Mamandur Cave Temples
A group of Pallava-era rock-cut cave temples at Mamandur near Vandavasi, among the earliest examples of Pallava rock architecture in the region.
Plan Mamandur Cave Temples
Mamandur Cave Temples is planned from Arani, one of the travel bases in Tiruvannamalai district. Use Arani for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
How to visit
- Base yourself in Arani or nearby in Tiruvannamalai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
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Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Mamandur Cave Temples in pictures
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List your placeTop experiences around Arani
One more place around Arani worth a day of its own.
20.4 km · ~34 min by cab
Goddess Periyanayagi Amman temple at Devikapuram, an old Shakti shrine in the district's eastern taluks.
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Add a nearby businessMamandur Cave Temples — at a glance
Entry: Free
How to reach Mamandur Cave Temples
Near Vandavasi, ~70 km from Tiruvannamalai
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
What’s near Mamandur Cave Temples
A Pallava-period rock-cut cave temple at Seeyamangalam near Vandavasi, notable for early Dravidian cave architecture and sculpture.
6.9 km · ~17 min by auto · straight lineAn ancient Shiva temple at Cheyyar town, a Paadal Petra Sthalam sung by the Nayanar saints, with layered Dravidian temple architecture.
9.9 km · ~17 min by cab · straight line
This ancient Shiva temple at Thirupanangadu, also called Vanparthan Panangattur, enshrines Thalapureeswarar and Kripapureeswarar and is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the Tevaram hymns. It belongs to the historic Thondai Nadu group of Shiva temples. The temple retains Chola-era architecture and inscriptions.
12.9 km · ~22 min by cab · straight line
The Valeeswarar (Vallisvarar) Temple at Kuranganilmuttam is a Shiva shrine revered in the 7th-century Tevaram hymns, making it one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams. It is associated with a legend of a squirrel and a crow, figures depicted in its sculptures. An adjoining Pallava-period rock-cut cave shrine adds early-medieval archaeological importance.
14.8 km · ~25 min by cab · straight lineSathyavijayanagaram, on the banks of the Kamandala Naganadi about 5 km from Arni, was founded in 1825 by Venkatanatha Rao as the capital of the Arni Jagir. The Arni rulers built two 19th-century palaces here, including a two-storey Diwan Khane with circular brick pillars, arches, Gothic columns and Madras-terrace roofing. The estate palaces survive as heritage relics of the Maratha jagirdars of Arni.
15.3 km · ~25 min by cab · straight lineArni Fort stands at the heart of Arni town and dates to the 17th century, when the Arni Jagir was granted in 1640 to the Maratha Brahmin general Vedaji Bhaskar Pant, whose descendants ruled until 1948. Within the precincts is a roughly 45-foot obelisk raised in memory of British officer Robert Kelly. The surrounding town became famous for its economical Arni silk sarees.
17.9 km · ~30 min by cab · straight lineGoddess Periyanayagi Amman temple at Devikapuram, an old Shakti shrine in the district's eastern taluks.
20.4 km · ~34 min by cab · straight lineThe Thavalagiriswarar Temple is a Shiva shrine atop Vengunram hill near Vandavasi, regarded as one of the notable hill temples of the region. Devotees climb the hill for darshan. The site is valued for its elevated setting and antiquity in the Vandavasi area.
21.8 km · ~36 min by cab · straight lineThe district's official tourism page identifies this unusually north-Indian-style temple to Panduranga and Rukmayee five kilometres from Vandavasi; the mapped OSM temple footprint fixes the destination used here.
22.6 km · ~38 min by cab · straight lineThe ruined fort and moat beside the bus terminus anchor the town's 1760 battle landscape. Tamil Nadu Archaeology records the French force under Lally, the English force under Eyre Coote, the later Arcot Nawab tenure and the 1780 fighting against Hyder Ali.
25.3 km · ~42 min by cab · straight lineThis ancient temple at Munugapattu enshrines Mannarsamy together with the goddess Pachaiyamman and is a well-known kuladeivam (family deity) temple for many devotees. It draws large crowds especially during the first ten Mondays of the Tamil month of Aadi, when special worship is performed. It is listed among the district's notable places of interest.
26.3 km · ~44 min by cab · straight lineA Jain temple complex on a hillside near Polur with a tall monolithic Neminatha statue, rock-cut caves, and medieval cave paintings dating back over a thousand years.
46.6 km · ~78 min by cab · straight lineWhere Mamandur Cave Temples is
Mamandur Cave Temples — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Mamandur Cave Temples?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Mamandur Cave Temples?
Entry: Free. Timings: Sunrise to sunset (ASI-protected site).
How do I reach Mamandur Cave Temples?
Base yourself in Arani or nearby in Tiruvannamalai, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Mamandur Cave Temples?
About an hour.
What else is near Mamandur Cave Temples?
Nearby you can pair Seeyamangalam Cave Temple (6.9 km), Vedapureeswarar Temple, Cheyyar (9.9 km), Thalapureeswarar Temple, Thirupanangadu (12.9 km), Kuranganilmuttam Valeeswarar Temple (14.8 km).
Mamandur Cave Temples guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Mamandur Cave Temples itself yet. These cover Arani and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Tamil Nadu-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Tamil Nadu.
Image credits
Photographs: Balu 606902 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.