Kailasanathar Temple, located at the center of the town, covers a vast area of around 2.5 acres. Its huge pond on the front side is spread over 0.5 acre.
The temple has two entrances, both facing the east direction. The northside entrance with a tall tower (Raja gopuram) is for the presiding deity Kailasanathar. The southside entrance without a tower is for his consort, Anandavalli.
The temple consists of east-facing garbhagriha or moolasthana (sanctum) for Kailasanathar, antarala, ardha mandapa, maha mandapa, mani mandapa or mukha mandapa, inner prakara (cicumambulatory path) and another mandapa on the way to the tower.
Anandavalli has all similar structures such as garbhagriha, ardha mandapa, maha mandapa, mukha mandapa, inner prakara and outer mandapa. Her shrine is located on the proper right side of the Kailasanathar shrine.
Both shrines are connected through a long pillared mandapa (corridor). There are many sub-shrines in both the inner prakaras as well as in this mandapa.
There is a big open-to-sky cicumambulatory path (outer prakara) around both shrines. Many trees are planted on this path.
Kailasanathar
The east-facing sanctum (moolasthana or garbhagriha) enshrines the presiding deity. He is called Kailasanathar or Kailasapati. He is found as a smaller Shiva Linga.
The top of the superstructure of vimana has eight sides. The vimana can be viewed only partially from the outer prakara.
The moolasthana is extended into a small antarala. The entrance has two beautiful two-armed Dwarapalas. The doorkeeper at the southern end has his left arm in tarjani mudra (the gesture of threat). The other dwarapla has his left arm in suchi mudra. (It is a hand gesture, where the hand is in a fist, with the index finger extended and held upright and straight.) Their right arms rest on their respective maces. They belong to Rajaraja Chola or Rajendra Chola’s time. They are named Dindi and Mundi nowadays.
Chola-era Metal Icons
The sub-shrine on the north wall of the Ardha mandapa has a majestic bronze icon of Nataraja measuring about 4.5 feet. The equally high graceful image of Sivakami with a nilotpala flower in her right arm is standing next. These icons belong to the period of either Rajaraja I or Rajendra I.
To the right side of the entrance of antarala, the metal icons of Somaskanda are kept. They belong to the nearby Pannikulam temple. The later-era metal icons of Ganesha and Skanda-Valli-Devasena are also found here.
Mani Mandapa
A small pillared Mani Mandpa is found outside the Ardha mandapa. The pillars of this structure have beautiful carvings.
Maha Mandapa
Six tall and broad pillars adorned with the images of seated lions on the top are found in Maha mandapa. Four pillars have big Yazhis (mythical creatures) as their bases. Two middle pillars have big images of Bheema and Purushamriga. (As per a story from the Mahabharata epic, Bheema fought with a sphinx-like mythical creature.)
The other sides of all these six pillars are decorated with mini carvings depicting a soldier, a sage worshiping Shiva Linga, an elephant-faced female, a dancing girl, Ganesha, Nataraja, Karaikal Ammaiyar, four-armed Krishna playing the flute, a soldier holding a bow and arrow and others.
On the western end, a small Nandi is kept facing the direction of the presiding deity.
Two tall Shiva Lingas without bases are found on the mandapa’s northeastern end. These ancient sculptures are named Gunanathar and Kuttralanathar nowadays. Two small and new Nandis are kept in front of them.
