Ancient Temples of Tamil Nadu

Now let us see about the famous Temples in India. Let’s start from South India.

Temples in Tamil Nadu

This is a list of popular Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, known as Land of Temples. Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 1200 years old, are found scattered all over the state. 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.
The state also abounds with a large number of temple tanks. The state has 2,359 temple tanks located in 1,586 temples. The government has identified 1,068 tanks for renovation.

Temples of Tamil Nadu can be categorized as below:

• Temples of Sangam Age
• Temples of Thevaram Hymns
• Temples of Divya Prabhantham Hymns
• Cave Temples of the Pallavas
• Cave Temples of Pandiyas
• Rockcut Monolith Temples of the Pallavas
• Rockcut Monolith Temples of the Pandiyas
• Structural Temples of the Pallavas
• Structural Temples of the Pandiyas
• Structural Temples of the Cholas
• Structural Temples of Vijayanagar / Nayaks

Temples of Lord Vinayagar

S.No	Name of the Temple	Location (Travel Base)
1	Karpaga Vinayagar Temple	Pillayarpatti (karaikkudi)
2	Uchhi Pillayar Temple	Tiruchirappalli
3	Meenakshi Amman Temple	Madurai
4	Adi vinayagar Temple	poonthottam (Thiruvarur)
5	Abhishtavaradha Ganapathi Temple	Tiruvaiyaru (Tanjavur)
6	Naramuga Vinayagar Temple	Chidambaram (Cuddalore)
7	Ganapatheeswarar Temple	Tiruchenkattankudi (Tanjavur)
8	Khabartheesar Karpaga Nathar Temple	Tiruvalanchuzhi (Tanjavur)
9	Eachanari Vinayagar Temple	Eachanari (Coimbatore)
10	Puliakulam Vinayagar Temple	Puliakulam (Coimbatore)
11	Sree Vigneswarar Temple	Mela Kolappadi-Andimadam (Ariyalur Dt)
12	Periya Uchipillaiyar Temple	Periya Uchipillaiyar Temple (Kumbakonam)
13	Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple	Sri Maha Ganapathi Temple near Kumbakonam

Temples of Lord Murugan

The Arupadai Veedu

S.No						Name of Temple	Location (Travel Base)
1						Tiruvavinankudi Temple	Pazhani (Dindigul)
2						Swamimalai Murugan Temple	Swamimalai (Kumbakonam)
3						Sri Subramanya Swami Temple	Tiruchendur (Tuticorin)
4						Tirupparankundram Temple	Tirupparankundram (Madurai)
5						Tiruttanikai Murugan Temple	Tiruttani (Chennai)
6						Pazhamudhircholai Temple	Pazhamudhircholai (Madurai)

Other major Murugan temples

S.No	Name of Temple	Location(Travel Base)
1	Sri Navaneethaswara Swamy Temple	Sikkal (Tanjavur)
2	Marudamalai Subramanya Swamy Temple	Marudamalai (Coimbatore)
3	Kumarakkottam Subramanya Swamy Temple	Kumarakkottam (Kanchipuram)
4	Valliyur Subramanya Swamy Temple	Valliyur (Tirunelveli)
5	Vallakkottai Murugan Temple	Vallakkottai (Chennai)
6	Kanda Swamy Temple	Tirupporur (Chennai)
7	Shanmuganathan Temple	Viralimalai (Tiruchirappalli)
8	Mayilam Murugan Temple	Mayilam (Villupuram)
9	Vadapazhani Aandavar Temple	Chennai
10	Sri Vetri Velayudhaswami Temple	Chennai
11	Thindal Murugan Temple	Erode
12	Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy Thirukovil	Tirupur
13	Arulmigu Balamurugan Temple	Gobichettipalayam
14	Muthu Kumaraswamy Temple	Gobichettipalayam
15	Siragiri Dandayudhapani	Erode
16	Velayudhasamy Thirukoil	Karur
17	Bala Subramaniya Murugan Temple	Karur

