Tamil Nadu - Pilgrimages and Temples

Religious Traditions of Tamil Nadu:

- Moksha Puri → Kanchipuram
- All India Char Dham → Rameshwaram
- Shakti Peetha → Kanchipuram (Kanchi Shakti Peetha) - Suchindram (Anala Shakti Peetha) - Kanyakumari (Kanyashrama Shakti Peetha)
- Jyotirlinga → Rameshwaram (Rameshwara Jyotirlinga)
- Pancha Bhoota Sthalam → Kanchipuram (Prithivi Lingam) - Thiruvanaikaval (Jala Lingam) - Thiruvannamalai (Agni Lingam) - Chidambaram (Akasha Lingam)
- Paadal Petra Sthalam → Kanchipuram (Thirukachi Ekambam) - Thiruvanaikaval (Thiru Anaikka) - Thiruvannamalai (Thiru Annamalai) - Chidambaram (Koyil) - Rameshwaram (Rameshwaram) - Madurai (Thiru Aalavai) - Many others
- Swayam Vyakta Kshetra → Srirangam - Srimushnam - Thoyadri (Thiruneermalai) or Thotadri (Vanamamalai)
- Divya Desam → Srirangam (Bhuloka Vaikuntha) - Kanchipuram (Thirukachi Athigiri or Varadaraja Perumal) - Madurai (Thirumaliruncholai or and Azhagar Koyil) - Many others
- Pancha Ranga Kshetra → (1) Srirangapatna (Ranganatha Perumal) - (2) Srirangam (Ranganatha Perumal) - (3) Thirupper Nagar (Appakudatthan Perumal) - (4) Thirukudanthai (Sarangapani Perumal) or Vedaranyam (Ranganatha Perumal Perumal) - (5) Thiru Indaloor (Parimala Ranganatha Perumal)
- Arupadai Veedu → (1) Thirupparankundram - (2) Tiruchendur - (3) Palani - (4) Swamimalai - (5) Tiruttani - (6) Pazhamudircholai

---

1.

Devi Tradition of Tamil Nadu:
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

• Kanchipuram → Devi abides in Kanchipuram as Kanchi Shakti Peetha.

• Suchindram → Devi abides in Suchindram as Anala Shakti Peetha.

• Kanyakumari → Devi abides in Kanyakumari as Kanyashrama Shakti Peetha.

• Madurai → Devi abides in Madurai as Devi Meenakshi.

• Thiruvanaikaval → Devi abides in Thiruvanaikaval as Devi Akhilandeshwari.

• Thiruvannamalai → Devi abides in Thiruvannamalai as Devi Unnamulai.

• Chidambaram → Devi abides in Chidambaram as Devi Shivakama Sundari.

---

2.

Shiva Tradition of Tamil Nadu:
(Shiva Purana)
(Skanda Purana - Arunachala Mahatmya)
(Chidambara Mahatmya)
(Skanda Purana - Setu Mahatmya)

• Rameshwaram → Lord Shiva was worshipped by Sri Rama at Rameshwaram and Lord Shiva abides there as Rameshwara Jyotirlinga.

• Kanchipuram → Lord Shiva abides in Kanchipuram as Lord Ekambareshwara.

• Madurai → Lord Shiva abides in Madurai as Lord Sundareshwara.

• Thiruvanaikaval → Lord Shiva abides in Thiruvanaikaval as Lord Jambukeshwarar.

• Thiruvannamalai → Lord Shiva abides in Thiruvannamalai as Lord Arunachaleshwarar.

• Chidambaram → Lord Shiva abides in Chidambaram as Lord Nataraja.

---

3.

Vishnu Tradition of Tamil Nadu:
(Sriranga Mahatmya)

• Srirangam → Lord Vishnu abides in Srirangam as Sri Ranganatha (DD-1).

• Kanchipuram → Lord Vishnu abides in Kanchipuram as Sri Varadaraja Swamy (DD-43).

• Thoyadri (Thiruneermalai) → Lord Vishnu abides in Thiruneermalai as Sri Ranganatha Perumal (DD-61).

