Athmanathaswamy temple, built during 10th century, is a famous temple in Chettinad region. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and historically related to the life of Shiva devotee saint Manickavasagar. The temple displays graceful life-size sculptures. The granite roof of the temple is very attractive.
The praise worthy ancient mural paintings on the walls and ceilings of Periya mandapam of the famous Sri Athmanathaswamy temple are prime attractions for the art loving tourists. The murals believed to be of 17th and late 19th centuries during Nayak’s rule are real wonders as each of the frames shows perfect details. The murals displays the real events in the life of Saint Manickavasagar. The paintings of many Shiva idols are also seen here. These invaluable treasures are mostly on the walls of the inner ‘prahara’, on the ceiling of the Periya Mandapam and the ceiling of Sivananda Sannidhi. These valuable mural paintings are restored and preserved with the most modern technologies.