Most beautiful temple in India

[Perfection]

Kapaleashwarar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva also known as Adi Bhagwan of Dravidians and his consort. Lord Shiva (eswarar) was wearing a necklace of skulls, so the name Kapaleashwarar. The original 8th century Dravidian Jain temple was built by the Pallavas and located on the shore but it was destroyed by the Portuguese.

The Vijayanagara kings rebuilt the temple during the 16th century and added two entrances to the temple marked by the gopuram on either side. The east gopuram is 37 m high, while the smaller western gopuram faces the sacred tank.



Festivals

Arupathimoovar festival attracts a huge crowd. Lot of sweets, savouries, juices, buttermilk are served to the pilgrims during the festival. Pongal and Navrathri (Sep.) are celebrated with great pomp.

Panguni Peruvizha is in mid Mar to mid April and the main attraction is the chariot festival. The Chariot (13 m in height) will be decorated with flowers and statues. Huge gathering will be there to pull the Ther (chariot). It is a nine day festival.

[Perfection]

Kanyakumari temple

Devi Kanya Kumari, known as Kumari Amman (the virgin goddess) is one of the forms of Devi is located on the shore. She is popularly known as "Bhagavathy Amman". Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located in Kanya Kumari (formerly Cape Comorin) on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. She is also known by several other names, including Kanya Devi, and Devi Kumari. The worship of Devi Kanya Kumari dates back to the Vedic times.
It is a Shakti Peetha dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance to obtain Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The sparkling diamond nose-ring of the deity is said to be visible even from the sea.

Nearby attractions

Vivekanda Rock Memorial

On two rocky islets just off the shore, southeast of the Kumari Amman temple, are the Vivekanda Rock Memorial, built in
1970, and the gigantic 133 ft statue of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar, one of the biggest statues in Asia. One of the
rocks called Sri Padhaparai is said to bear the footprints of the virgin goddess. Swami Vivekananda is said to have seated
on this rock in deep meditation. Also on this rock, there is a Dhyana mandapam, an area for meditation. Ferry services are
available to reach the memorial.



Gandhi Memorial

The Gandhi Memorial has been built on the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing
before immersion. Resembling central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial was designed in such a way that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, October 2, the first rays of the sun fall on the exact place where his ashes were kept.

How to Reach

Well connected to nearby major cities - Nagercoil (22 km) and Thiruvananthapuram (85 km) by road and rail. Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram (90 km) away.

[Perfection]

Mahabalipuram temple & Rathas (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla.

* Thirukadalmallai, the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu
* Descent of the Ganges - a giant open-air bas relief



* Arjuna's Penance - relief sculpture on a massive scale extolling an episode from the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata.

In one interpretation, a figure in the bas-relief who is standing on one leg is said to be Arjuna performing an austerity
Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war. The boon which Arjuna is said to have
received was called Pasupata, Shiva's most powerful weapon.



* Varaha Cave Temple - a small rock cut 7th century temple.

[Perfection]

* Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled — each of these is carved from one single large piece of granite.

Draupadi & Arjuna rathas

[Perfection]

* The Shore Temple - a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal.

[Perfection]

