This holy place is on the western
ghat of Pothigai Hills. It is close to the Papanasam Falls, on
the banks of the
Thamiraparani river where
Siva and Parvathi appeared before the great saint Agasthiya.Hence
the falls is popularly called the "Agasthiya Falls".
To commemorate the visit of the divine couple, the Agasthiya temple
was built there.
It was one of
the important centres of the Jains. The bas-relief found here are
the contribution of Jains and are among the earliest
of such works.The Vettuvan
Koil (Siva Temple) the rock-cut cave temple is worth visiting.
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The name itself implies that this town is 'Kasi
(Varanasi) of the South'. The flag staff of the temple is
noteworthy for its sculptural beauty and is 400 years old. |
Srivaikuntam is famous for the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu
known as Srivaikuntapathi Swami with a lofty gopuram.The Thiruvengada
Mudaliyar Mandapam is rich with sculptures of Yallis, Elephants
and Warriors. The Ekadasi Mandapam which is opened on Vaikunta
Ekadasi days, contains exquisite sculptures. During the conflicting
days between the East India Company forces and Kattabomman, this
temple served as a fort. The Kailasanathaswamy temple is an another
important temple. It contains six inscriptions of the times of
Veera Pandiya Kattabomman.
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Holy Cross Church at Manapad
is an ancient one. It was built in the year 1581. Thousands
congregate during the festival season from 1st to 14th September
every year. The church is associated with St. Francis Xavier. |
The temple in Krishnapuram is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The
Presiding deity is Thiruvenkatanathar. There are a number of
life-size sculptures in this temple with intricate workmanship.
| Kulasekarapattinam (68 Kms) |
The Muthuraman temple 20 Kms from Tiruchendur is known for the
popular 'Dasara' festival where folk dance artists from all over
the state participate in the festival. It is a coastal village
with a fine beach.
