Venkatachalapathy Temple, Krishnapuram

The Venkatachalapathy Temple at Krishnapuram, 10 km from Tirunelveli, is a Vishnu temple regarded as a storehouse of Nayak architecture. Inscriptions and copper plates show it was built by Krishnappa Nayak (1563–72), son of Viswanatha Nayak, founder of the Madurai Nayak line, who added its precincts, tall tower and four car streets; the village, once Thiruvenkatapuram, took his name. Copper-plate grants from the Vijayanagara ruler Sadasiva Raya paid for perpetual lamps and gardens, and donated villages supported the daily worship.

The temple covers 1.8 acres within granite walls, entered through a five-tier rajagopuram 110 ft high. Its outer precinct was pulled down by Chanda Sahib and the stones used for the fort at Palayamkottai. The sanctum holds a 4 ft granite Venkatachalapathy with Sridevi and Bhudevi, and Alamelumangai has her own shrine. Several halls, including the Veerappa Nayak Mandap, display rare Nayak-period sculpture and carved pillars. The ten-day Vaikunta Ekadasi in Margazhi is the leading festival.