Mayiladuthurai district

The town's principal Shiva temple, where goddess Parvati is said to have worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock (mayil), giving Mayiladuthurai its name. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Shiva is worshipped here as Vaidyanathar, the healer-god, and this is the Angaraka (Mars) navagraha shrine; the surrounding village is a centre of Naadi palm-leaf astrology. This temple guide belongs to the Vaitheeswaran Koil planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Shiva temple linked to the legend of Shiva saving the boy-devotee Markandeya from Yama; nationally famous for hosting Shashtiabdapoorthi (60th) and Sadabhishekam (80th) birthday remarriage ceremonies. This temple guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Large three-tiered Shiva temple (Brahmapureeswarar/Sattainathar) and the birthplace of the 7th-century child-saint Thirugnana Sambandar. This temple guide belongs to the Sirkazhi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Ancient Shiva temple that is the Budhan (Mercury) shrine of the nine Navagraha temples, a major stop on the Navagraha pilgrimage circuit. This temple guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A shore Shiva temple built in 1306 by the Pandya king Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I, standing by the sea just north of Fort Dansborg. This temple guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Danish fort begun in 1620 by admiral Ove Gjedde, the second-largest Danish fort ever built; now an ASI museum displaying Danish colonial and Nayak-era artefacts. This heritage guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

The ancient Chola port city at the mouth of the Kaveri, a Sangam-era capital that traded with Rome and Southeast Asia, celebrated in the Tamil epic Silappathikaram; the site of ongoing marine archaeology. This heritage guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Ancient Shiva temple at Poompuhar associated with the historic Chola port and Sangam-era Kaveripoompattinam; the wider site has also yielded Buddhist vihara remains. This temple guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Shiva temple near Poompuhar that is the Ketu shrine of the nine Navagraha temples, drawing pilgrims performing Ketu-dosha remedies. This temple guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Consecrated in 1718 by pioneering Danish missionary Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg, one of India's oldest Protestant churches, with Ziegenbalg's grave on site. This church guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

One of the earliest Danish Protestant churches in India (built 1701), a landmark of the historic Tranquebar Mission. This church guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Chola-era Shiva temple renowned for its huge bronze Nataraja and Chola mural fragments, one of the finest bronze-casting sites of the era. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Vishnu (Perumal) temple in the Chola-heartland village of Therazhundur, one of two major shrines in the village alongside the separate Vedapureeswarar Shiva temple. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

The Shiva shrine of Therazhundur village, a separate temple from the Devaadi Raja Perumal (Vishnu) temple in the same village. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Shiva temple (Swarnapureeswarar/Sornapurisvarar) in Sembanarkoil, part of the dense cluster of Chola-era shrines in the Kaveri delta near Sirkazhi. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Chola-period Shiva temple (Viratteswara) in Vazhuvur village, known for its sculptural panels including a Gajasamharamurti depiction. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

Shiva temple in Thiruvaduthurai, seat of the historic Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam mutt, a major Shaiva monastic institution in the Kaveri delta. This temple guide belongs to the Mayiladuthurai planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

The former Danish colonial seafront town, its colonial-era bungalows (some now heritage hotels) lining the beach beside Fort Dansborg. This beach guide belongs to the Tharangambadi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (nature option in Kochi)

The Bay of Bengal beach at Poompuhar, near the mouth of the Kaveri and the site of the ancient Chola port of Kaveripoompattinam. This beach guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (nature option in Kochi)

A quieter Bay of Bengal beach near the fishing village of Thirumullaivasal in Sirkazhi taluk, at a river-sea confluence. This beach guide belongs to the Sirkazhi planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (nature option in Kochi)

A Vishnu temple on the bank of the Cauvery at Thiruindalur, adjoining Mayiladuthurai town, counted among the 108 Divya Desams. The reclining deity is worshipped as Parimala Ranganatha (Sugandhavana Nathan) with his consort Parimala Ranganayaki. It was glorified in the hymns of Tirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar and is closely tied to the Cauvery pilgrimage circuit. This temple guide belongs to the Thiruindalur planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Chola-period Shiva temple in the coastal village of Tiruchaikadu (Sayavanam) near Kaveripoompattinam. It is the 63rd Devaram Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 9th on the north bank of the Cauvery, glorified in the Thevaram hymns. It belongs to the group of shrines near the Cauvery mouth that includes Thalachangadu, Pallavaneswaram at Poompuhar and Thiruvenkadu. This temple guide belongs to the Poompuhar planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)

A Shiva temple in Tirupunkur village, about 2 km from Vaitheeswaran Koil, counted among the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams and hymned by Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. It is famous for its link to the Dalit Nayanar saint Nandanar: forbidden entry, he prayed from the gate and the temple's Nandi bull miraculously shifted aside so he could see the deity. The shrine also has a Rishabha Theertham tank said to have been created by Nandanar. This temple guide belongs to the Tirupunkur planning base in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)