Soundareswarar Temple, Thiruppanaiyur

Soundareswarar Temple, also called the Sountharyanathar temple, stands at Thiruppanaiyur, a village 3.5 km from Nannilam. The temple centres on a palmyra palm, its sacred tree, which also gives the village its name: holy palm town. Besides the Shiva shrine there is a prominent shrine to the goddess Periyanayagi, or Brihannayaki.

It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, and temple tradition says Sundarar composed several hymns here and the sage Parashara worshipped at the shrine. Much of its fame comes from a link with the early Chola king Karikala. He is believed to have been standing beneath the palmyra when the royal elephant of the Cholas picked him out as king, and he was carried on its back to the capital for his coronation.