The most beautiful religious buildings India

10 km from the city centre, on the road to Dhanushkodi, is the beautiful Sri Kothandarama temple where, according to legend, Vibishana, brother of the demon Ravana who kidnapped Sita, was crowned when he went to Rama. Pilgrims go there at sunset.

Located on the coast, northeast of Port Colachel, this temple is dedicated to the Goddess Amman Bhagavathi. Amman is in the shape of a 3.65 m high ant farm, with five heads, and is believed to continue to grow. The annual Mondaikadu Kodai festivities are celebrated in March for 10 days. The temple, although small, attracts a large crowd of people from the district in addition to a regular flow of pilgrims from Kollam in the state of Kerala. Tamil Nadu Tourism Department organizes a photographic exhibition during the festivities.

On the bus ride from Kodaikanal to Palani, you have a beautiful view of the plains and scattered rock outcrops. The temple of the city of Palani is dedicated to the god Murugan and an electric cable car takes the faithful to the summit, but it takes a while to queue before you can reach it! About 200,000 pilgrims gather there during the Pusam Thai Festival in January.

This large basin (theertham) located in the heart of the city would fill with the water of the Ganges every twelve years. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to bathe there. On a daily basis, water comes from the Cauvery River. The population uses it to perform its ablations, wash and do its laundry.

It is one of the 6 houses of the God Subramanya. Perched on a hill, the temple is accessible by road or by train. 365 steps, which represent the days of the year, leads to the top of the hill. Tiruttani passes to be the place where the god married Valli (one of his two wives). The Fête festival, which takes place in December, is celebrated with splendour.

It is the birthplace of the saint Ramanujar, the father of the Vishishishtadvaita philosophy of Vishnuism, and therefore an important pilgrimage centre for the Vishnuites. It is also the place where Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, was killed in a bomb explosion during a meeting in 1991.

A cave temple, one of the 6 homes of the god Subramaniya. It is here that Lord Muruga married Devayanai, daughter of Indra, after defeating Surapadman. Separate altars are dedicated to Shiva, Ganapathy, Durgai, Vishnu and other gods. At the entrance to the temple are 48 artistically sculpted pillars. Cut into the rock, the temple of Subramaniya is filled with pilgrims on days of worship. Its most secret altar is dug into a solid rock.

Suchindram bears the imprint of various kingdoms. The Thanumalayan Temple, repository of art treasures belonging to these kingdoms, is famous for its musical columns and its impressive 6 m high statue representing the monkey god Hanuman. The main statue represents Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, the trinity of the Hindu pantheon. Inscriptions dating back to the 9th century have been found in this temple.

Dedicated to Krishna, this temple contains a magnificent collection of mural paintings. The temple of Durga is adjacent to it.

This pretty little Orthodox church, inaugurated in 1920, is located in the heart of the city, along a canal. The church celebration takes place on August 15th of each year. A very photogenic place.

This Hindu temple is one of the 108 sastha temples of Kerala. 

A temple dedicated to Rama, famous for its copper roof.

This temple dating back to the ninth century is an important pilgrimage place for Vishnou followers. You may be able to see the priests feeding Babya, the vegetarian crocodile of the temple.

Located in Gorai, just north of the city. Inaugurated on February 8, 2009, this impressive Buddhist monument is a replica of the Yangon pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. Its golden roof is visible from Sanjay Gandhi Park!