Periya-kulam, Thirugokarnam
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Adjoining the Brahadambal temple (பிரகதம்பாள் கோயில்), on the east bund
of the Periya-kulam (பெரிய குளம்), is a small temple dedicated to Meenakshi
(மீனாக்ஷி) and Sundaresvara (சுந்தரேஸ்வரர்) and supposed to be built in the
reign of Raja Ramachandra Tondaiman (இராஜா ராமச்சந்திர தொண்டைமான்). On the
south bund of the Periya-kulam tank is a shrine containing figures of the
sixteen forms of Ganesa.
Meenakshi Sundaresvara temple, Thirugokarnam
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Among the minor deities at Thirugokarnam (திருக்கோகர்ணம்), Karuppar (கருப்பர்)
on the Tiruchirappalli (திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி) road is the most important.
Malai Karuppar
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At Thiruvappur (திருவப்பூர்) is the Rajarajeesvaram (ராஜராஜீஸ்வரம்) temple. The earliest inscription in
this temple is dated back to 1202 AD, by Kulottunga III (மூன்றாம்
குலோத்துங்கன்). It was probably
built in the reign of his predecessor Raja Raja II (இரண்டாம் இராஜராஜன்) (c. 1146-63 AD). Its
architectural features are those of later Chozha structures. The temple is
having a garbha-griham (கர்ப கிரகம்), ardha-mandapam (அர்த்த மண்டபம்) and maha-mandapam
(மகா மண்டபம்) of the same period.
The temple is in ruins and is not used for worship any more.
 Mariamman temple, Thiruvappur
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The Mariamman temple (மாரியம்மன் கோயில்) of Thiruvappur is very popular in Pudukkottai
region. The Poochchorial (பூச்சொரியல், 'flower-showering') festival in summer draws
hundreds of devotees from all over the district.
Kalyana-prasanna-venkatesa-perumal temple, Thiruvappur
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In Thiruvappur, south side of the railway gate, there are two temples for
Lord Vishnu. One is Kalyana-prasanna-venkatesa-perumal temple first built
during the reign of the late Pandya-s (13th century AD.) and the other is a
modern temple, a shrine for Venu-gopala-swami.
Within the Dakshina-moorthi temple (தக்ஷிணாமூர்த்தி) in the old Palace is preserved the
holy sand on which Sadhasiva-brahmendra (சதாசிவ பிரம்மேந்திரர்) wrote his instructions to Raja Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman
(ராஜா விஜயரகுநாத ராயத் தொண்டைமான்).
 Santha-natha Temple which is of iconographical interest
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The Santha-natha swami temple (சாந்தநாத சுவாமி கோயில்), which is in the middle of the present
town, is next in importance to the Brahadambal temple. - The annual festival
of this temple is held in Ani (ஆனி) month (June-July).
There are three Vishnu temples within the town proper - those of
Varadaraja, a 13th century temple in east third street, Venkatesa and Vitoba
near to the Pallavan-kulam (பல்லவன் குளம்).
The Bhuvanesvari temple (புவனேஸ்வரி கோயில்) at Pudukkottai is a great attraction to pilgrims.
It is recent temple and has an interesting origin. In the early years of the
present century there was a judge in the State of Travancore. While trying a
murder case he was faced with a dilemma. Though the evidences pointed to the
guilt of the accused, his heart felt otherwise. He, then, decided to lay
down his office and became a sanyasi. It was in Pudukkottai where he finally
shook off his mortal coil. He was buried in a vacant land close to the
cremation ground. After a few years one of his disciples, himself an
avadhutha-swamigal, came in search of his guru's samadhi and succeeded in
locating it. With the help of local devotees he erected a modest shrine and
was known as Adhishtanam.
Sixteen years later a disciple of the avadhutha, Sri Santha-nantha-swami,
came to Pudukkottai and established himself at the shrine. He first
installed an idol of Bhuvanesvari, and later built subsidiary shrines for
Ganesa, Subrahmanya (சுப்பிரமணியர்), Dattatreya (தத்தாத்ரேயர்) and others. The annual homam conducted
according to vedic prescription draws devotees in thousands from all over
the state and from outside. During this religious discourses and music
concerts are also conducted.
 Ariyanachchi Amman Temple
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To the south of Santha-natha swami temple is a popular Ariyanachchi Amman
Koil (அரியநாச்சி அம்மன் கோயில்). Minor shrines are those dedicated to Hanuman, one within the precincts
of Santha-natha swami temple and another near the old bus-stand, Manonmani
Koil (மனோன்மணி கோயில்) on the East main Street, Kamakshi Koil (காமக்ஷி கோயில்), Porpanaian Koil
(பொர்பனையான் கோயில்), Thadikonda
Ayyanar Koil (தடிகொண்ட அய்யனார் கோயில்) and Singa-muthu Ayyanar Koil (சிங்கமுத்து
அய்யனார் கோயில்).
 Singa-muthu Ayyanar temple
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Mosque near Fish Market
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MOSQUES
There are two mosques, one in the town and the other in Thiruvappur (திருவப்பூர்).
The town mosque is about a hundred and fifty years old, and is ascribed to
one Mandra, who is also credited with having built some mandapam at
Pallivasal (பள்ளிவாசல்) in the Thirumayam (திருமயம்) Taluk.
The Darga of Hazrat Syed Shah Parhezi Auliya is held in great veneration
by the Muslims of the town. Auliya, a prince of Yemen in Arabia, renounced
the world and wandered about the countries of south-west Asia and India and
at last settled in Pudukkottai in the first half of the 18th century. Many
miracles were attributed to him. His sanctity attracted the notice of the
Tondaiman (தொண்டைமான்), who held him in high esteem and had a tomb risen in
his honour after his death. It is believed that his nephew and disciple also
lies buried by the side of the Auliya.
The tomb to the north of the Nainari tank (நைனாரிக் குளம்) is that of
Jatcha Bibi, a Muslim lady who led an ascetic life.
CHURCHES
CSI Church, Marthanda-puram
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The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary, an elegant and spacious edifice in the gothic style, east of
Marthanda-puram (மார்தாண்டபுரம்) is the principal church of the Pudukkottai
Catholic parish. The foundation stone was laid in January 1908, the nave was
completed in April 1911 and it became the parish church in 1922.
The Protestant church at the north end of the town is a simple and
austere lime-washed building. It was built in 1905 and consecrated in 1906.
The pulpit's stained glass backdrop is quiet impressive. The churchyard
contains, among others, the tombstone of the former administrator and Diwan
of Pudukkottai, Sir Alexander Loftus Tottenham, who died in the town on 13th
December 1946, after a service of nearly fifty years in India, twelve of
which were spent in Pudukkottai. The flat marble slab bears the word 'Write
me as one that loves his fellow men'.
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