Coimbatore is located on the banks of River Noyyal, the central tributary of the River Cauvery in Tamilnadu. Long ago, merchants from Rome and the rest of the world used to visit the region to purchase cotton textiles, agricultural implements, and cornelian jewellery. In fact, the Romans had their own settlement at Vellalore on the outskirts of Coimbatore for a few centuries. This settlement used to be located near the old Theneswarar Temple. A lot of Roman gold coins entered Coimbatore because of the same. Coins belonging to a number of Roman Emperors who included Augustus Caesar, Tiberius etc., have been discovered in the neighbourhood of this enterprising city. Centuries later Aditya Chola (875 - 907 AD) captured this region and the hoard of Roman gold taken away by him was used by his son Parantaka Chola I (907 - 955 AD) to embellish the roof of the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram.
Coimbatore is located on the banks of River Noyyal, the central tributary of the River Cauvery in Tamilnadu. Long ago, merchants from Rome and the rest of the world used to visit the region to purchase cotton textiles, agricultural implements, and cornelian jewellery. In fact, the Romans had their own settlement at Vellalore on the outskirts of Coimbatore for a few centuries. This settlement used to be located near the old Theneswarar Temple. A lot of Roman gold coins entered Coimbatore because of the same. Coins belonging to a number of Roman Emperors who included Augustus Caesar, Tiberius etc., have been discovered in the neighbourhood of this enterprising city. Centuries later Aditya Chola (875 - 907 AD) captured this region and the hoard of Roman gold taken away by him was used by his son Parantaka Chola I (907 - 955 AD) to embellish the roof of the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram.
The city is touted as the ecological capital of Tamilnadu and is fortunate to have the Perur Patteeswarar Temple as part of its religious heritage. Perur is located on the banks of River Noyyal and is a Swayamvyaktha (self-manifested) Kshethram. The deity was discovered by the divine cow Patti and hence the name, Patteeswarar. This part of the country is known for its pastoral activities and the ' pattis ' were places for the cattle. The huge temple has been blessed with the visit of Saint Sundaramurthy Nayanaar, a great devotee of Lord Shiva. The Kanakasabha at this temple is the home to the shrine of the Lord Nataraja and Sivakami.
Built in the Seventeenth Century by Alagardri Nayak, the Kanakasabha has been endowed some of the best sculptures in Tamilnadu. The impressive bronze icon of Lord Nataraja, the images of Karthikeya, Ganesha, Gajasamharamurthy sculpted on the massive stone pillars continue to offer a visual treat to the pilgrim. Perur is also the home to several mutts and choultries. The Perur Puranam consisting of a little over two thousand verses in chaste Tamil was composed by Kachiyyappa Munivar at Perur in the seventeenth century. The Pirava Puli (a sacred tamarind tree) at Perur gives seeds that do not germinate and hence it is a 'Mukti sthalam' (a place for attaining liberation). The 'Irava Panai' (an immortal palm tree) which is said to be centuries old is in the neighbourhood of the temple. The temple has shrines for Ganesha, Subramanya, Bhairava, Dakshinamurthy, Varadaraja, the 63 Nayanmaars and Pachainayaki (Maragathambikha). It is endowed with an elephant, a number of cows and temple cars. The Ardhra Darshan, Mahashivarathri, Panguni Uthiram are celebrated here with great pomp and spendour.
The city had a fort that was built during the times of Vijayanagar and the famous Kottai (fort) Sangameswarar Temple is central to the city. This old temple has a lovely icon of Lord Shanmugha Subramanya which is unique. Lord Lakshmi Narasimha resides nearby in the busy business district while Trivikramanarayana or Ulagalandha Perumal showers his grace from Singanallur on the eastern side of the city. The bronze icon of Trivikramanarayana is unique and said to belong to the seventh century. He measures the earth and the sky simultaneously and the sculptor has depicted the act with great finesse. Eachanari Vinayaka showers his grace on the devotees and people visit him at the dawn of the financial year. The Sukrawarpet Dhandayudhapaniswamy has a nice gold turban which forms a part of his 'Raja Alankaram'. Lord Subramanya is ever resident on several hills and hillocks nearby. The temples at Marudamalai and Anubhavi are these residences for the 'Commander of Gods' - Lord Subramanya. Saint Vyasaraja visited Coimbatore during the reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya, and he has installed three icons of Lord Hanuman in the region. Several of the temples in Coimbatore are endowed with gold temple cars and fabulous jewellery.
