NB

  Preserving 700 years of history, exhibiting the talents of thousands of craftsmen, ranked highly in Dravidian architecture, hosting thumbnails of Indian sculptures, the Tenkasi Viswanathar temple stands elegantly on the banks of the Chittaru river. Surrounded by the Podhigai hills, this place seems to satisfy almost all of its audience. The Bakthas enjoy the Swayambhu, the artists enjoy the sculpture, the architects enjoy the structure, the historians enjoy its story and the photographers enjoy the scene. Here, I aim to tempt you to either visit or revisit this place.         Tenkasi, Benaras inspired     The Rajagopuram of the Tenkasi Vishwanathar temple   We begin by sailing 700 years backwards in the Tamizh timeline. We go to the Pandiyan capital, Madurai. It is the early 14th century, a period when spotting a new invader was a routine here. Within that span of eighty years, the Pandiyan territory was ruled by more than 10 kings. It was a period when ideas, cultu