Kunnandar Koil

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirapalli International Airport is the nearest airport to Pudukkottai town, 45 km away.

• By train

  The district page gives 23 km from Keeranur railway station to the temple.

• By road

  The district page gives 22 km from Keeranur bus station to the temple. The temple is about 40 km from Pudukkottai town.

Why devotees come here

Kunnandar Koil is a Shiva cave temple on a rocky hill in Kunnandarkoil village, Pudukkottai district, where Shiva is worshipped as Parvathagiriswarar. The Archaeological Survey of India now protects it as a monument.

The temple is also known as Thirukundrakudi, the name used in its inscriptions. Its name Kunnandarkoil is said to mean the master of the hill in the temple. The cave houses three life-size sculptures of various forms of Shiva, and the sanctum holds a lingam, an iconic representation of Shiva.

The temple is believed to have been built in the 8th century by the Muttaraiyar kings, who were linked to the Pallavas. Later expansion came under the Vijayanagar Empire. The temple sits on a rocky hill in southern Tamil Nadu. Today the Archaeological Survey of India maintains it as a protected monument. The district page dates the cave temple to the Nandivarman Pallava period, 775 AD.

The hundred-pillared Nrita Mandapa has sculpted pillars in the Vijayanagar style. The main shrine faces east. A mandapa shaped like a chariot with horses also draws many visitors. The district heritage page lists Kunnandar Koil among the archaeological sites of Pudukkottai district. It says these sites express the ancient Tamil culture and the architectural beauty of the region.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the three life-size Shiva sculptures inside the cave.
• A mandapa shaped like a chariot with horses draws many tourists.
• A Murugan temple also stands on the top of a small hill, which the district page mentions in the same description as this temple.

Questions people ask