Ayyanar Falls

A forested hill on the Western Ghats near Rajapalayam, associated in legend with the Sanjeevi mountain of medicinal herbs carried by Hanuman to heal Lakshmana. A hilltop temple at the summit draws daily devotees who trek up. The dense vegetation and rugged terrain make it a popular trekking and pilgrimage spot.

A temple in Rajapalayam dedicated to Draupadi Amman, enshrined together with Krishna and the five Pandava brothers. It is known for its Pookuzhi (fire-pit walking) festival observed by devotees. The temple reflects the Draupadi Amman cult tradition of southern Tamil Nadu.

The largest town in Virudhunagar district, at the foothills of the Western Ghats, famous for its mangoes and as the origin of the Rajapalayam hound (Polygar hound), a native Indian sighthound. It is a gateway to Ayyanar Falls and the Western Ghats.

A centuries-old east-facing Vishnu temple in Rajapalayam with a five-tiered rajagopuram, where the deity Vettai Venkatesa Perumal stands in the sanctum. A later shrine for Padmavathy Thayar was added, and a Karuppasamy sub-shrine stands before the gopuram. It sits below the southeast tip of the local Murugan temple hill.

Sanctuary established in 1988 in the Western Ghats to protect the near-threatened grizzled giant squirrel, now part of the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve. It also hosts elephants, gaur and over 270 bird species, with its headquarters at Shenbagathoppu near Srivilliputhur.

The largest Shiva temple in Virudhunagar district, 1 km south of Srivilliputhur, built by Thirumalai Nayak in the 16th century. Its Siddhamirtham tank water is believed to have curative powers.

Twin shrine of the Alvar saint-poet Andal and Vishnu as Vatapatrasayee, one of the 108 Divya Desams. Its 192-foot 11-tier rajagopuram is the emblem on the Tamil Nadu state government's official logo.

Masonry dam on the Kovilar river near Watrap, comprising the Kovilar and Periyar dams surrounded by paddy fields. It is a popular picnic and children's play spot about 55 km from Virudhunagar.

Siddha pilgrimage hill in the Western Ghats above Watrap, revered as an abode of siddhas and reached by an 8 km trek from Thaniparai to the Sundara Mahalingam and Santhana Mahalingam shrines. The main trekking base at Thaniparai/Watrap lies in Virudhunagar district.

Industrial town known as the firecracker capital of India, producing the bulk of the country's fireworks alongside major safety-match and offset-printing industries. It is a factory-town heritage destination south of Virudhunagar.

Well-known Mariamman / Badrakaliamman temple in Sivakasi town, a major place of worship for the fireworks-industry community. It draws large crowds during its annual festival.

One of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Vishnu as Nindra Narayana and built on a 100-foot granite hill at Thiruthangal near Sivakasi. It contains rock-cut cave shrines with 8th-century Pandya inscriptions and unusually has no rajagopuram.