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The ancient temples of South India will leave you stunned and keep you wondering about their architectural design, inspirations and the amount of time it took to build those gigantic beautiful temples with their intricate sculptures and magnificent roofs. When you visit such a destination, be ready to be amazed, mesmerised and transported to another world beyond your imagination. The ancient temples in Tamil Nadu are not an exception when it comes to the ethereal beauty and the intricacies of the architectural design and the powerful message it carries, leaving a lasting impression for a lifetime on the traveller.
10 Ancient Temples In Tamil Nadu
Get ready to explore the ten ancient temples in Tamilnadu, India
1. Meenakshi Temple
Photo: Kamala L / Wikimedia Commons
The Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple was constructed by Emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I of the Pandyas (1190 CE–1205 CE). The Gopuram, which dominates the entrance of the Sundareswarar Shrine, the Meenakshi Temple central portion, and other details all comprise some of the very earliest existing fragments of the structure. This is one of the most famous ancient temples in Tamilnadu and people flock in from all around the world to see its stunning architectural design and its traditional sculpture which makes the visit worthwhile. The only side-effect of visiting this temple is that you will be left speechless and dazed for some days. It is said that the goddess Meenakshi was made from one whole piece of emerald
Timings: 5 AM – 12:30 PM and 4 PM – 10 PM
Best Time To Visit: April to May
Nearest Airport: Madurai Airport
2. Rameshwaram Temple
Photo: Wanderlusts / Wikimedia Commons
Ramanathaswamy temple is a masterpiece with magnificent creation, gigantic runnels, and detailed artworks including sculptural and structural corridors. The temple houses a lingam, the main idol worshipped by devotees. There is also a huge idol of Nandi, which measures approximately 17.5 feet in height. This temple holds many fascinating legends and strikes a chord in the strings of the heart when you visit this temple as it has an unearthly feel to it. The temple came to be when Lord Rama begged for forgiveness from the deity Shiva and offered the temple to him as a reckoning.
Timings: 5 AM – 1 PM and 3 PM – 9 PM
Best Time To Visit: October to April
Nearest Airport: Madurai Airport
3. Kumari Amman Temple
Photo: Luistxo / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
Tamil Nadu is home to many Amman temples and the holiest is the Kumari Amman temple. This shrine is known to house the Goddess Devi Kanya Kumari, who is venerated in the form of the Kanya Kumari Devi. There is a belief that anyone who visits this temple receives a blessing from the Goddess Amman. With its history stretching over three millennia, this temple holds deep religious significance. The temple in Kanyakumari is also surrounded by an awe-inspiring ocean and beautiful architecture. It’s spirituality and ancient historical buildings envelop the devotee and encourage every explorer to pay a visit to the temple.
Timings: 4:30 AM – 12:30 PM and 4 PM – 8 PM
Best Time To Visit: September to October and March to April
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport
4. Naganathaswamy Temple
Photo: Ssriram mt / Wikimedia Commons
Naganathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Rahu, Raaghu Bhagvan (in Sanskrit) and is one of the Navagraha Temples. Pilgrims from various other Indian states come over to the temple for the worship of Lord Rahu. Situated at Thirunageswaram, about 7 km east of Kumbakonam in the Thanjavur district, the temple is now declared a protected site by the government of Tamil Nadu. The temple is unique in depicting Lord Rahu with a normal human face whilst other temples show Lord Rahu with a serpent head. In Hindu mythology, Rahu worshipped Lord Shiva and freed himself of his affliction in Naganathaswamy, a deity worshipped in this temple.
Timings: 6 AM – 1 PM and 4 PM – 8 PM
Best Time To Visit: February and March
Nearest Airport: Trichy Airport
5. Brihadeeswarar Temple
Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons
Brihadeeswara Temple also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil at Thanjavur is identified as one of the biggest temples in India. The temple built around 1010 AD displays an image of Lord Shiva in the form of a huge ‘Lingam’ and is attributed to Chola king Rajaraja Chola I. It is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A big Nandi, the holy bull of Lord Shiv measuring 13 ft in height and 16 ft in width which is the sculpture of the Nandi carved out of a solid rock piece is the biggest attraction of this temple.
