Sightseeing Highlights

Brihadeeswara Temple:Brihadishvara Temple, also called Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyār Kōvil, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in South bank of Kaveri river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest South Indian temples and an example of a fully realized Dravidian architecture. Built by Tamil king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”.

Meenakshi Temple: Meenakshi Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva. The temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of Madurai mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th century CE texts.

Ekambareswarar Temple: Ekambareswarar Temple (Ekambaranathar Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of earth, or Prithvi. Shiva is worshiped as Ekambareswarar or Ekambaranathar, and is represented by the lingam, with his idol referred to as Prithvi lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Gowridevi Amman. 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. The temple also houses Nilathingal Thundam Perumal temple, a Divyadesam, the 108 temples revered in the Vaishnava canon Nalayira Divya Prabhandam.

It is one of the largest in India. It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the southern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 58.5216 metres, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India.

Ramanathaswamy Temple: Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is also one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples. It is one of the 274 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where the three of the most revered Nayanars (Saivite saints), Appar, Sundarar and Tirugnana Sambandar, have glorified the temple with their songs. The temple was expanded during the 12th century by Pandya Dynasty, and its principal shrines sanctum were renovated by Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan and his successor Gunaveera Cinkaiariyan of the Jaffna kingdom. The temple has the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India. The temple is located in Rameswaram considered a holy pilgrimage site for Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Smarthas. The presiding deity, the Lingam of Ramanathaswamy (Shiva), is believed to have been established and worshiped by Rama.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple: Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Thiruvarangam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of the Hindu deity Maha Vishnu, located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian Architecture, this temple is glorified by Alvars in their Divya Prabhanda and has the unique distinction of being not only being the foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu.

Kailasanathar temple: Kanchi Kailasanathar temple is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram and it is a Hindu temple in the Tamil architectural style. It is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, and is known for its historical importance. The low-slung sandstone compound contains a large number of carvings, including many half-animal deities which were popular during the early Pallava architectural period. The structure contains 58 small shrines which are dedicated to various forms of Shiva. These are built into niches on the inner face of the high compound wall of the circumambulatory passage.

Sri Amirthagateswarar Abhirami Temple: Sri Amirthagateswarar Abhirami Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva in his manifestation as “Destroyer of Death” and his wife Parvati as Abhirami. It is located in Thirukkadaiyur (Thirukadavur), Tamil Nadu in India. This temple is associated with the legend of Shiva saving his young devotee, Markendeya from death, and the tale of a saint, Abirami Pattar a devotee of the presiding goddess.

Tirunallar Dharbaranyeswarar Temple: Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple or Dharbaranyeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shani (saturn) located in Tirunallar in Karaikal district of Pondicherry, India. The presiding deity is Lord Siva, Dharbaranyeswar and the place Tirunallar was historically called Dharbaranyam (“Forest of Dharba grass”). The temple is revered by the hymns of 7th century Tamil saivite poets, Appar, Sundarar and Sambandhar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

Arulmigu Thiyagarajaswamy Temple: Thyagaraja Temple (also called as Vadivudai Amman Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva and is located in Tiruvottiyur in the northern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is revered by the Tevaram hymns of Saiva nayanars, the 7th century Tamil saint poets and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is closely associated with the saint poet Sundarar and Pattinathar. The temple is one of the 51 Sakthi Peetams in the country.

Om Sri Skandhashramam: Om Sri Skandashramam is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Murugan in Chennai, India and is located at Selaiyur, Tambaram, a southern neighbourhood of Chennai. The temple is known of its huge idols of several deities, including Kamala Siddhi Vinayakar, Panchamukha Heramba Ganapathy, Dattatreya, Panchamukha Hanuman, Shaniswara, Ayyapan, goddess Ashtadashabhuja Durga Parameswari, Sarabeswara (form of Shiva), goddess Prathiyankira, goddess Bhuvaneshwari, Swaminathaswamy (chief deity at the temple), Sudarshanachakathalwar, Lakshmi Narasimhar, Maha Sahasralingamurthy (1008 lingams), Nandikeswarar, goddess Annapurani and Chakra Poorna Maha Meru. There is also an idol of Saint Sathguru Santhananda Swamigal, who built the temple.

Tiruvaikavur Temple: Tiruvaikavur Temple or Thiruvaikavur Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the holy village of Tiruvaikavur, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Tirugnana Sambandar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is surrounded by vast streets on all the four sides and the Yama theertham right in front of the temple. The temple is revered by the verses of Tirugnana Sambandar.