Temples of Lord Siva

Sl No	Name of Temple	Location
1	Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple	Madurai
2	Nellaiappar Temple	Tirunelveli
3	Sankaranayinarkoil or Sankaranaraya swamy temple	Sankarankovil
4	Brihadeeshwara Temple	Thanjavur
5	Vaitheeshwaran Temple	Mayavaram
6	Jalakandeswarar Temple	Vellore.
7	Kapaleeshwarar Temple	Chennai
8	Ramanathaswamy Temple	Rameshwaram
9	Jambukeshwarar Temple	Tirucharapalli
10	Arunachaleshwarar Temple	Thiruvannamalai
11	Thillai Nataraja Temple	Chidambaram
12	Thyagaraja Temple	Thiruvarur
13	Ekambaranathar Temple	Kancheepuram
14	Thirumagaraleeswarar Temple	Kancheepuram
15	Kalyana Pasupatheeswarar Temple (Thiru Aanilai)	Karur
16	Magudeeswarar Temple	Erode
17	Virdhgiriswarar Temple	Vriddhachalam
18	Patteeswaran Temple	Kumbakonam
19	Nageeswarar Temple	Kumbakonam
20	Amarapaneeswarar Temple	Gobichettipalayam
21	Arudra Kabaleeswarar Temple	Erode
22	Vigirtheeswarar Temple	Venjamangudalur (Karur)
23	Rathinagireeshwarar Temple	Iyermalai(Karur)
24	Sangameswarar Temple	Bhavani
25	Natadreeswarar Temple inside Cauvery	Erode
26	Emaneswarar Temple	Emaneswaram at Paramakudi.
27	Agneeswarar koil	Thirukkaattuppalli
28	Brahmapureeswarar koil	Sirkaazhi
29	Thaayumaanavar koil	Thiruchy
30	Veerattaaneswarar koil	Korukkai
31	Koenaeswarar koil	Kudavaasal
32	Seshapureeswarar koil	Thiruppaamburam
33	Ligusaranyeswarar koil	Ponnur
34	Amirthakalasanaathar koil	Sakkottai
35	Hayavandheeswarar koil	Seeyaaththamangai
36	Maanikkavannar koil	Thirumarugal
37	Sookshmapureeswarar koil	Sirukudi
38	Uthraapatheeswarar koil	hiruchchengaattaangudi
39	Panchanadheeswarar koil	Thiruvaiyaru
40	Pasupatheeswarar koil	Aavoor
41	Kasi Vishwanathar Temple	Darapuram
42	Thiruaavinankudi Temple	Palani
43	Agastheeswarar koil	Agasthiyampalli
44	AmudhaGataeswarar koil	Kodikkarai
45	Kailasanathar temple	Kanchipuram
46	Vazhakarutheeswarar temple	Kanchipuram
47	Suguvaneshwarar temple	Salem
48	Kailashnathar temple	Tharamangalam(Salem)
49	Theerthagirieswarar temple	Theerthamalai(Dharmapuri)
50	Chandrasoodeshwarar temple	Hosur
51	Patteeswaran Temple	Perur(Coimbatore.)
52	Shree Sadhasiva Bhrameendhraal Temple	Nerur(Karur)
53	Sivapurishwarar Temple	Shivayam(Karur)
54	Brahmapureeswarar Temple	Thirupattur( Tiruchirappalli)
55	Kapaleeshwarar Temple	Mylapore(Chennai)
56	Sangameswarar Temple	Bhavani(Erode)
57	Kadambavananathar Temple	Kulithalai(Karur)
58	Ardhanaareeswarar Temple	Tiruchengodu (Namakkal)
59	Lingeshwarar Temple	Avinashi(Tiruppur)

Temples of Lord Bhairava (Vairavar)

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	kala bhairavar temple	thandarampattu
2	Bhairavar Temple	Karaikudi
3	Bhairava Moorthi Temple	Tiruchengodu
4	Bhairaveswarar Temple	Kumbakonam
5	Kalabhairav Temple	Adhiyaman Kottai
6	Kala Bhairavar Temple	Pasuvanthanai Taluk
7	Sri Bhairavanathaswamy Temple	Thagattur
8	Sri kaala bhairavar Temple (vairavankoil)	Eachangudi
9	Astha Bairavar temple	Attur Tk
10	Shri Bairavar Rudhra Alayam	Chengalpatu
11	Kala Bhairavar Temple	Mayiladuthurai

