Pudukkottai

The most ornate temple in Pudukkottai district, full of bursting baroque sculptures. It is the temple of Athmanatha. It is called Thirupperundurai in inscriptions and is intimately associated with Siva saint Manickavasakar. The sacred book Saivism, Thiruvasakam of Manickavasakar originated from this shrine. God is worshipped formlessly and has no images in the sacnithanam. The utsavamurti of the temple is Manikkavasakar. The mandapams are full of breathtaking sculptures and a veritable gallery of sculptures.

The museum was opened in 1910 by the Thondaiman Rulers. It is one of the largest museums in Tamil Nadu.

The temple complex includes a 1000-pillared hall and has many inscriptions by the Pallava king Mahendravarman including a treatise on music.

Living places of Jains. The place is almost 800 years old. Nearby lake and boating. Nicely landscaped garden.

A fort constructed by Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, the Raja of Ramnad in 1687. The fort has three entrances; one on the north, another on the south and third on the east. The shrines dedicated to Hanuman, Sakti, Ganapati, Karuppar (guardian deities of the fort) are on the southern side and shrine to Bhairava on the northern side. Opposite to this chamber on the western slope of a boulder is a rock-cut cell containing a linga on yonipitha, the spout of which is supported by the figure of a dwarf.