• Thotadri (Vanamamalai) → Lord Vishnu abides in Vanamamalai as Sri Thotadrinatha Perumal (DD-90).

• Madurai → Lord Vishnu abides in Madurai as Sri Azhagar (DD-102).

• Lord Vishnu abides in various Divya Desams of Tamil Nadu in various other forms.

---

4.

Rama Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Rameshwaram → Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva at Rameshwaram before waging war with Ravana at Lanka.
- Sri Rama gave refuge to Vibhisana while camping in the Southern Sea.
- Sri Rama gave protection to Shuka in the Southern Sea.
- Sri Rama encountered the Ocean-god in the Southern Sea to get a way to cross the ocean.
- Sri Rama built a bridge across the ocean to Lanka with the help of the vanaras.

• Thirupullam Bhutangudi → Sri Rama abides in Thirupullam Bhutangudi Divya Desam as Sri Valvil Raman (DD-10).

• Thiruvelliyankudi → Sri Rama abides in Thiruvelliyankudi Divya Desam as Sri Kolavilli Raman (DD-22).

• Thiruputkuzhi → Sri Rama abides in Thiruputkuzhi Divya Desam as Sri Vijayaraghava Perumal (DD-57).

• Thiruneermalai → Sri Rama abides in Thiruneermalai Divya Desam as Sri Neervanna Perumal (DD-61).

• Madhurantakam → Sri Rama abides in Madurantakam as Eri Katha Rama.

---

5.

Krishna Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Thirukavalampadi → Sri Krishna abides in Thirukavalampadi Divya Desam as Sri Gopalakrishnan (DD-27).

• Thiruparthanpalli → Sri Krishna abides in Thiruparthanpalli Divya Desam as Sri Parthasarathy (DD-39).

• Thirupadagam → Sri Krishna abides in Thirupadagam Divya Desam as Sri Pandavadootar (DD-48).

• Thiruvallikkeni → Sri Krishna abides in Thiruvallikkeni Divya Desam as Sri Parthasarathy (DD-60).

---

6.

Varaha Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Srimushnam → Lord Varaha abides in Srimushnam as Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy (Swayam Vyakta Kshetra).

• Thiruvidanthai → Lord Varaha abides in Thiruvidanthai Divya Desam as Sri Lakshmi Varaha Perumal (DD-62).

---

7.

Vamana Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Sirkazhi → Lord Vamana abides in Sirkazhi Divya Desam as Lord Trivikrama (DD-28).

• Thirukoyilur → Lord Vamana abides in Thirukoyilur Divya Desam as Lord Trivikrama (DD-42).

• Thiru Ooragam → Lord Vamana abides in Thiru Ooragam Divya Desam as Lord Trivikrama (DD-50).

• Thirukatkarai → Lord Vamana abides in Thirukatkarai Divya Desam as Lord Katkaraiappan (DD-78).

---

8.

Narasimha Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Thiruthanjai Mamani Koyil → Lord Narasimha abides in Thiruthanjai Mamani Koyil Divya Desam as Lord Narasimhan (DD-20).

• Thiruvali Thirunagari → Lord Narasimha abides in Thiruvali Thirunagari Divya Desam as Lord Lakshmi Narasimhar (DD-34).

• Thiruvelukkai → Lord Narasimha abides in Thiruvelukkai Divya Desam as Lord Azhagiya Singar (DD-46).

• Thirukadigai → Lord Narasimha abides in Thirukadigai Divya Desam (Sholingur) as Lord Yoga Narasimhar (DD-64).

---

9.

Hayagriva Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Thiruvahindrapuram → Lord Hayagriva abides in Thiruvahindrapuram Divya Desam (who was worshipped by Sri Vedanta Desika) (DD-41).

---

10.

Skanda (Murugan) Tradition of Tamil Nadu:

• Thirupparankundram → Sri Murugan abides in Thirupparankundram (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Tiruchendur → Sri Murugan abides in Tiruchendur (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Palani → Sri Murugan abides in Palani (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy.

• Swamimalai → Sri Murugan abides in Swamimalai (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Swaminatha Swamy.

