Some Amazing Temples of Tamil Nadu Dedicated to Lord Shiva

Call him lord of destruction, the most kind-hearted lord (Bholenath), or the one who gets pleased too easily by his devotees. Lord Shiva is one of the Tridevs, one of the three superpower lords, and one who has a lot of followers across India. There are a lot of stories related to Shiva and so are the temples.

Hundreds (108) of small and big temples are dedicated to Shiva and some of them are very popular. Newly married couples, families, and worshippers throng the temples to offer their prayers to him. So, if you too are one of his true devotees, then these are some of Lord Shiva’s temples in Tamil Nadu that you should definitely visit at least once.

Temples of Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu

1. Ramanathaswamy Temple

Talking about Lord Mahadev’s temples in Tamil Nadu; there is a huge list of small and big temples. But the most important and revered of them all is Ramanathaswamy Temple. It is also one of the 4 dhams that is known to be the most pious pilgrimage according to Hindu scriptures.

Interesting things about the temple

• Ramanathaswamy temple is located on Rameswaram Island and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
• It is also one of the 4 temples of Bada Chardham.
• To reach here, you will have to cross the ocean and the island of the temple is connected via Pamban Bridge.
• This is the very place where Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva after creating a Lingam from the beach sand.
• The Temple has a vast corridor, majestic pillars, Gopurams, and walls that allure a lot of visitors.
• The walls of the temple are massive which is between 657 ft to 865 ft. And the outer corridors of the temple are of a total length that sums up to 3850 ft. It is one of the longest in the world.
• In the entire temple, there are a total of 1212 pillars on the outer corridor and the maximum height of the pillars here is 30 ft.
• The main tower of Rajagopuram in the temple is approximately 53 meters high.

2. Ekambareswarar Temple (Kanchipuram)

Kanchipuram is one of the most important places in Tamil Nadu for devotees because the entire region is filled with a lot of temples. All the temples that are located here have a lot of reverence amongst the Hindu Pilgrims. Ekambareswarar Temple is the one that’s dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated in Kanchipuram.

Interesting things about the temple

• Dedicated to Lord Shiva this is a very important temple that is closely associated with Pancha Bhoota Stalam. And this is written in multiple Hindu mythic scriptures.
• Apart from the fact that it’s an important tourist place in Kanchipuram, Ekambareswarar Temple is among the largest temples of India.
• The temple was built during the Vijayanagara period.
• The entire vicinity of the temple covers approximately 25 acres.
• There are 1000 pillars in the entire temple and 20 halls.
• The inner walls of the temple are decorated with 1008 Shiva Lingas.

3. Brihadisvara Temple

One of the grandest temples of India- Brihadisvara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a wonderful temple with impeccable architecture. Every year, thousands of devotees throng the temple to offer their prayers to the lord.

Interesting things about the temple

• The temple comes under the Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in India.
• It is believed that the temple was built somewhere between 1003 and 1010 AD.
• The temple tower has an elevation of approximately 66 meters and it is named as Vimana. According to facts, Vimana is listed as one of the tallest temple towers in the world.
• The temple took 12 years to build and all the construction work was finished in 1011 AD.
• One can see an apex structure at the temple, which is believed to have been carved out of a single rock.
• The figure of Nandi is also placed right at the gates of the temple which is 13 ft high and 16 ft in length.
• According to sources, back in 2010, the temple completed its 1000 years.

4. Kailasanathar Temple

Be it the serenity, divine aura, positive environment, or even the amazing architecture; Kailasanathar Temple is top-notch in all these departments. And don’t forget that the temple is amongst the prime attractions of the state Tamil Nadu.

Interesting things about the temple

• The temple is believed to be constructed by the Pallava Dynasty between 680 AD to 705 AD.
• The temple consists of 60 shrines in the premises and that’s one of the main reasons why people visit here.
• The circular pathway in the temple is quite low and one has to literally crawl on the pathway.
• There are a lot of eateries around the temple and you can savour some delicious South Indian food at lower rates.
• You will always find parrots during the daytime in and around the temple. They are in a huge number and it makes the visitors enjoy the view and some click amazing pictures.

5. Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur

Another beautiful and important temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is constructed in Tamil Nadu and is named as Thyagaraja Temple. This temple has a long and strong history and is one of the most important temples in Tamil Nadu.

Interesting things about the temple

• Sri Adhipuriswarar and Sri Otreeswarar are the two shrines of Lord Shiva that are worshipped here at this temple.
• You will get to see the “Tridevs” in this temple, where Lord Vishnu is on his right and Lord Brahma on his Left.
• There are many other shrines in the temple like the shrines of Goddess Durga, Lord Murugan, Lord Ganpati and many more.
• The temple was built by Pallavas in the 7th Century and renovated/ rebuilt by Cholas in the 11th.
• The mandap at this temple serves for a lot of religious activities and yagyas.