Another fascinating temple is Arunachaleswarar located in the incredibly beautiful natural area at the foot of Mount Arunachal. The old temple constructed in the 16th century is devoted to the god Shiva and is one of the most mystical churches in India. The temple is a large complex of buildings occupying over 10 hectares. Today, it is visited by many pilgrims. According to one of the rites, they need to circle the mountain barefoot to get divinely enlightened.
In the vicinity of Chennai, there is another sacred place, the Chidambaram Temple Town. It is a big complex of churches, the oldest of which were built in the 6th century. This complex is devoted to the god Shiva too. As many years ago, the temple complex is used to perform important Buddhist rites and holidays. It is more interesting to visit the temple in June or December. At this time, the most interesting dance festivals are held.
Besides multiple Buddhist attractions, Chennai is famous for Christian churches too. The vivid example is San Thome Basilica. According to the legends, St. Thomas was the first Christian who set his foot on the Indian land. The temple devoted to him started to be built in 1504. At the end of the 19th century, it was completely reconstructed. Today, the temple is a luxurious architectural monument in the neo-Gothic style. It houses a lot of unique Christian values.
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