PrepMaticTamil Nadu GK · History & heritage
Important temples of Tamil Nadu: deity, builder and place
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The temples that show up repeatedly in TNPSC questions are the Brihadeeswarar Temple of Thanjavur (Rajaraja I), the Meenakshi Amman Temple of Madurai (Nayaks), the Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam, the Nataraja Temple of Chidambaram and the Ramanathaswamy Temple of Rameswaram. The table below gives the deity, place and builder or period for each, and the notes cover the groupings (Pancha Bhoota, Arupadai Veedu) that make revision shorter.
Temple table
| Temple | Place and district | Deity | Builder or period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brihadeeswarar | Thanjavur | Shiva | Rajaraja I, completed 1010; UNESCO site |
| Gangaikonda Cholisvaram | Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Ariyalur | Shiva | Rajendra I; UNESCO site |
| Airavatesvara | Darasuram, Thanjavur | Shiva | Rajaraja II, 12th century; UNESCO site |
| Shore Temple | Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu | Shiva and Vishnu shrines | Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha); UNESCO site |
| Kailasanathar | Kanchipuram | Shiva | Pallava Rajasimha |
| Vaikuntha Perumal | Kanchipuram | Vishnu | Pallava Nandivarman II |
| Meenakshi Amman (Meenakshi Sundareswarar) | Madurai | Meenakshi and Sundareswarar | Ancient shrine; present form largely from the Nayak period, with 14 gopurams |
| Ranganathaswamy | Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli | Vishnu as Ranganatha | One of the largest functioning temple complexes in the world; Vaikunta Ekadasi festival |
| Nataraja (Thillai) | Chidambaram, Cuddalore | Shiva as Nataraja | Chola-period patronage; Ponnambalam (golden hall) |
| Ramanathaswamy | Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram | Shiva | One of the 12 Jyotirlingas; known for its long pillared corridors, with later work by the Sethupathis |
| Ekambareswarar | Kanchipuram | Shiva | Prithvi (earth) linga |
| Jambukeswarar | Thiruvanaikaval, Tiruchirappalli | Shiva | Appu (water) linga |
| Arunachaleswarar | Thiruvannamalai | Shiva | Agni (fire) linga; Karthigai Deepam |
| Andal Temple | Srivilliputhur, Virudhunagar | Vishnu and Andal | The gopuram appears on the Tamil Nadu emblem |
| Thyagaraja Swamy | Tiruvarur | Shiva | Birthplace of the Carnatic Trinity; large temple car |
| Kapaleeswarar | Mylapore, Chennai | Shiva | Present structure from the 16th century (Vijayanagara period) |
The groupings that save time
Pancha Bhoota Sthalams (five elements). Four are in Tamil Nadu: Kanchipuram (earth), Thiruvanaikaval (water), Thiruvannamalai (fire) and Chidambaram (space or ether). The fifth, Srikalahasti (air), is in Andhra Pradesh.
Arupadai Veedu (six abodes of Murugan). Thiruparankundram and Pazhamudircholai (both near Madurai), Thiruchendur (Thoothukudi), Palani (Dindigul), Swamimalai (near Kumbakonam) and Thiruthani (Tiruvallur).
Pancha Sabhai (five halls of Nataraja's dance). Chidambaram (the Kanaka or Ponnambalam Sabha), Madurai (Velli Ambalam, the silver hall), Tiruvalangadu (Ratna Sabha), Tirunelveli (Tamra Sabha) and Courtallam (Chitra Sabha).
Hymn-sung temples. The 63 Nayanmars and Thevaram hymns celebrate 274 Shiva temples called Paadal Petra Sthalams, most of them in Tamil Nadu. The 12 Alvars praised 108 Vishnu shrines, the Divya Desams, of which a large number are in Tamil Nadu. For the saints and the hymn collections, see Tamil epics and bhakti literature.
Architecture terms examiners use
- Gopuram: the tall gateway tower typical of Dravidian temples. In the Chola period the vimana (tower above the sanctum) was the tallest part, as at Thanjavur. The tall gopurams dominate later temples, from the Pandya and Vijayanagara-Nayak periods.
- Mandapa: the pillared hall.
- Pallava styles: cave temples (Mahendra), monolithic rathas (Mamalla), structural temples (Rajasimha). The sequence is on ancient dynasties of Tamil Nadu.
- Temple festivals: Chithirai Thiruvizha at Madurai, Karthigai Deepam at Thiruvannamalai, Mahamaham at Kumbakonam every 12 years (last held in 2016), Arudra Darshan at Chidambaram. See festivals of Tamil Nadu.
The state's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department administers most large temples. Churches, dargahs and other places of worship are also important in culture questions: the Basilica of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni (Nagapattinam) and the Nagore Dargah are the two most often asked.
Frequently asked questions
Which temple's gopuram is on the Tamil Nadu emblem?
The Andal temple at Srivilliputhur, in Virudhunagar district.
Who built the Thanjavur Big Temple?
The Chola king Rajaraja I. It was completed in 1010 and is one of the Great Living Chola Temples listed by UNESCO.
Which temple is the Pancha Bhoota temple for space?
The Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram. The other three Tamil Nadu temples in the group are at Kanchipuram, Thiruvanaikaval and Thiruvannamalai.
Which is the biggest temple complex in Tamil Nadu?
Srirangam's Ranganathaswamy Temple is generally named as the largest, with 21 gopurams and seven enclosures.
How much do temples matter in the TNPSC paper?
Temple questions come under Tamil Nadu history and culture, usually as matching or "who built" questions. The TNPSC guide to the unit shows how the unit is weighted.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department: temple directory and festival notices.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: the three Chola temples and Mahabalipuram.
- Archaeological Survey of India: protected temple monuments.
Details of rebuilding and dates vary across sources, so use the standard textbook version for exams.
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