Timings: 6 AM – 12:30 PM and 4 PM – 8:30 PM
Best Time To Visit: September to October
Nearest Airport: Tiruchirappalli Airport
6. Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Photo: Sailko / Wikimedia Commons
The breathtaking design of the structure makes it a marvel to every person who visits the temple. They gain access to the holy area via a 37-meter-tall gopuram which is quite impressive. The gopurams on either the east side or the west side of the temple are filled with many ethnic and beautiful mythological figures. Before the idol of Goddess Karpagambal is a sculpture of a Lion. At the entrance of the temple is a statue of the esteemed saint Gnanasambandar. Popular Shaivite saints Sambandar and Appara also refer to this temple in their Thevaram hymns.
Timings: 5 AM – 12 PM and 4 PM – 9 PM
Best Time To Visit: March to April
Nearest Airport: Madras Airport
7. Nataraja Temple
Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Wikimedia Commons
This is one of the five temples in the cities, depicting the five elements of nature, and a shrine for Lord Shiva. The design of the temple signifies the connection between arts and lordship. The building was designed and made in the 10th Century when Chidambaram a town was the centre of the Chola Empire. Priests of the Chola dynasty worshipped Nataraja or Lord Shiva as their protective deity. The Nataraja temple has suffered destruction, restoration and extension in the course of the second millennium. The temple, though primarily dedicated to shiva, also encapsulates respectably the central tenets of Vaishnavism, and Shaktism among others.
Timings: 6 AM – 12 PM and 5 PM – 10 PM
Best Time To Visit: December to January
Nearest Airport: Pondicherry Airport
8. Arunachaleswarar Temple
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons
Arunachaleswarar Temple is considered one of the holiest temples for the followers of Shaivam and it symbolises the element of Fire. Thus Lord Shiva is worshipped here in the form of Agni Lingam [Agni- Fire]. The temple is about a millennium old, although it went through modifications between the 17th and 19th centuries. The best view of this temple is experienced while one stands on the holy peak of Mount Arunachala. Climbing this 800 m hill is most definitely a tiresome one with its loose rocks, making it rather excruciating, but it is pure bliss and enlightenment once you stand at the topmost part of the hill.
Timings: 5 AM – 9:30 PM
Best Time To Visit: November to December
Nearest Airport: Puducherry Airport
9. Ekambareswarar Temple
Photo: Vinayaraj / Wikimedia Commons
Ekambareswarar is one of the temples associated with the element earth or Prithvi. Ekambareswarar temple is one of the seven temples that have been designated as the most sacred in India. The enclosure containing the temple extends to an area of 40 acres. Many structural masterpieces were enhanced to the ancient structure, one of them being the thousand pillared halls constructed under the Vijayanagar reign. The largest gopuram is the southern one has 11 tiers with a height of 192 feet, making it the tallest temple tower in this land of temples. This charming heritage structure is without a doubt, a major draw for the visitors.
Timings: 6 AM – 12:30 PM and 4 PM – 8:30 PM
Best Time To Visit: March to April
Nearest Airport: Chennai Airport
10. Mahabalipuram Shore
Photo: Rangan Datta Wiki / Wikimedia Commons
Undoubtedly, Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, as it is otherwise known is one of the towns that should be visited in Tamil Nadu. Walk those pavements and after a short while, you will feel as if you want to go back in time. The temple seats two deities, Shiva and Vishnu on two walls. This temple is built from dressed stones and blocks of granite which makes this temple unique with the Dravidian style of architecture. Marco Polo’s travels have pinpointed seven pagodas of Mamallapuram. This pagoda is believed to be one of them. Legend has it that six temples are hidden within the sea.
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
Best Time To Visit: November to February
Nearest Airport: Chennai Airport
The beauty and splendour of South Indian architecture are very much apparent in this land. The greatness and grandeur of the ancient temples in Tamil Nadu are timeless. These temples will take you somewhere beyond time. It’s time to experience your ancient temples tour in Tamil Nadu with TripXL to get the most out of the visit. By the end of the trip, you will be left speechless and awed.
Cover Photo: Nakkeeran Raveendran / Unsplash
