List of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu

This is a list of temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is the state with the highest amount of temples in India. According to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 390,615 Hindu temples in the state. Many of these temples are over 800 years old and are spread across the state. These temples were built over centuries by the rulers of various dynasties.
The state holds some of the largest Hindu temples. Historical records for the temple date back to at least 3,000 years ago. In Indian and Tamil culture, temples are not only considered as a place for spirituality but also shows the way of living, art, culture, knowledge, and sacrifice of people's life to protect the temples from invaders. Many temples contain inscriptions detailing the democratic rule of kings, which later inspired India's modern voting system.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Maha Vishnu, is located in Srirangam. It is the largest temple compound in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world. Some of these structures have been renovated, expanded and rebuilt over the centuries as a living temple. The latest addition is the outer tower that is approximately tall and was completed in 1987. The temple is an active Hindu house of worship and follows the Tenkalai tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. The temple is one of the oldest temples in the world, which consists of inscriptions dating around 100 BCE. The annual 21-day festival conducted during the Tamil month of Margali attracts at least one million visitors every year. The temple complex has been nominated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and is in UNESCO's tentative list.
Other temples like Madurai's Kallalagar temple — which has high Gopuram towers ornamented with colourful figures — and the Meenakshi Temple, which has high colourful towers and great long halls, are also of note. On Pamban Island, Ramanathaswamy Temple is a pilgrimage site. The town of Kanyakumari, at India's southernmost tip, is the site of ritual sunrises.
The state also abounds with 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 Ganesha

Temples of Murugan

Six Abodes of Murugan

Other major [Murugan] temples

Six Abodes of Murugan, the six sacred mountains of Tamil Nadu.

