Kondathu Kaliamman Temple, Pariyur

Kondathu Kaliamman Temple stands at Pariyur near Gobichettipalayam. The village's name is linked to Vel Pari, the generous chieftain of Tamil literature, and the goddess is held to have watched over his country. Its founding date is unknown; the present building is from the mid-1950s. A five-tier gopuram marks the entrance, and pillars carry carvings such as a lion with a single stone ball in its mouth. The goddess faces north, crowned with fire and treading on a demon. A colossal Maha Muniappan figure is invoked against fear and evil.

Devotees consult the goddess through 'vaaku kettal', placing flowers on either side of the image and reading the answer from the one that falls. The main festival lasts about a month and peaks in January with the kundam, a fire-walk across a 40-foot pit, followed by a chariot procession and a week-long tour of nearby villages. The temple and its surroundings have served as a location for many Tamil and Malayalam films.