• Tiruttani → Sri Murugan abides in Tiruttani (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Pazhamudircholai → Sri Murugan abides in Pazhamudircholai (Arupadai Veedu Sthalam) as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Siruvapuri → Sri Murugan abides in Siruvapuri as Sri Bala Subramanya.

• Ratnagiri → Sri Murugan abides in Ratnagiri as Sri Balamurugan.

• Kumara Kottam → Sri Murugan abides in Kumara Kottam as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Vallakottai → Sri Murugan abides in Vallakottai as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Thiruporur → Sri Murugan abides in Thiruporur as Sri Kanda Swamy.

• Mailam → Sri Murugan abides in Mailam as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Chennimalai → Sri Murugan abides in Chennimalai as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Ettukudi → Sri Murugan abides in Ettukudi as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Sikkal → Sri Murugan abides in Sikkal as Sri Singara Velar.

• Kumaran Kundru → Sri Murugan abides in Kumaran Kundru as Sri Kalyana Subramanya Swamy.

• Marudamalai → Sri Murugan abides in Marudamalai as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Sivanmalai → Sri Murugan abides in Sivanmalai as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Uttukuli Kaithamalai → Sri Murugan abides in Sivanmalai as Sri Vetri Velayudha Swamy.

• Vayalur → Sri Murugan abides in Sivanmalai as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Viralimalai → Sri Murugan abides in Viralimalai as Sri Shanmuganathar.

• Valliyur → Sri Murugan abides in Valliyur as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

• Vellimalai → Sri Murugan abides in Vellimalai Kumara Kovil as Sri Subramanya Swamy.

---

11.

Sages and Tamil Nadu:

• Agastya (Various) → Sage Agastya migrated from the northern part of Bharatavarsha to the southern part. Many temples of Tamil Nadu are associated with sage Agastya.

• Vyaghrapada (Chidambaram) → Sage Vyaghrapada stayed in Thillai Vana (Chidambaram) and witnessed the Tandava dance of Lord Shiva along with the Devas.

• Patanjali (Chidambaram) → Sage Patanjali stayed in Thillai Vana (Chidambaram) and witnessed the Tandava dance of Lord Shiva along with the Devas.

---

12.

Saints and Tamil Nadu:

• Alvars (5th - 9th Century) (Various) → Alvars were poet-saints of Tamil Nadu whose lives embodied ecstatic devotion towards Lord Vishnu.

• Nayanmars (5th - 9th Century) (Various) → Nayanmars were saints mostly from Tamil Nadu whose lives embodied deep devotion towards Lord Shiva.

• Adi Shankaracharya (788 - 820 CE?) (Kanchipuram) → Sri Adi Shankaracharya is said to have established a fifth monastery in Kanchipuram (apart from the four in Joshimath, Dwarka, Puri and Shringeri).

---

13.

Sacred Geography of Tamil Nadu:

Mountains:
☗ Hastigiri Hill → Kanchipuram
☗ Arunachala Mountain → Thiruvannamalai
☗ Gandhamadana Parvat → Rameshwaram
☗ Thiruparankundram Hill → Thirupparankundram
☗ Palani Hills → Palani
☗ Pazhamudircholai Hill → Pazhamudircholai

Rivers:
▬ Vegavati flows → Kanchipuram
▬ Palar flows → Kanchipuram
▬ Vellar flows → Chidambaram
▬ Kaveri flows → Srirangam - Thiruvanaikaval - Suchindram - Swamimalai
▬ Kollidam flows → Srirangam - Suchindram
▬ Vaigai flows → Madurai

Seas:
☁ Rameshwaram Sea Shore → Rameshwaram
☁ Kanyakumari Sea Shore → Kanyakumari
☁ Tiruchendur Sea Shore → Tiruchendur

Lakes:
◼ Shiva-Ganga Teertha (Temple Tank) → Chidambaram
◼ Saravana Poigai (Temple Tank) → Thirupparankundram

Forests:
☸ Thillai Vana (Puranic) → Chidambaram

Islands:
◆ Kaveri - Kollidam Island