Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple, Mayiladuthurai

The Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple stands at Thiruvilandur, or Indalur, in the town of Mayiladuthurai and is one of the 108 Divya Desams praised by the Alvars. It lies beside the Kaveri and belongs to the group of five Pancharanga Kshetrams. Legend says the moon god Chandra (Indu) was freed of a curse here, giving the place its name, and that Vishnu lent a sweet fragrance (parimala) to the Vedas after recovering them from the asuras. Another story tells how the temple doors stayed shut while Thirumangai Alvar sang, opening only when he gave up in frustration.

The Medieval Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire and the Madurai Nayaks all contributed to the temple, which sits within a granite wall behind a five-tier rajagopuram. The presiding image of Parimala Ranganathar, 12 ft long in green stone, reclines facing east. Six rituals are held daily and twelve festivals through the year, and the temple is among the district's prominent sights.