Temples of Tamilnadu - a Vignette

2013-06-06 8

Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, known as Land of Temples. Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 1200 years old, are found scattered all over the state. Most of the largest Hindu Temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
The state also abounds with a large number of temple tanks. The state has 2,359 temple tanks located in 1,586 temples. The government has identified 1,068 tanks for renovation.
Temples of Tamil Nadu can be categorized as below:
• Temples of Sangam Age
• Temples of Thevaram Hymns
• Temples of Divya Prabhantham Hymns
• Cave Temples of the Pallavas
• Cave Temples of Pandiyas
• Rockcut Monolith Temples of the Pallavas
• Rockcut Monolith Temples of the Pandiyas
• Structural Temples of the Pallavas
• Structural Temples of the Pandiyas
• Structural Temples of the Cholas
• Structural Temples of Vijayanagar / Nayaks