Kanchipuram also known as Conjeevaram, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, 72 km (45 mi) from Chennai – the capital of Tamil Nadu. Known as the City of Thousand Temples, Kanchipuram is known for its temple architectures, 1000-pillared halls, huge temple towers and silk sarees. Kanchipuram serves as one of the most important tourist destinations in India. Kanchipuram has become a centre of attraction to the foreign tourists as well. The city covers an area of 36.14 km2 (13.95 sq mi) and an estimated population of more than 300,000 in 2021. It is the administrative headquarters of Kanchipuram District. Kanchipuram is well-connected by road and rail.
The Kailasanathar temple, also referred to as the Kailasanatha temple, is a Pallava-era historic Hindu temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Dedicated to Shiva, it is one of the oldest surviving monuments in Kanchipuram. It reflects a Dravidian architecture and was built about 700 CE by Narasimhavarman II with additions by Mahendra III. A square-plan temple, it has a mukha-mandapa, a maha-mandapa and a primary garbha-griya (sanctum) topped with a four-storey vimana. The main sanctum is surrounded by nine shrines, seven outside and two inside flanking the entrance of the sanctum, all with forms of Shiva. The outer walls of the temple's prakara (courtyard) is also surrounded by cells.
Tenavaram temple is a historic Hindu temple complex situated in the port town Tenavaram, Tevanthurai, Matara) near Galle, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its primary deity was a Hindu god Tenavarai Nayanar (Upulvan) and at its zenith was one of the most celebrated Hindu temple complexes of the island, containing eight major kovil shrines to a thousand deity statues of stone and bronze and two major shrines to Vishnu and Shiva. Administration and maintenance was conducted by residing Hindu Tamil merchants during Tenavaram's time as a popular pilgrimage destination and famed emporium employing over five hundred devadasis.
Koil or Koyil or Kovil, is the Tamil term for a distinct style of Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture. Both the terms koyil and kovil are used interchangeably. In Tamil language, kōvil is the word derived, according to the rules of Tamil grammar.
Uthiramerur is a panchayat town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated 90 km south west of Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu. It is noted for its temple inscriptions that describe a self-governance system existing around 7th to 9th century CE.
Dravidian architecture, or the South Indian temple style, is an architectural idiom in Hindu temple architecture that emerged from South India, reaching its final form by the sixteenth century. It is seen in Hindu temples, and the most distinctive difference from north Indian styles is the use of a shorter and more pyramidal tower over the garbhagriha or sanctuary called a vimana, where the north has taller towers, usually bending inwards as they rise, called shikharas. However, for modern visitors to larger temples the dominating feature is the high gopura or gatehouse at the edge of the compound; large temples have several, dwarfing the vimana; these are a much more recent development. There are numerous other distinct features such as the dwarapalakas – twin guardians at the main entrance and the inner sanctum of the temple and goshtams – deities carved in niches on the outer side walls of the garbhagriha.
Narthamalai, a cluster of small hills, is 25 km from Trichy on the Trichy-Pudukottai highway in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Here can be seen some of the oldest rock cut cave temples, as well as the longest rock-cut edicts, similar to Asokan edicts and extremely rare in the south of India. The town houses Vijayalaya Choleeswaram built during the 9th century. The two rock-cut temples are classic examples of how temple architecture styles were fusing in different parts of the country.
Pazhayarai or Pazhaiyarai or Palayarai was an ancient capital of the medieval Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu. The place is located around 7 km (4.3 mi) from Kumbakonam, a town in Thanjavur district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of T.Patnam river, one of the tributaries of the river Cauvery. There are a number of villages within the area of historic Pazhaiyarai. The place was called Ayiratalli, meaning a land of thousand temples. The place is referred under various names like Ayiratalli, Pazhayar, Ahavamallakulakalapuram and Minavanaivenkadasolapuram.
Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram or Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th through the 9th centuries CE. It is one among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Vaikuntanathan and his consort Lakshmi as Sri Vaikundavalli. The temple is considered the second oldest extant temple in Kanchipuram after the Kailasanthar temple.
Devanathaswamy temple in Thiruvanthipuram, a village in the outskirts of Cuddalore in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Devanathaswamy and his consort Lakshmi as Hemabhujavalli. Though the presiding deity is Devanathaswamy, the temple is known for Hayagriva, the horse faced avatar of Vishnu, God of Knowledge. The temple is the only historical temple in South India to have a shrine of Hayagriva on hilltop.
The Chandiranaar Temple is a Hindu temple in the village of Thingalur, 33 kilometres (21 mi) from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam - Thiruvayyar road in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity is Soma (moon). However, the main idol in the temple is that of Kailasanathar or Shiva. The temple is considered one of the nine Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu. Thingalur is the birth place of Appothi Adigal an ardent devotee of saint Thirunavukkarasar, though the temple has no assets related to the saint.
Jainism has an extensive history in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, although practiced by a minority of Tamils in contemporary times. According to the 2011 India Census, Jains represent 0.12% of the total population of Tamil Nadu, and are of the Digambara sect. Tamil Jains are primarily concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu, in the districts of Madurai, Viluppuram, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore and Thanjavur.
Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38,615 temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
Sundaravarada Perumal Temple in Uthiramerur, a village in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple. Vishnu is worshipped as Sundaravarada Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Anandavalli. The temple was originally built by Pallavas, with later additions from the Cholas, Pandyas, Sambuvarayas, Vijayanagara Rayas and the Nayaks.
Nine Grahas Temples in Tamil Nadu is a set of nine Hindu temples, each dedicated to one of the nine planetary deities, the Navagraham in various places around the South Indian own of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity in most of the temples is Shiva, with a shrine dedicated to the planetary deity. Leaving Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple which is located in Karaikkal, all the other temples are located in Tamil Nadu.
Kailasanathar Temple in Srivaikuntam, a village in Thoothukudi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It is located 30 km from Tirunelveli. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple has three precincts. Shiva is worshipped as Kailasanathar and his consort Parvati as Sivakami. The temple is the sixth temple in the series of Nava Kailasams where the presiding deity of all the nine temples is Kailasanathar and associated with a planetary deity. The temple is associated with the planet Saturn.
Vettuvan Koil in Kalugumalai, a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Pandyan Architecture and rock cut architecture, the unfinished temple was built during the 8th century CE by the early Pandyas. The other portions of Kalugumalai hillock houses the 8th century Kalugumalai Jain Beds and Kalugasalamoorthy Temple, a Murugan temple.
Kunnandarkoil Cave Temple in Kunnandarkoil, a village in Pudukottai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in Rock-cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 8th century by Muttaraiyar kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Vijayanagar Empire. The rock-cut architecture in the temple is a specimen of the late Pallava Art and an early example of Chola Art. The temple has various inscriptions from Cholas, Chalukyas, Pandyas and Vijayanagar Empire. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India. The temple is maintained and administered by Department of Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument.
Atulya Nadheswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Arakandanallur in Thirukoilur taluk, a town panchayat in Viluppuram district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Atulya Nadheswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Azhagiya Ponnazhagi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