Temples of Lord Vishnu

Sl No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Sri Lakshmi Narayanan Kovil	Sathyamangalam
2	veera ragava perumal kovil	thandarampattu(thiruvannamalai)
3	Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam	Trichy
4	Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple	Vellore
5	Yoga Narasimha temple	Sholingur
6	Narasimha temple	Namakkal
7	Narasimha temple	Tindivanam
8	Yoga Narasimha temple at Velachery	Chennai
9	Uppiliappan Temple	Mayavaram
10	Chakrapani temple	Kumbakonam
11	Sarangapani temple	Kumbakonam
12	Ramaswamy temple	Kumbakonam
13	Oppliyappan Temple	Kumbakonam
14	Saranathan temple	Kumbakonam
15	Adi Narayana Perumal Temple	Pariyur(Gobichettipalayam)
16	Kalyana venkatramanaswamy Temple	Thannthondri Malai(Karur)
17	Shree Abayapradhana Ranganathar Temple	Karur
18	Vasantha perumal Temple	Kadavur(Karur)
19	Neelameegha perumal Temple	Kulithalai(Karur)
20	Kripasamudra Perumal (Arulmakadal) temple	Mayavaram
21	Thanjai Mamani Koil	Thanjavur
22	Parimala Rangantha temple	Mayavaram
23	Ugra Narasimha temple	Singaperumal Koil
24	Ari Katha Rama temple at Maduranthakam	Chennai
25	Hayagreeva temple at Chettipunyam	Chennai
26	Hayagreeva temple at Cuddalore	Chennai
27	Varaha temple (Nithya kalyana Perumal) at Tiruvidanthai	Chennai
28	Varaha temple (Bhoovaraha)	Simushnam
29	Varadaraja Perumal Temple	Kancheepuram
30	The Parthasarathy Temple	Chennai
31	Kasthuri Ranganatha Perumal Temple	Erode Fort
32	Magudeswarar Temple	Kodumudi(Erode)
33	Kongu Tirupati	Erode
34	The LakshmiNarasimhar Temple	Tindivanam
35	The Lakshmi Narayan temple	Pulikkundram near Thirukazhukundram
36	The Kesavaperumal Temple	Chennai
37	The Lakshmi Narasimhar Temple	Chennai
38	The Madhavaperumal Temple	Chennai
39	The Azhagar temple	Alagar Kovil(Madurai)
40	The Koodalazhagar temple	Madurai
41	The Devaraja Swami temple	Cuddalore
42	Sri Mayakoothar Devasthanams	Perungulam(Tuticorin)
43	Kottai Alagiri Nathar temple	Salem
44	Pandurangan temple	Shevapet(Salem)
45	Arulmegu sattur perumal swamy temple	Solavampalayam(Pollachi)
46	Sri Rajagopalan Temple	Mannargudi

Temples of Lord Anjaneyar

SL No	Name of the temple	Location
1	Anjaneyar Temple	Suchindram(Kanyakumari)
2	Anjaneyar Temple	Namakkal
3	Sri Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneya Swamy Temple	Nanganallur(Chennai)
4	Tirukkatikai Yoga Anjaneyar Temple	Sholingar
5	Veera Anjaneya Swami Temple	Mylapore(Chennai)
6	Sri SanjeeviRayan Temple	Iyengar Kulam(kanchipuram)
7	Sri Viswaroopa Panchamukha Anjaneya Swami Temple	Tiruvallur
8	Sri Jaya Anjaneya Swami Temple	Karur
9	Shri Bhaktha Anjaneyar	Vedasandur(Dindigul)
10	Sri PunithaPuli Anjaneyar Temple	Paramakudi
11	Sri Anuvavi Anjaneya Temple	Coimbatore
12	Arulmigu KaduHanumatharayar Temple	Dharapuram
13	Sree Moola Anjaneyar koil	Thanjavur
14	Sanjeevirayar anjaneyar koil	pidampatti village(trichy)

