Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1805 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Ancient · Hindu · India

Narasimhaswamy Temple, Namakkal

Namakkal, Tamil Nadu · 11.2222°, 78.1642°

Narasimha (with Namagiri Tayar)PandyaRock-cut Dravidian
Sacred since
500 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
6th–8th c. rock-cut
Pandya

History & significance

A cave temple cut into the rock below Namakkal Fort, enshrining a seated Narasimha with his consort Namagiri Tayar. Its panels of Trivikrama, Narasimha slaying Hiranyakashipu and the reclining Vishnu make it an important example of early South Indian rock-cut sculpture.

Sthala katha — the legend

Lakshmi is said to have performed penance here after Narasimha refused to forgive Hiranyakashipu; the shaligrama image Hanuman carried for her grew into the hill on which Narasimha then made his abode.

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Related sites

Ramanathaswamy Temple
Rameswaram · India
12th–18th c. (great corridor 18th c., Sethupathis)
Tiruchendur Murugan Temple
Tiruchendur · India
medieval; shore complex expanded over centuries
Kanyakumari Bhagavathy Amman Temple
Kanyakumari · India
ancient; structure renewed over centuries
Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple
Thiruputkuzhi · India
13th c. (Pandya)
Vanamamalai Perumal Temple
Nanguneri · India
by 1236 (Pandya)
Srivaikuntanathan Perumal Temple
Srivaikuntam · India
by 12th c. (Pandya grants)

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Pandya