Temples of Chettinad

Apart from mansions, the other major attraction in Chettinad is its temples. The temples in Tamil Nadu have a long history, and unlike other parts of India, a lot of them have survived the test of time. The Chettinad area has several temples with historic and religious significance. We could visit a few of them during our recent trip to the Chettinad.

Pillaiyarpatti Vinayagar temple

This temple was built by early Pandyas, but the idol was carved out in a cave much long ago. Since the main idol is in the cave formation, it is not possible to go around for pradakshina. Most of the temples in the area do not allow photography inside, and hence it was not possible to capture the paintings and sculptures inside the temple. While the front view of the temple does not give an impression of its size, it is a big complex.

Most temples have a Kalyani in front of it, and Pillaiyarpatti is not an exception. The wide rectangular Kalyani surrounded by coconut trees gives a pleasant feeling.

Chidambara Vinayagar temple, Kanadukathan

A small temple near Chettinad mansion in Kanadukathan. I do not know about its historic or religious significance, but it was present in a very serene place. I could not resist spending some time in this area.

Nagara Sivan Kovil, Athangudi

A nice temple next to Athangudi Palace. It is said to be renovated recently. A Kalyani in front of the temple is an attraction.

Sivan Kovil in Koviloor

This temple is situated on the outskirts of Karaikudi. It was surprising to see the Kalyani with full water even in the summer season. Few people were also swimming. It was a pleasant surrounding.

There were hardly any people in the temple during our visit, and I could manage to take a photograph of the corridor. Some of the sculptures were intricately carved. The temple is said to be 1000 years old and built by Pandyas.

Other temples

There are many other temples, but we could not visit due to paucity of time. A few prominent ones are Then Tirupati at Karaikudi and Murugan temple but there are many other temples in the area. Even if you are not religious, these temples can be visited for their history and architecture.