Kudumiyanmalai Shikanathar Temple

Travel for 58 km from Trichy to reach the famous rock-cut temple of Kudumiyanmalai Shikanathar. The temple makes its place over a hillock and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The construction of the temple is believed to be dated back in the 10th century by the Cholas, which was then renovated by Pandyas and Vijayanagar Kings. The temple has also gained popularity because of its unusual inscriptions and prominent sculptures, which is now is undertaken by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The temple worships Lord shiva and Devi Parvati in the form of Shikhanathar and Goddess Akhilandeshwari respectively.  The main attraction of the temple is its mandapa, which has a thousand pillars to be counted. Inside the maha mandapa lies the sculpture of Lord Narasimha depicting his most popular incident of tearing out the entrails of Greedy King Hiranayakasiup. Other sculptures catch everyone’s attention is that of Rati and Manmadh and also of the Siva in dancing posture. The temple holds many stories about its history. The inscriptions on the wall os the temple and over the hill say many stories in itself. Do visit this place to explore some more unsaid stories. Festivals- The temple commences large gatherings on Maha Shivratri (February-March).