Chidambaresvarar Temple, Kotlambakkam

Chidambaresvarar Temple is a Shiva temple at Kotlambakkam, very close to Panruti, on the Panruti–Thiruvennainallur–Tirukkovilur road near Pudupet. It is one of the Vaippu Sthalams sung by the Nayanars Appar and Sundarar. The lingam is worshipped as Chidambaresvarar and the goddess as Sivakamasundari. The place takes its name from kodal, a flower once found here, and was earlier called Sitthandi Madam, Sitthatha Madam and Kodalambakkam.

Legend says Sundarar, unwilling to set foot on Tiruvathikai, halted at a math called Sitthavadam west of the temple. As he slept, Shiva came as an old man and lay with his legs over him; Sundarar later realised who it was and took the touch of the god's feet on his head as a blessing. The temple dates from the 9th century, and in 1267 Kopperunsinga Kadavarayan of Senthamangalam rebuilt the sanctum in granite. There are shrines to Vinayaka, Lakshmi, Subramania, Vishnu and Arunachalesvarar.