With
thousands of temples occupying the landscape of Tamil Nadu, the state is
also called the land of temples. The diversity in ethos and religious
practices in Tamil Nadu has led to setting up of numerous places of
worship, belonging to the followers of different religions. Since Hindus
are more in number, their places of worship (temples) dot the entire
landscape. On the other hand, the followers of many other religions such
as the Muslims, Christians, Jews, Jains and Sikhs also inhabit Tamil
Nadu. A number of Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Gurdwaras etc represent
the sentiments of the abovementioned religions. Of all the worship
places, temples are the oldest.Many temples in Tamil Nadu are more than thousand years old. Most of the temples in the state are built in Dravidian style i e huge gopurams (gateways) and towering Vimanas (storeys). These temples are proof of the architectural genius of the bygone era. The temples at Mahabalipuram and Tanjore belong to this category.
Kanyakumari Temple
Kanyakumari forms the southern most end of mainland India. It is also the place where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean merge. Kanyakumari has been a great center for culture, civilization and pilgrimage for years.
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.
Meenakshi Temple
The Meenakshi temple complex is one of the largest in India. The presiding deity at the Meenakshi temple at Madurai, the Athens of South India, is Goddess Meenakshi. The nucleus of the temple is older than the Madurai city.
Rameshwaram Temple
The Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the most sacred shrines of the Hindus in India. The Jyotirlingam at the Ramanathaswamy temple is the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is considered as holy as Banaras/Kashi.
Swamimalai Temple
The Swamimalai temple is one of the six shrines dedicated to Lord Subramanya. The Swaminathan temple is associated with the legend of Skanda having re-initiated his father Shiva, with the concept of the oneness of creation of Omkaram. The temple is built on an artificial hill, approached by a flight of steps.
Velankanni
Velankanni is one of the most taken pilgrimages in India. Situated amidst shores of Bay of Bengal, Velankanni is a picturesque town. The city is famous for the shrine Basilica that is dedicated to 'Lady of health'. The shrine draws pilgrims from all faiths and from all over the world.