Temples of Amman

SL NO	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Bannari Mariamman Temple	Bannari
2	Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple	Anaimalai (Pollachi)
3	Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman Temple	Gobichettipalayam
4	Adhi Kamakshi temple	Kanchipuram
5	Mariamman temple	Samayapuram
6	PunnaiNallur Mariamman temple	Thanjavur
7	Sholiyamman Temple	Karur
8	Narayani Golden Temple	vellore
9	Arulmigu Devi Karumariamman Temple	Thiruverkadu (Chennai)
10	Bangaru Kaamaatchiyamman koil	Thanjavur
11	Arulmigu Kottai Mariamman Kovil	Salem
12	Koniyamman Temple	Coimbatore
13	Kottai Mariamman Kovil	Dindigul
14	Koppudayamman Koil	Karaikudi
15	Kumariamman Koil	Kanyakumari
16	Angalaparameswari Koil	Mel Malayanur
17	Aathiparashakthi Koil	Mel Maruvathur
18	Badrakali Amman temple	madapuram
19	Sri Andal Temple	Srivilliputtur

Cave Temples of Pandiyas

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Kandan Kudaivarai	Muruga Temple, Madurai
2	Seevaramudaiyar Kudaivarai	Shiva Temple, Pudukkottai
3	Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagaram	Pazhiyili Iswaram Naarthamalai( Pudukkottai )

Rockcut Monolith Temples of Pallavas

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Adyantha Kaamam	Dharmaraja Ratha( Mamallapuram)

Structural Temples of Pallavas

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Kailasanatha Temple	Kancheepuram Dt
2	Raajasimmeswaram / Kshatriya Simmeswaram	Shore Temples( Mamallapuram )
3	Vijayalaya Choleeswaram	Naarthamalai( Pudukkottai )
4	Venkataramana Swamy Temple	Thanthondri malai ( Karur )
5	Lakshmi Narashimma swamy Temple	Namakkal

Structural Temples of Vijayanagara

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Kanagagiswarar Temple and Sri Periyanayagi amman Temple	Devikapuram (Tiruvannamalai District )
2	Sri Neelakanta Pillaiyar Temple	Peravurani (Thanjavur District)

Structural Temples of Chola

SL No	Name of the Temple	Location
1	Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple	Thanjavur
2	Raajarajeswaram (Brihadeeswarar Temple or Big Temple)	Thanjavur
3	Thayinum Nalla Iswaram	Aaragalur
4	Airavatheeshwarar Temple	Kumbakonam

Temples of The Navagrahams

S.No						Name of Temple	Location (Travel Base)
1						Suryanaar Temple	Suryanaar Kovil (Tanjavur)
2						Agneeswarar Temple	Kanchanoor (Tanjavur)
3						Kailasanathar Temple	Tingalur (Tanjavur)
4						Vaitheeswaran Temple	vaitheeswaran kovil (nagapattinam)
5						Tirunageswaram Nageswarar Temple	Tirunageswaram (thanjavur)
6						Tirunallaru Darbaaranyeswarar Temple	Tirunallaru (Karaikkal)
7						Keezhperumpallam Temple	Keezhperumpallam (nagapattinam)
8						Abathsahayeswarar Temple	Alangudi (Thiruvarur)
9						Tiruvenkadu Swetaranyeswarar Temple	Tiruvenkadu (nagapattinam)

Navagraha Temples of Chennai

Chennai has its own set of Navagraha Temples located in and around Kundrathur

• a) Suryan - Agastheeswaram at Kolapakkam^[55]
• b) Moon - Somanatheeswarar at Somamangalam
• c) Mars - Vaitheeswaran at Poonamalee
• d) Kethu - Neelakanteshwarar at Gerugambakkam
• e) Guru - Ramanadeshwarar at Porur
• f) Sukran - Velleswarar at Mangadu
• g) Budhan - Thirumeyneeswarar at Kovur
• h) Rahu - Thirunageshwaram at Kundrathur
• i) Saneeswarar - Agastheeswaram at Pozhichalur