S.No	Name of Temple	Name of Deity	Location	Built around	Notes/Beliefs
1	Balasubraminiya Swamy Temple	Murugan	Thiruvidakazhi, Mayiladuthurai	25 CE	It is a 2000-year-old Murugan temple believed that Lord Murugan worshipped Lord Shiva here, making the temple a sacred site for absolving sins and removing obstacles to marriage.
2	Kuzhanthai Velappar Temple	Murugan	Poombarai	1000 CE	The Kuzhanthai Velappar Temple has three thousand years of history and was consecrated by Bhogar. The idol is made of Navaphasanam. As per inscriptions in the temple which temple has built by king of Chera dynasty during 10/12 Century.There is a song-poem by Aruna giri nathar who lived during the 15th century
3	Sri Navaneethaswara Swamy Temple	Singaravelavar	Sikkal	-	Murugan received his weapon, the Velayudham, from his mother Parvathi and used it to perform the Surasamharam at Tiruchendur.
4	Marudamalai Subramanya Swamy Temple	Dandayudhapani Swamy	Marudamalai	1200 CE	It's here that The Devas approach Murugan to seek his help in destroying Surapadman.
5	Kumarakkottam Subramanya Swamy Temple	Brahmasaastha	Kumarakkottam	-	Kachiappa Sivachariar wrote the sacred Kanda Puraanam at this temple. Also, Murugan assumed the role of the Creator here, after imprisoning Brahma for his ignorance of the meaning of the Pranava manthiram.
6	Valliyur Subramanya Swamy Temple	Aanantha Kalyana Subramanyar thirumalai kovil, shencottai	Valliyur	-	The Subramanyar Temple at Valliyur in Tirunelveli District is a rock-cut sanctum carved out of a hill. The Saravanappoigai in this temple was created by Murugan at the request of Valli, his consort.
7	Vallakkottai Murugan Temple	Kodaiyandavar	Vallakkottai	-	The Murugan idol in this temple is the tallest in Tamil Nadu, at 7 ft.
8	Kandaswamy Temple	Kandaswamy	Tirupporur	1000 CE	After killing Surapadman at Tiruchendur, Murugan killed the rest of the asuras here, at Tirupporur
9	Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple	Kumara Vayalur	Tiruchirappalli	1200 years	Muruga blessed the saint-poet Arunagiri Nāthar at Vayalur by writing OM in his tongue and initiated him to compose Tiruppugal. Arunagirināthar wrote 18 verses on Vayalur in the Tiruppukal. Nataraja is in the Sadura Danda pose in this Temple.
10	Shanmuganathan Temple	Aarumaga Swamy	Viralimalai	-	Sage Vasishtar and his wife Arundhathi pray Murugan here to ward off their curses. The temple is also known for its peacocks.
11	Mayilam Murugan Temple	Aarumaga Swamy.	Mayilam	-	At the end of Surasamharam, one half of Surapadman assumed the form of the peacock here.
12	Pazhani Aandavar Temple	Pazhani Andavar	Vadapalani, Chennai	1875 CE	One of the temples built in the modern era, this temple had extensive patronage from the renowned devotee of Murugan Arulmigu Kribanandha Variyar..
13	Sri Vetri Velayudhaswami Temple	Kaithamalai	Uttukuli	Not Known but Reconstructed in 1999	Vetri Velyadhaswami appeared in front the great Tamil saint Agastiyar and helped him to perform his pooja Agastiyar.
14	Thindal Murugan Temple	Thindalmalai	Erode	-	Velyadhaswami temple is a model of Birla Mandir, with Golden Temple Car.
15	Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy Thirukovil	Sivanmalai, Kangayam,	Tirupur	-	One of the well known myths associated with Siva is his conquest of Tripuram – the three celestial cities which the Asuras had taken over, and wreaked havoc over them. The Devas appealed to Siva for help and asked him to save them from the demons. Siva made mount Meru his bow, and Vasuki the serpent his bow-string and prepared to wage war against the Asuras.
16	Arulmigu Balamurugan Temple	Pachaimalai	Gobichettipalayam	-	One of the two hill temples for Murugan in Gobi, the other one being Pavazhamalai which is only 2 km away from Pachaimalai. Though this temple is very old, the structure has been built starting 1967.
17	Muthu Kumaraswamy Temple	Pavalamalai	Gobichettipalayam	-	The second hill temple for Murugan in Gobi.
18	Siragiri Dandayudhapani	Chennimalai	Erode	-	This hill is also called Sigaragiri, Pushpagiri and Siragiri and is located between Kangeyam and Perundurai. It is one of the better known temples of Murugan in Coimbatore district where Arunagirinathar was blessed with "Padikasu", wealth of coins. This is where a miracle took place in the year 1984 on 12 February. On that eventful day two bullocks of their own accord pulled a bullock cart up the 1320 steps. Saravana Munivar wrote the most popular Chennimalai Sthalapuranam 700 years ago. Milk and curds are used as special offerings to Murugan in Chennimalai and it is the general belief that curds do not become sour here.
19	Velayudhasamy Thirukoil	Pugazhi malai	Karur	2000CE	The temple is located on a hillock. This place is called Aarunattar malai which is considered as one of the oldest Hill rock of the south.
20	Balasubramaniya Murugan Temple	Vennai malai	Karur	1800CE	The temple was worshiped by Brahma and Kamadhenu. This ancient temple dedicated to Muruga has the distinction of being visited by the Saiva saint Arunagirinathar once. This hill temple enshrines the images of Murugan.
21	Arulmigu Balamurugan Temple	Rathnagiri	Thirumanikundram, Vellore	1500CE	Rathinagiri Bala Murugan Temple was built around the 14th century. Over the passage of time an ordinary sand structure was converted into a stone shrine. The 14th Century poet *Arunagirinathar' has sung about this temple as* Rathinakiri Vazh Murukane Ilaya Vaaramarar Perumaley**, which means 'Murugan, the God of Devas resides in Rathinagiri'
22	Rajendra Chozheewarar Temple	Balasubramaniyan	Periyakulam, Theni	-	-
23	Sri Kolanjiappar Temple	Kolanjiappar	Manavalanallur 2 km from Vriddhachalam	1000 years old	The benevolent Shiva so as to liberate the entire living being has incarnated himself in many holy Shrines in the so-called Middle Country.. Vriddhachalam is the best among such holy shrines. Two Mile west of this, there is a small village namely Manavalanallur. Where there is abundance of flowery trees bristling with humming of birds and insects. It is known as Manavalanallur because Murugan, the Manavalan has embodied himself here. In the words of Arunagirinathar. "He is the Manavalan residing in the monkeys inhabited hill"
24	Uthanda Velayudhaswamy temple, Uthiyur	Velayudhasamy	Uthiyur Hills, Kangeyam, Tiruppur district	9th century CE	Uthanda Velayudhasamy Temple is the main shrine dedicated turugan after a flight of 100 steps in Uthiyur hills from the ground. It built in dravidian architecture with a huge water-well as well and the little path with few rocky steps beside the temple lead to the base of a hillock and the steps ended there as well. In this shrine, Velayudhaswamy appears with his spear and Peacock. There are many sculptures here and also some ancient era hero-stones.
25	Balasubramaniyar Temple, Siruvaapuri	Balasubramaniyar	Chinnambedu, Siruvaapuri, Tiruvallur	14th century CE	Siruvaapuri is connected to the epic Ramayanam and is the place where the sons' of Rama, Lava and Kusha lived. Since they fought with Rama here it is called "Siruvar Por Puri", which latter became "Siruvaapuri". However, the village is now called as Chinnambedu. Arunagirinathar the Tamil Saint of 14th century CE has visited this temple and has composed Tiruppukal songs on the Murugan in this temple. He is standing facing the deity. The special feature of this temple is the presence of emarald peacock. The village is located 40 km from Chennai and can be reached by a detour before reaching Puduvoyal near Kavarapettai, before Gummidipoondi in Chennai - Kolkatta NH.