Tamil Nadu

Brihadeeshwara Temple

Thanjavur (Tanjore)

Come here twice: in the morning, when the honey-hued granite begins to assert its dominance over the white dawn sunshine, and in the evening, when the…

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Madurai

The colourful abode of the triple-breasted warrior goddess Meenakshi (‘fish-eyed’ – an epithet for perfect eyes in classical Tamil poetry) is generally…

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Trichy (Tiruchirappalli)

So large it feels like a self-enclosed city, Sri Ranganathaswamy is quite possibly India's biggest temple. It has 49 separate Vishnu shrines, and reaching…

Arjuna’s Penance

Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)

The crowning masterpiece of Mamallapuram’s stonework, this giant relief carving is one of India's greatest ancient artworks. Inscribed on two huge,…

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple

Tamil Nadu

The temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram ('City of the Chola who Conquered the Ganges'), 35km north of Kumbakonam, is dedicated to Shiva. It was built by…

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Tamil Nadu

With a forest’s worth of intricately carved rosewood ceilings and polished-teak beams, this labyrinthine palace, 35km northwest of Kanyakumari, near the…

Arunachaleshwar Temple

Tiruvannamalai

This 10-hectare temple is one of India's largest. Its oldest parts date to the 9th century, but the site was a place of worship long before that. Four…

Royal Palace

Thanjavur (Tanjore)

Thanjavur’s royal palace is a mixed bag of ruin and renovation, superb art and random royal paraphernalia. The mazelike complex was constructed partly by…