What to expect
Highlights
- Elakurichi Adaikala Madha Shrine (Our Lady of Refuge) — A historic Catholic pilgrimage shrine linked to the Italian Jesuit missionary and Tamil scholar Constanzo Beschi (Veeramamunivar), who served here in the 18th century. Its annual feast draws pilgrims from across Tamil Nadu.
- Kamarasavalli Karkodeswarar Temple — A Shiva temple built during the reign of Sundara Chola, notable for its preserved Chola bronze images and stone inscriptions.
- Kodandaramaswamy Temple, Ariyalur — A Vishnu temple in Ariyalur town noted for pillars carved with the ten avatars of Vishnu (Dasavatharam) and a tall gopuram rising about 90 feet.
- Ariyalur — The district headquarters, formed when Ariyalur split from Perambalur in 2007. Known as the Land of Cements for its limestone quarries and cement industry, it is a convenient base for the region's Chola temples and fossil sites.
