Tirtha Atlas

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

2271 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Shanmughanathar Temple, Kunnakudi

Kunnakudi, Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu · 10.1150°, 78.6992°

Murugan (Shanmughanathar)PandyaRock-cut
Sacred since
700 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
8th c. rock-cut caves (Pandya)
Pandya

History & significance

A hill temple to Murugan whose 8th-century Pandya rock-cut caves preserve what are held to be the earliest sculpted dvarapalas in South Indian temple art; it is administered by the Kunnakudi Thiruvannamalai Mutt founded in the 16th century.

Sthala katha — the legend

The sage Agastya is believed to have worshipped Murugan at this hill.

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Sources

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