Temples of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu holds the credit of having the highest number of Temples (Nearly 34000) in the country.

Was fortunate to cover some of them - with family - in the new Fiat Linea - over a week from 16th Jan to 22nd Jan - with memorable expereince of nature around - hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, paddy fields, ocean, Bay, Water falls, fog, heat, cold, along with the temples.

It all started with:

Madurai :


Via. kumbam, Theni - was a great scenic view for driving.

Madurai city is an energetic, ancient city in Tamil Nadu, called, the city that never sleeps. The 2500 plus years old city, which has a rich heritage, is located on the banks of Vaigai River Its skyline is dominated by the 14 colorful gopurams (gateway towers) of Meenakshi Amman Temple. Covered in bright carvings of Hindu gods, the Dravidian-style temple is a major pilgrimage site.
Sree Meenakshi Amman Temple
Is one of the most famous temples in South India. The huge temple that extends beyond 6 hectares of land is dedicated to god Shiva and it is named after goddess Parvati. The temple was constructed by Kulasekara Pandya. The temple has been mentioned in the songs sung by ancient saint as early as the 7th century. Invasion of Malik Kapur in 1310 resulted in the ancient temple being destroyed. When Hindu kings returned to power, the temple was restored and the present form is a contribution by Nayaks who ruled Madurai between 16th and 18th centuries. The thousand pillar hall is one of the amazing works in the temple that is famous for architectural brilliance. It is the temple’s museum and the statues here are exquisite.

Hotel Nami's was very close and at a walkable distance to the temple.

Rameswaram:

Rameswaram, in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, located on Pamban Island or Rameswaram Island, is separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel. The Pamban Bridge connects the two. A visit to Rameswaram temple would take at least half a day, especially if you wish to take the obligatory religious bath at the various wells. If you desire to visit Danushkodi also, set aside a full day. In between, you could squeeze in a quick look at the other temples and religious sites. Ideally speaking, set aside two full days for a soul-satisfying and soul-purifying experience.
1. Trip to Dhanushkodi:
This is the place where the Indian ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet. This is a sacred spot as Lord Rama came here after defeating Ravana to perform certain rituals to absolve him of the sins of killing Ravana who was no doubt evil but was a devotee of Lord Shiva and a brahmin by birth.
You cannot reach the shores of Dhanushkodi in an ordinary vehicle but need a four wheel drive or a jeep to drive through the sandy path. There is no proper road.
Dhanushkodi is a mere strip of land barely 1 kms wide and 20 kms long. It is roughly 3 kms from the Rameswaram Temple. It may be reached by boat or by surface transport or, if you prefer the mightiness of the ocean, by walking. Its barrenness was further exacerbated by the tsunami that hit this coastline on December 26, 2004. The ex-President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, hails from this fishing hamlet.
As you turn your back to the land mass and face the waters, you are met by the calm sea of the Bay of Bengal mingling with the roughness of the Indian Ocean, the salty breeze assailing your eyes, your nose and your lips. The scene is truly incredible and as you watch the mighty ocean, you realise how utterly puny you truly are. An evening visit is magnificent as the setting sun turns the entire scene iridescent.
These two seas resemble a bow at their confluence with the strip of land akin to an arrow on the brink of release.
• Prior to 1964, there was a British-built railway line as well as a railway station here. However, the devastating cyclone of 1964, destroyed the village as well as all semblance of the railway line. The tsunami has done the rest, leaving not a rack behind.
The Panchamuka Hanuman Temple
is located only 2 kms from the Ramaswamy Temple. The idols of Hanuman, Lord Rama and Sita were re-located here after the devastating cyclone of 1964 at Dhanushkodi. An example of the ‘floating’ stone used by Hanuman to build the bridge connecting Rameswaram with Lanka, is also kept in this temple. The image of Hanuman, with five faces and covered in vermilion, is of special interest here.
Rameshwaram temple was preparing herself the the gingatic Kumbabishekam during the next 3 days - which was a memorable experience to view.
The Location of the TTDC where we stayed was awesome - facing the beach, with a view to the sunrise from the room.

Chidambaram:


The journey from Rameshwaram to Chidambaram was too long; but we could cover various districts; and the drive was a great experience.

Nataraja is one of the famous temples in India. It is also one of the pacha buthas dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are three dieties and one without any statue. Temple is huge and has colorful paintings on the wall. Unfortunately, the temple premises is filthy. There are no dustbins placed, and people were throwing garbage all around.

Tiruchirappalli:

The 4th largest town in Tamil Nadu, Tiruchirappalli is an ancient town with a recorded history that dates back to the 3rd century BC. The city has been ruled by various ancient and historical kingdoms and empires. The Cholas, the Pandya, the Pallava, the Vijaynagar Kingdom, the Carnatic Kingdom and the British have ruled this region and have deeply influenced the city’s culture over the years. As a result of the various cultural influences Tiruchirappalli is famous for its various monuments and temples. Also, due to the city being surrounded by various channels of the Kaveri River is rich in vegetation and natural resources.
Rockfort Temple
refers to an ancient fort and the temple which is situated in the fort’s highest reaches. Rockfort played a major part in the Carnatic wars that was a major battle that helped establish the British Rule in India. The fort also has the famous Ucchi Pillayar Temple which was built in the 7th century and stands 83 meters high atop a rock in the fort complex. The cave temples built by the Pallavas in 508 AD are the oldest structure in the fort and is also a must be seen attraction.
Jambukeshwara Temple
The Jambukeshwara Temple is one of the 5 major temples in Tamil Nadu which are dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The temple was built in Dravidian style of architecture by the Cholas in the 2nd century AD. The marvelous stone carvings depict the various mythological events and are fine examples of the artists’ stone carving mastery.
Sri Ranganathaswamy temple
Often listed among the largest functioning Hindu temples in the world, the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple was built between the 6th and the 9th centuries by the Azhwar Saints. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is the 1st of the 108 Divya Desams or Vishnu Temples in the world. The temple complex is spread across 156 acres and is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. The temple gopuram is 72 meters in height and consists of 72 tiers. The temple is a must visit and is one of the major Hindu temples in the country.
Hotel Mayas was centrally located - and is now my home at Trichy - having been here with father before and now with mother & family.


Thanjavur

Brihadishwara Temple :
Enchanting, Amazing was the crowning glory of Chola temple architecture. The World Heritage–listed Brihadishwara Temple was built between 1003 and 1010 by Rajaraja I (‘king of kings’). The outer fortifications were put up by Thanjavur's later Nayak and British regimes.


Palani
Palani is a town and a municipality in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km north-west of Madurai and 100 km South-east of Coimbatore and 60 km west of Dindigul. Murugan temple on a hill - Was fortunate to be here just before the festival. To get the golden fruit - Lord Subrahmanya mounted His peacock to go around the world. Lord Vinayakar circumambulated around His parents, symbolising the world, and got the fruit. On return, Lord Subrahmanya found that He was cheated. In anger, He renounced His family and came to this spot to settle forever. Lord Siva and Parvati came to pacify Him. They said, "Pazham Nee" ('You are the Fruit'). Hence the name Palani is a popular syncopation of the two words mentioned.

Thanks to Hotel Subham, North Giri Street, Adivaram, which motivated us to get on to the hill - inspite of the rush and crowd.

Well it was not the end of the trip - unexpected further beauty awaited us - enroute our return route. Indeed a mismerisingly beautiful landscape with mist even in the afternoon - with more than 75 hair pin bends, water falls, rivers, forests, tea estates - we returned via Valpara, Malgapara, Athirapilli to Chalakudy. Back to routine.