Great Temples of Tamil Nadu
Temple questions reward three facts: who built it, which deity, and the superlative attached, tallest tower, largest complex, longest corridor.
Syllabus: GS Unit VI (TN heritage) and history units
| Temple | Place | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Brihadisvara (Big Temple) | Thanjavur | Raja Raja Chola I (1010 CE); UNESCO; towering vimana |
| Gangaikondacholapuram | Ariyalur district | Rajendra Chola I, marking the Ganges expedition; UNESCO |
| Airavatesvara | Darasuram (Kumbakonam) | Raja Raja II; UNESCO; musical steps |
| Meenakshi Amman | Madurai | Nayak-era splendour; towering gopurams; Chithirai festival |
| Ranganathaswamy | Srirangam | Among the largest functioning temple complexes in the world |
| Ramanathaswamy | Rameswaram | Longest temple corridor tradition; Jyotirlinga and Char Dham site |
| Nataraja Temple | Chidambaram | Cosmic dance of Shiva; Natyanjali festival |
| Shore Temple | Mahabalipuram | Pallava structural temple by the sea; UNESCO |
| Ekambareswarar | Kancheepuram | Earth (Prithvi) lingam among the Pancha Bhoota shrines |
| Arunachaleswarar | Tiruvannamalai | Fire (Agni) shrine; Karthigai Deepam |
| Palani Murugan (Dhandayuthapani) | Palani | Hill shrine; GI-tagged Panchamirtham |
| Kumari Amman | Kanniyakumari | Shore temple at land's end |
Frequently asked questions
Related lists
Tamil Nadu's UNESCO World Heritage list: the Great Living Chola Temples (three temples), Mahabalipuram monuments, and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
Pongal's four days, Jallikattu, Chithirai festival, Karthigai Deepam, Mahamaham and Natyanjali, each festival with its place and timing.
All 38 districts of Tamil Nadu in one list, with the newest districts and their carve-outs, the way TNPSC asks them.
Every Chief Minister of Madras State and Tamil Nadu since 1946, with tenures, the exact list TNPSC draws sequence questions from.
Compiled from official Tamil Nadu government sources and standard references. Time-sensitive counts carry an as-of note on the page. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.
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