Coimbatore has nine sisters, they are: Koniamman, Sowdamman, Bhadrakaliamman, Vasavi Kannikaparameswari, Draupadi Amman, Kamakshi Amman, Dhandu Mariamman, Maakali Amman, Ankala Parameswari. The Navarathri celebrations at the Vasavi Kannika Parameswari Temple is known to be fantabulous. The Krishna Alankaram for Vasavi Kannikaparameswari on the seventh day is the best in this region. This is the time when the deity is decked with diamond jewellery from head to toe. Goddess Koniamman is the tutelary deity of Coimbatore and every year she goes around the city in a procession on a huge wooden ther (sculpted car made of wood). She is another form of Durga Mahishasuramardhini. The large Venugopala Krishnaswamy Temple has a cute temple tank, and the Goddess Koniammam float festival is conducted here. The garden gifted by Sir Thomas Monroe in Raja Street houses a shrine of Saint Raghavendra. Coimbatore is known for its deep devotion ad the citizens used to congregate on the streets while conducting bhajans. Numerous bhajan shrines dot the old town area. Severaltemples of Lord Shiva add to the secure feeling of the citizens of this region. The ancient shrines include Avinashilingeshwarar at Avinashi, Muruganathaswamy at Thirumuruganpoondi are among the 276 temples of Lord Shiva praised by the 63 Naayanmmars through their soul rending compositions. Kalakaleshwarar at Kovilpalayam is the place for celebrating the sixtieth birthday in this region and it known as Kongunaattu Thirukadaiyur (Kongunad is the ancient name for this part of South India). The popular Annur Manneeswarar Temple is a fabulous destination for ardent devotees of Lord Shiva.
The Venkasaperumal temple at Mondipalayam is the Tirupathi of the Coimbatore region and like the trekkable Palamalai Ranganatha Temple he is Swayamvyaktha (Selfmanifested) too. Vanabhadrakali at Mettupalayam (at the foothills of the Nilgiri mountains) showers her grace from the banks of River Bhavani, the northern tributary of the River Cauvery in Tamilnadu. Maasaniamman (on the outskirts of Pollachi) is a powerful deity whom people propitiate at times when their valuables are lost. Ranganatha at Karamadai is one more benevolent deity. The ' K ' villages on the banks of River Amaravathi (the southern tributary of River Cauvery in this region) are home to several ancient shrines of Lord Shiva. Innumerable Vedic seers used to add the wealth of knowledge from these old villages. A visit during a Shivarathri night to the temples at the ' K ' villages (so called because they begin with the alphabet ' K' - Kozhumam, Kaniyur etc.,). The ' K' villages were on the tour plans of the Pontiffs of Sringeri during the ancient times.
The Lord Vishnu Temples at Coimbatore are quite ancient. They are known as ' Perumal ' Temples.The centuries old Satari (sacred sandals) of Lord Sarangapani of Kumbakonam is well kept in the SundapalayamSrinivasaVaradaraja Temple.The Srinivasa Temple atPappanaickenpalayam is known for following the right religious procedures with utmost devotion. The educational capital of this region, Peelamedu is blessed for its home to the lovely Karivaradaraja Temple. The Ram Nagar Kodandaramaswamy Temple has shrines which take forward all the philosophies that were propounded on the south of the Vindyas. The business district is known as 'Pettai' and the Pettai Viswaswarawaraswamy Temple was the model for the Kodandaramaswamy Temple in terms of propagating philosophy. The auspicious icon of Visweswaraswamy is from the River Narmada. The bronze icon of Kasthuri Ranganatha at Big Bazaar Street is from Srirangam. This is located next door to the temple patronized by the descendants of the soldiers who used to guard the city during the rule of the Wodeyars of Mysore.
The Dhanwanthri Temple is a fabulous destination for poojas and homams in Coimbatore. The fabulous Annakoot is conducted well by the mercantile community at the Dev Daman Sri Krishna Temple year on year at Vysial Street. Goddess Sharadha, the ever resplendent, radiates grace from her permanent residence at Racecourse on the northern side of the ancient water body, Valankulam. Coimbatore, the Rome of Kongunad is fortunate to be blessed with so many lovely places of worship.