Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

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Early medieval · Hindu · India

Amritaghateswarar-Abirami Temple

Thirukkadaiyur, Tamil Nadu · 11.0775°, 79.8183°

Shiva (Amritaghateswarar, as Kalantaka) and Abirami (Parvati)CholaCholaPaadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
800 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
9th c. (Chola); Nayak expansion
Chola

History & significance

The celebrated shrine where Shiva is held to have conquered death itself, saving the boy-sage Markandeya from Yama - hence his name Kala-samhara. A 9th-century Chola foundation expanded by the Thanjavur Nayaks, and a Paadal Petra Sthalam of the Tevaram.

Sthala katha — the legend

When Yama came for the sixteen-year-old devotee Markandeya, Shiva burst from the lingam and subdued death, granting the boy eternal youth.

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c. 1035 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Meenakshi Amman Temple
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current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola