Temples of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu was ruled by different ruling dynasties, thus, the
famous temple art touched its zenith in Tamil Nadu. The monuments and
Temples in Tamil Nadu are of great artistic value and speak volumes about the grandeur of the bygone era.
Rameshwaram, Thanjavur, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Meenakshi Temple, and Ekambareswarar Temple are some of the famous temples of Tamil Nadu. These temples were not only the
worshiped shrines but more then that, they were used as hospitals and as social gathering venue. Temple was a place where art, in all its forms i.e. music, dance, drama and handicrafts gained boost and flourished.
& curren; The Famous Meenakshi Temple The Meenakshi Temple complex is a city temple
situated in Madurai. It is one of the largest and one of the most ancient temples here. At the same time it is the most revered in India. The
Temple complex has soaring and exquisitely carved towers in Madurai. The south gateway contains the twin temples of Shiva and Meenakshi and is about nine storeys high. Meenakshi temple is one of the most popular temples in Tamil Nadu and is world famous for its marvelous architecture.
¤ The Natarajh of Chidambaram This temple is dedicated to
lord Natarajah and is one of the most venerated. Chidambaram is situated about 250 km south of Chennai (Madras) and is easily accessible. In Tamil the word temple is known as ''Koil'' and Chidambaram is referred to, in Hindu scriptures by other names such as Thillai, Puliyur, Chittambalam, Vyagrapuram and Pundareekapuram. These temples are abode of sanctity and sacredness due to its dignity and the miracle stories mentioned in Hindu scriptures.
¤ The Ancient Kapaleeswarar TempleThe Kapaleeswarar temple, situated in Mylapore a suburb of Chennai, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is worshiped here as Kapaleeswarar and the Goddess as Katpahavalli. This temple is about 1000 years old. Some scholars believe that the age of the present building , on the basis of the architecture and the images in this temple traces back to a period of about 300 years ago. Regardless, Kapaleeswarar Temple has become very famous and attracts a large number of devotees mainly during festival days.
¤ The Sri Parthasarathy TempleEstablished in the Triplicane area of Chennai, Sri Parthasarathy Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshiped as Lord Venkatakrishnar here. In this temple he can be seen with his consort Rukmani on his right and his brother Sri Balaraman on his left. Apart from these deities, Sri Parthasarathy is installed as a processional deity with his consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi on either side.
¤ The Divine Palaniandavar TempleThe Palaniandavar temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanyam and he is worshiped as Pazhani andavar. The temple is situated at Vadapalani, in the northern part of Chennai. A picture of Lord Subrahmanya was brought here from Palani that became a very potent divinity, thus deriving the name Vadapalani.
¤ The Holy Island of Rameswaram Rameswaram is an island about 160 km Southeast of Madurai, well connected to the mainland both by a railway and a road bridge. A major pilgrim center of the Hindus, Rameshwaram is the place where Lord Rama had stationed the Lingam, which therefore gains significance and is venerated by all the Hindus of India. The other pilgrimage site here is Dhanuskodi, also called ''Sethu''. Apart from this, there are several other small temples of interest dotted around this island.
¤ Swamimalai, The Adobe of SubramanyamSwamimalai is one of the 6 well known abodes of Lord Subramanya. The temple stands on an artificial hill and is approached by a flight of steps. Swaminathan iity worshiped her. The temple here has three ''gopuram'' with three ''praharam''. The ''gopuram'' on the south side of the temple is decorated with statues and contains five storeys while the other two entrances have no towers above them.
¤ The Kanyakumari Temple Situated near the beautiful sea shore, Kumari Amman Temple and the nearby Ghat attracts tourist from all over the world. According to a legend, Devi did penance here to secure Lord Siva''s hand in marriage. When she was unsuccessful, she vowed to remain a virgin (Kanya). The Diamond nose-ring of this deity is famous for its glittering charm which is supposed to be seen even from the sea.
More summaries about the Temples of Tamil Nadu