Koneswarar Temple is situated at Tirukudavayil in Thanjavur District. Built before 660 AD, the Sri Konesvarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This maadakkovil was built by Ko Chenkann Cholan at an elevation. The principal deity is in the form of Koneswarar along with Goddess Periyanayagi. This temple is associated with Garuda (hence the name Garudathri), the mount of Lord Vishnu. When Garuda was bringing nectar to save his mother from slavehood, a demon fought with him. In order to protect the pot of nectar, Garuda hid it in an anthill and then fought with the demon and killed him. When he came back to the ant hill, he could not locate the pot immediately. Using his beak, he started digging and finally his beak landed on a Shiva Lingam. The shocked Garuda immediately prayed to the Lord and sought forgiveness and help in the release of his mother. Shiva blessed him and ensured that his mother got her freedom. Even today, the beak marks are seen on the Shiva Lingam.

It is one of the padal petra sthalam and the Lord Shiva here was worshipped by poets Thirugnasambandar and Arunagirinathar.

Archaeologists have pointed out that the Kodavasal Varadaraja Perumal temple’s iconographical details indicate that the idols in this Vishnu temple belong to the early Chola period – 9th century, most probably the time of Aditya Chola. The Cholas built many brick temples and these fell prey to the ravages of time and to invaders. The Kodavasal temple too fell into disuse and came to be covered with vegetation. By the time of the Nayak kings, the temple was totally forgotten.

Achyutappa Nayak and his son Raghunatha Nayak carved out an estate in Kodavasal consisting of 83 acres of land called Kottiyam Inam estate, as a gift to one of their subjects. This estate included the temple and a pond which must have been a part of the temple complex, but their grant does not mention the temple. The land passed through several hands, and one gets a clear idea about the owners only in the early years of the 20th century. Title deeds show that in 1943, the estate belonged to Rajalakshmi Ammal residing at Sengalipuram. She had mortgaged the property but was unable to redeem it.

It was auctioned and bought by Kodavasal K.S. Varadachariar. He knew there was an old brick structure on the property, but didn’t know any other details. But once the shrub was cleared, the idols of Varadaraja, Bhudevi and Neela Devi, and Narasimha (10th century) were found. Soon after Varadachari had a temple built and the first samprokshanam was performed in 1944. This temple is now being looked after by Swami Dayananda Educational Trust, Manjakkudi.

Saranatha Perumal Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is known as Sri Saranathar, and his consort as Goddess Saranayaki. The temple is one among the 108 divya desams and has been sung about by the Azhwar saints in their Divyaprabhandham hymns. This is the only temple where Lord Perumal graces the devotees with five consorts – Sridevi, Bhoodevi, Mahalakshmi, Saranayaki and Neeladevi

This temple also accords a special status to the river Goddess Cauvery. Cauvery is said to have performed severe penance, and the Lord appeared before her, in deference to her wishes. This Perumal is also said to have blessed Sage Markandeya and Lord Indra in this shrine.

This temple is one of the 108 divya desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as Srinivasa Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Nachiyar. Vishnu is believed to have appeared to the sage Medhavi and married his daughter at this temple, witnessed by Brahma and other gods.

The Kal Garuda, Vishnu’s mount, is the most prominent feature of the temple. As per local legend, the sculptor who sculpted the idol of Garuda got frustrated as the bird flew away each time, and a new image was prepared. In frustration, he threw a stone at Garuda, who got injured and decided to stay at the temple as Kal Garuda.

During festive procession during the Tamil months of Margazhi (December–January) and Panguni (March – April), the festive images are carried out in procession in Kal Garudar. While only four people are needed to carry the idol of Garuda out of the shrine, it multiples to 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 people when it reaches the entrance of the temple. The weight of the idol remains the same when carried by 4 people and stays the same when carried outside by 128. On the way back only 4 people are required to carry the float in the decreasing order 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4. The aspect is treated magical as drops of sweat are also observed on the image of Kal Garuda during the six-hour-long procession.

Brahmapureeswarar temple in Enkan is better known as Enkan Murugan temple. The idol of Lord Muruga with six heads seated on a peacock with his consorts in created with rare sculptural skill that balances the entire weight on a single leg of the peacock.

The temple was built during the rule of Kulothungan II. Sage Arunagirinathar, who authoured the Tiruppugazh, has sung the glory of this place.

The three Murugan idols at Enkan, Sikkan and Ettukudi temples were created by the same sculptor. Legend goes that the king blinded the sculptor when he started work in Enkan. However with the help of a little girl he continued, and accidentally his chisel hit the girl’s eye. The blood from the girl’s eye, helped restore his sight, and he shouted “En Kann!” (My Eyes!) and thus the name of the place.