Temples Of Tamil Nadu
About Tamil Nadu Temples
Tamil Nadu is home to more than 30,000 temples and is aptly called "the land of temples".The rulers of various dynasties constructed these temples over centuries. Tamilnadu is the land where Dravidian style of temple architecture manifested itself in a grand and magnificent way. Vimanas (storeys) and Gopurams (towering gateways to the temple complex) best characterize the temples of Tamilnadu. You will be amazed to see that most of these temples bear a superficial architectural resemblance with each other as they share the similar physical features- Gopurams (the imposing tower over the entrance, from all four directions) and the Vimana (the tower over the sanctum). It is interesting to note that the temples of South India were not merely a place of worship but a large part of social and cultural life of the people revolved around them.
Temple Architecture
The temple architecture in Tamilnadu grew with innovation and experiments.The rule of the Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas, Vijayanagar rulers and the Nayakas saw the construction of a number of magnificent temples. Thousands of temples, with rising towers that touch the skyline of Tamil Nadu, were constructed during the reign of the above-mentioned empires. These temples demonstrate that the Tamils have been the most innovative temple builders.This fact is very well evident in the temples from the pre Christian era as well as those from the 20th century.The spectacular architecture of these temples inspires awe and amazes the onlookers.
Most of the ancient temples of Tamilnadu were constructed in brick and mortar. However, by the 7th century AD a unique style of temple construction emerged when temples were hewn out of caves. The rule of the Pallavas saw (up to 900 AD) building of temples of stone. The Cholas (900 -1250 AD) were great temple builders and they have a number of magnificent and spectacular to their credit. The Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur, built by Raj Raja I, is a tribute to the Chola rulers. The Chola rulers added many ornate mandpams (halls) to temples and built large gopurams (towers). Subsequently, the Pandya Style (Up to 1350 AD) saw the emergence of the temple architecture with huge towers, high wall enclosures and massive gateways. The Vijayanagar rulers also made significant contribution to the temple architecture. They are known more for the intricacy and decorated monolithic pillars.
Most Famous Temple in Tamil Nadu
are :
1. Airavatheeswara Temple:
Airavatheeswara Temple is located in Dharasuram and was built by Raja Raja II. Airavatheeswara Temple is the manifestation of the grandeur reflected in the Chola architecture and has been declared as the world heritage monument by UNESCO. [Read more on Airavatheeswara Temple] 
2. Brahadeswara Temple:
Brahadeeswara TempleThe Brihadeswara temple lies to the southern part of the city of Tanjavur between the Grand anicut canal and the Vadavar river. Dedicated to Lord Shiva , this magnificent temple was built in 1003 AD by the chola king Rajaraja I. The temple, considered among the grandest temples of the Hindu religion is unique to itself. [Read more on Brihadeswara Temple]
3. Murugan Temple:
The Murugan temple at Tirupporur is one of the major temples dedicated to Lord Muruga in Tamilnadu. The Murugan temple is situated at a distance of about 45 Km from Chennai. It is an ancient temple, which was built during the reign of the Pallava rulers. [Read more on Murugan Temple] 
4. Rameswaram Temple:
Rameswaram is an island on the tip of Indian Peninsula and is connected to the mainland at Mandapam by rail. The town is in the Ramanathpuram district. It also known as the 'Varanasi of the south'. The city is a major pilgrimage center for Hindus, both Shaivites and Vaishnavaites. It is here Lord Rama offered thanks to Siva. The main attraction of the town is the Ramanathaswamy Temple,which is one of the most important temples in southern India. [Read more on Rameswara Temp
le]
5. Kailasanath Temple:
Kanchipuram is a pilgrimage city. A former Pallava capital (7th - 9th century), Kanchipuram is filled with temples dating from the 8th - 17th centuries. These temples are the perfect study of the evolutionary changes that the South Indian architecture underwent while different reigns made their impressions on them .[Read more on Kailasanath Temple] 
6. Meenakshi Temple:
Situated in Madurai, one of the oldest city of Tamil Nadu (India), the Meenakshi temple is the city's main attraction. A perfect example of Dravidian architecture. Dedicated to Meenakshi, the lovely consort of Lord Shiva, the original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to the Nayaks. The Nayaks ruled Madurai from the 16th to the 18th century and left a majestic imprint of their rule in the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple. [Read more on Meenakshi Temple] 
7. Kanyakumari Temple:
The southernmost tip of India is known as Kanyakumari after the virgin goddess who has a temple consecrated to her at this place. Kanyakumari Temple is dedicated to one of the avatars of Parvati, the virgin goddess. As the popular legend goes, goddess Parvati was due to be wedded to Lord Shiva, who failed to turn up for the marriage. The rice and cereals that were meant to be cooked were left uncooked. If you visit the place today, you can purchase stones that look exactly like the rice and cereals. The local people love to believe that they are the remnants of the marriage that was never solemnized. [Read more on Kanyaku
mari Temple]
8. Mahabalipuram Rathas:
Mahabalipuram is a temple town that is situated along the Coromandel Coast 55 kilometers off Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu. The place is famous for its Ratha temples that are a part of the famous shore temple complex. The Pallava king Narsimha built the magnificent 'Ratha' cave temples of Mahabalipuram. The beauty of the sculptural art of the rock-cut temples tells about the architectural contribution of the erstwhile Pallava rulers. These 7th century temples are regarded the pioneer of an entirely revolutionary style of architecture that came to be known as Dravidian architecture style. [Read more on Mahabalipuram Rathas]
