Late last year, I wrote a blog post listing out the temples in Tamil Nadu that I had NOT visited and they were still on my bucket list, lamenting that I had not been able to visit them despite having a home in Coimbatore for 4 years (including the 3 COVID years). I also gave a caveat that with the many, many amazing temples in this state, it is not really possible to create a comprehensive list of temples because there will always be more to add. In fact, last year a survey showed that Tamil Nadu had the max number of temples per 1 lakh population in all the Indian states,

I don’t know how accurate this survey data is. But I would attest that making a finite list of temples in Tamil Nadu is pretty tough… and maybe this is true of all Indian states. But, let’s today focus on Tamil Nadu temples. Here is a list of some of the best temples I have visited in Tamil Nadu,

10 Best Tamil Nadu Temples I Have Visited So Far!

Dhyanalinga & Adiyogi temple complex, Coimbatore

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is now world famous and so is the Adiyogi. Not everyone knows that Adiyogi is built by Isha Foundation i.e. Sadhguru. Another matter that most people DON’T know, is the super duper Dhyanalinga temple, a powerful meditative space in the Isha Yoga Center of Coimbatore embodying stillness and silence.
I wrote a longer post on my personal experience of Dhyanalinga here. And if you want to plan a trip to the Adiyogi, refer my detailed guide for Adiyogi Coimbatore here & Adiyogi Chikkaballapur (Bangalore) here.

Map location: https://goo.gl/maps/ch3JUdT1xhBk9f8QA

Arunachaleshwarar, Tiruvannamalai

Situated in the sacred town of Thiruvannamalai, the Arunachaleshwarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and renowned for its massive gopurams (towering gateways) and the vibrant festival of Karthigai Deepam. This is one of the pancha bhoota sthalas, representing the Fire element.
The temple town of Tiruvannamalai has a LOT of ashrams, temples to visit. A few more include Virupakshi cave, Ramana ashram and Aadi Annamalai which is on the other side of the Arunachala hill from Arunachaleshwarar temple.

Map location: https://goo.gl/maps/RmGzqHDdiV1LXe3L7

Kashi Vishwanath Temple by Ooty Lake

Amidst the picturesque beauty of Ooty lies the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a serene abode of Lord Shiva with a LOT of other shrines. The temple itself is very nice but it also has a hall with many samadhis of sages and siddhas. Moreover, Sadhguru Shribrahma spent some time at this temple, and there is a little meditation kutir in this temple. This makes it very special for me. I have earlier written about the pilgrimage trail of spots associated with Sadhguru ShriBrahma, I was very happy to discover this temple as part of that trail on my recent visit to Ooty.

Map location: https://goo.gl/maps/aDmmZrVavcVqbnMY7

And talking about Ooty, special mention for the Toda tribal temple…

Ekambareshwarar, Kanchipuram

One of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas (temples representing the five elements), Ekambareshwarar Temple represents the Earth element. Situated in Kanchipuram, it reverberates spirituality and showcases the architectural brilliance of the Pallava dynasty.

Map Location: https://goo.gl/maps/31QiastYRQ4MkGKA6

Kanchipuram has a plethora of amazing temples like the Perumal Varadaraja, Kamakshi Amman and more.

Thyagaraja Swami Temple, Thiruvottriyur, Chennai

Chennai, though a bustling metro city, is also a temple city. Of the many temples I have visited here, I would like to mention the Thyagaraja swami temple in Thiruvottriyur. This ancient temple, enshrining Lord Shiva as Thyagaraja Swami, is a significant pilgrimage site where devotees seek divine blessings and experience the tranquility of devotion. It has a shrine consecrated by Adishankara himself.

Jain Temples of Puzhal, Chennai

Puzhal, a suburb of Chennai, is famous for the central jail. However, the reason I went there was for a remarkable set of Jain temples offering a glimpse into the glorious Jain heritage of Tamil Nadu with a 2500 year old shrine of Adinath, the first tirthankar of the current set of 24 tirthankars. Apart from the ancient temple, this place also has a very nice new temple coming up. Plus, a Srimad Rajchandra temple. So, a budding tirtha?

Read more about my visit to these temples here

Perur Patteeswarar Temple, Coimbatore

Also in Coimbatore, this temple is located on the banks of the Noyyal River. The Perur Patteeswarar Temple stands as a testament to Dravidian architecture, featuring intricate carvings and a tranquil ambience that transports you to a bygone era. I wrote more on myriad interesting conversations I had on Perur in this blog. We can visit it enroute to Dhyanalinga & Adiyogi Coimbatore. This is also considered one of the Nataraja sthalas, the place where Nataraja ended his Tandava nrutya.

Maruthamalai, Coimbatore

Murugan is often considered the most popular deity in Tamil Nadu, well, this list doesn’t have too many Murugan temples. So about time I mentioned one 🙂 Maruthamalai is a famous Murugan temple in Coimbatore. Nestled amidst lush greenery this temple attracts devotees seeking solace and blessings. The temple’s hilltop location offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. There is a siddhar cave within this temple complex which is kind-of a must visit. There is also a Ganesha temple here.

Matrumandir, Pondicherry

Located in Auroville, near Puducherry, Matrumandir is a spiritual edifice that represents the unity of humanity. The golden globe-shaped structure radiates tranquility and serves as a place for silent meditation. The visit to this temple, includes exploring the Auroville ashram and the quaint Pondicherry townside. Thus, it would be a special memory.
Visiting this temple requires a minimum of two visits. First, where you get the outside tour and you need to take a pass for a second inside visit. Only on the second visit, with the pass, can you sit inside and meditate for a bit.

Here’s a short guide to plan an immersive Auroville visit.

Kanyakumari Sea Rock Temple

Standing on the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent, the Kanyakumari Sea Rock Temple offers breathtaking views of the vast ocean surrounding it. The temple’s unique location adds to its allure, making it a spiritual and visual delight. Vivekananda’s history where he jumped into the ocean and swam to this rock to meditate is also significant for us as spiritual seekers. Watching the sunrise at this place where the waters of three oceans meet is a special activity with the impressive Tiruvalluvar statue rising tall. Also, visit the Bhagvathy amman temple nearby when you are there.

That’s all my list of some of the best temples I have visited in Tamil Nadu. Which ones would you like to add to this list? Tell me in comments below!