Papavinasar Temple at Papanasam near Ambasamudram (Tirunelveli)
Parameswaraswami temple at Palakkodu near Dharmapuri
Paranthurai Eswarar Temple at Thathamanji near Ponneri (Chennai)
Paridiyappar Temple at Paridiyappar Kovil (Saliyamangalam) near Thanjavur
Parijatavaneswarar Temple at Tirukkallar (Mannargudi) near Thanjavur
Parimala Ranganathar Temple (Indaloor) at Mayiladuturai
Parthasarathy Perumal temple at Devapandalam near Kallakurichi (Villuppuram)
Pasupateeswarar Temple at Avur (Papanasam) near Kumbakonam
Pasupateeswarar Temple at Tirukkandeeswaram near Mayiladuturai
Pasupateswarar Temple at Tiruvetkalam near Chidambaram
Pasupatheeswarar temple at Varanjaram near Kallakurichi (Villuppuram)
Pasupathi Nathar Temple at Pasupati Kovil near Kumbakonam
Pasupati Nathar Temple at Thittai near Kumbakonam
Pataladri Narasimhar Temple at Singaperumal Koil near Chingelput
Pataleswarar Temple at Cuddalore (Patirippuliyur) near Cuddalore(Patirippuliyur)
Patanjaleeswaraswamy temple at Kalnattampuliyur near Chidambaram (Paadal Petra Stalam)
Patanjali Manoharar Temple at Tiruvilamar near Tiruvarur
Pathangeeswarar Temple at Chingelput
Pattabhiramar Tample at Pudu Agraharam (Tiruvaiyaru) near Thanjavur
Pattabiramar Templ at Neiyadivakkam near Kanchipuram
Patteeswarar Temple at Patteeswaram near Kumbakonam
Patteeswaraswami Temple at Perur near Coimbatore (1st century BC)
Pattinathar Temple at Tiruvotriyur near Chennai
Pavalavarneeswarar Temple at Kanchipuram
Payaraneeswaraswamy temple at Udayarpalayam near Gangaikondacholapuram (Aduturai)
Pazhampathi Naathar Temple at Tiruppunavail near Pudukkottai
Perarulalan Perumal Temple at Tirunangur (Sirkali) near Chidambaram
Perumal Temple at Sundappalayam (Coimbatore)
Srinivasa perumal Temple at pappanaickenpalayam (Coimbatore)
Pichaleeswarar Temple at Panapakkam near Minjur (Chennai)
Pichandeeswarar Temple at Vengal near Tiruvallur
Pidari Selliamman Temple at Karnizhampattu near Tiruvallur
Piriya Eswarar Temple at Kattoor Aiyanpettai (Tirukkaraveeram) near Tiruvarur
Pon Vaidyanatheswarar Temple at Chitrambur (Ponnirai) near Tiruvarur
Pon Madaswamy temple at Peyanvilai near Arumuganeri
Ponnambalanathaswamy temple at Nallathur near Cuddalore

[Perfection]

Poolanandheeswarar Temp!e at Chinnamanur near Madurai
Poomal Vaidyanathan Temple at Tanjore near Thanjavur
Poondhurai Jain Temple at Cheenapuram near Erode
Poongavanaththamman temple at Sevvampatti near Krishnagiri
Poovannanathaswami Temple at Kovilpatti (Tuticorin)
Poyya Vinayagar temple at Deevanur near Dindivanam
Pradeeswarar Temple at Veligram (Nagari) near Tiruttani
Pradigangeswarar Temple at Neiyadivakkam near Kanchipuram
Pralayakaleeswarar temple at Pennadam near Pennadam (Vriddachalam, South Arcot)
Pralayanathaswamy Temple at Cholavandan near Madurai
Prana Nathar Temple at Tirumangalakkudi near Kumbakonam (Paadal Petra Stalam)
Prasanna Eswarar Temple at Devadanam near Ponneri (Chennai)
Prasanna Venkata Narasimhaswamy Temple at Chennai (Saidapet)
Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple at Gunaseelam near Musiri (Tiruchirappalli)
Prasanna Venkataramana Perui at Neepathurai near Polur (Tiruvannamalai)
Prasanna Venkataramanaswami temple at Karavalli near Salem (Omalur)
Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple at Arumandai near Ponneri (Chennai)
Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple at Chennai (Mandaiveli)
Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple at Chennai (Nungambakkam)
Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple at Malaivaiyavoor (Padalam) near Madurantakam
Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple at Thirupparakadal near Tiruttani
Prasanna Venkateswara Temple at Tanjore near Thanjavur
Pundarikakshar Temple at Tiruvellarai near Tiruchirappalli
Punnainallur Ramar Temple at Punnainallur near Thanjavur
Punyakoteeswarar Temple at Pillayarpalayam near Kanchipuram
Purambaya Naathar Temple at Tiruppurampayam near Kumbakonam
Puratana Vaneswarar at Tiruchitrambalam near Pattukkottai (Thanjavur)
Purushottama Perumal temple at Ambasamudram (Tirunelveli)
Purushottaman Temple at Tirunangur (Sirkali) near Chidambaram
Pushpagireeswarar Temple at Poondy near Chennai
Pushparatha Eswarar Temple at Nayar near Ponneri (Chennai)
Pushpavana Naathar at Poovannur (Mannargudi) near Thanjavur
Pushpavana Naathar at Tiruppoonthuruthi near Kumbakonam
Pushpavaneswarar (Poovananathar) Temple at Tiruppoovanam near Madurai
Puthrakameswarar temple at Arani near Vellore
Putrankondeeswarar Temple at Sirukundram near Chingelput Parthasarathy Temple at Chennai