1. Thirunallar Saneeswara Temple

Begin your one day Chennai to Thirunallar tour with the visit to one of the most auspicious place of worship for the Hindus at the Sacred Saneeswara Temple. The sacred spiritual complex reveals features of South Indian architecture with marvellous carvings and wonderful inscriptions. It enshrines Lord Shiva as Lord Dharbaranyeswara which is believed to be a swayambu lingam. To the left of Lord Dharbaranyeswara we have the idol of Lord Saneeswaran. Lord Shani is believed to have lost all his powers in front of Lord Shiva at this place. Devotees solemnly pray to get relieved from their misfortunes.

The main 7 tiered Rajagopuram is the most attractive one. Whenever Saturn transits from one zodiac sign to another (an occurrence that takes place approximately every 2.5 years) which is often referred to as Sani Peyarchi, devotees flock in the temple praying for the well being of their family. Legends state that after worshipping in this temple, King Nala is said to have been relieved of his sufferings caused by the bad effects of Saturn. There are three major spiritual ponds called the Nala Theertham, Brahma Theertham and the Saraswathi Theertham.

Nala Theertham is considered to be the most auspicious among these three. Tirunallar possess the greatest pieces of Tamil hymnal literature called Pachchai Padigam written in praise of Lord Dharbaranyeswara.

Must see \ Things to do:Chariot of the temple

2. Karaikal Ammaiyar

Move ahead with your one day Chennai to Thirunallar trip by private cab to witness the divine temple of Karaikal Ammaiyar. This sacred temple enshrines Goddess Punithavathi as Ammaiyar who is the only lady Nayanmars out of the 63 Nayanmars.

Situated in the centre of the Karaikal town the temple has a three tiered rajagopuram at the entrance. Malai Perumal Pillai had built the temple in 1929 which also enshrines Lord Shiva as Somanatha and Lord Ganesha as Sambanda Vinayaka. The sacred complex also enshrines Lingodbhava, Dakshinamurthy, Ganesha and Durga.

Must see \ Things to do:Remarkable paintings on the walls of the shrine

3. Kailasanathar Temple

Take a short detour to the next sightseeing spot of the one day Chennai to Thirunallar tour, the Kailasanathar Temple. Located just opposite to the Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple, is the revered Kailasanathar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Pallavas had built the temple in 8th century which also enshrines Goddess Soundarambal, Lord Dakshinamurthy and Lord Vinayaka. It is said that the French had rebuilt several areas of the temple.

Lord Shiva also appears as Nataraja in the spiritual complex which is built on an expansive area. It also houses varied Shiva Lingam. Key highlight of the temple are the four doorways in each direction of the temple complex.

Must see \ Things to do:Navagrahas

4. Sri Nithya Kalyana Perumal Temple

Proceed further to a significant religious site of our one day Chennai to Thirunallar tour, the Sri Nithya Kalyana Perumal Temple. Marvel at the beautiful monolithic idol of Lord Vishnu who is known as Nithya Kalyana Perumal in this sacred shrine located near the Chandra Theertham.

Situated in close proximity to the Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple, Chandra Theertham is the temple tank for both Karaikal Ammaiyar and Nithya Kalyana Perumal temples. Other deities being worshipped by devotees in this temple include, Chakrathazhwar, Lord Narasimha, Hanuman, Lord Garuda, Goddess Alamelu Thayar and Goddess Andal.

Must see \ Things to do:Idol of Narasimha Avatar

5. Sri Parvatheeswara Temple

Head out to another Shiva Temple with our one day Chennai to Thirunallar Tour, the Sri Parvatheeswara Temple. This sacred place located on Bharathiar Street in Karaikal is dedicated to Lord Shiva where the Shiva Lingam is believed to be a Swayambu Lingam.

Devotees are welcomed with a five tiered tower or Rajagopuram to the spiritual place which is often referred to as Mukthi Sthalam. According to legends God Surya (the sun god) was relieved of his curses at this place by Lord Shiva as such Lord Suryan is referred to as Bhaskara and Lord Shiva as Bhaskara Lingam and the place as Bhaskaran Sthalam.

It is also believed that the sun rays falls on the linga for 10 days in month of Panguni (March to April). Goddess Parvati appears in the temple as Swayamvara Thapaswini. Great saint Gnana Sambandar has praised the deity of the temple in his hymns.

Must see \ Things to do:Maha Mandapam

6. Karaikal Beach

Wander leisurely along the idyllic stretch of sand at the Karaikal Beach, the last sightseeing spot of one day Chennai to Thirunallar trip. The spectacular sandy beach has a restaurant and children’s park for the tourists. Travellers can take part in water sports like canoeing, boating and kayaking.

There are lot of visitors who enjoy the volleyball sport. People also throng the place to experience the amazing sunset and sunrise views. It is here that the River Arasalar merges with the Bay of Bengal.

Must see \ Things to do:Traverse along the coastline