents one of the five natural
elements, and Chidambaram represents akasha. It is a very old temple with historic significance devoted to Shiva and Govindaraja Perumal.
Annamalaiyar Temple ď‚— Thirivannamalai is the spiritual hub of South India.
The Annamalaiyar Temple is situated at the foot of Annamalai hills in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
ď‚— It is one of the temples connected with the five
elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and exclusively the component of fire, or Agni. Shiva is represented by the lingam, with his idol referred to as Agni lingam.
The temple’s basic structure can be credited to the
Chola dynasty in the 9th century.
It was expanded by the Vijaynagara rulers in the 13-16th
century.
Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur ď‚— The Shiva temple, made out of granite, is a landmark
in many ways. It was built by the Cholas in 1010 AD, and the Chola stamp is unmistakable. Its entrance is much smaller than the spires and the glory is reserved for the superstructure above the gods.
ď‚— It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is the
favourite haunt of every tourist who visits Thanjavur. The temple is surrounded by protective walls.
ď‚— The temple tower of Brihadeeswara Temple is the
tallest in the world. An added attraction is the humongous statue of sacred bull, known as Nandi, carved out of a single rock.
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai ď‚— Meenakshi temple is an architectural wonder. The
original temple was built by the Pandyas, but the credit for the grandeur of the temple as we see it today goes to the Nayaks.
ď‚— It is the most attractive temple ever built. The massive
towers of the temple can be seen from miles away. It was built by the early Dravidian kings and is the most visited tourist attraction in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
ď‚— Tamil Nadu is famed for its temples and hindu
pilgrimage, it doesn’t matter whether you’re in a metropolis like Chennai or in rural, here you can find book pooja online services, visit Find My Temple to know more about famous temples in Tamilnadu .