Chennaitian: Sankarankoil - Hari and Haran are same

Sankarankoil - Tower

Significances:

This temple was built by Ukira Pandiyan ruled Ukkirankottai around eleventh century CE.
The deity of this temple very unique, half Lord Shiva and another half Lord Vishnu. Hence the name Sankara Narayanan temple. Even the city name was Sankaranayinar kovil in old times.
This temple is situated over 4 acres site and has 135 feet beautiful tower.
It is one of the Pancha Bootha temples in South Pandya country.
Lord Shiva appeared as Sankaranarayanar to emphasis that both Hari and Shiva are one and the same.
The Nataraja sculpture in this temple is unique.
Adi Thabasu festival is very popular among pilgrims and celebrated in tamil month Adi(July-August).
There is a belief that the holy sand from this temple would cure all the diseases. There is a sacred tank called nagasunai, dug by serpent kings Paduman and Sangam, has miraculous power to heal anyone who takes bath in this tank.

Sankarankoil - Tower

Sthalapuranam:

The legends says that Gomati Amman, the consort of Siva wanted to see Hari and Hara as one and the same murti. So, Amman went on doing penance on the earth at Pungavanakshetram for 9 days in the month of Adi to have the darsan of Hari and Hara in one form. On one full-moon day Lord Siva gave her darsan as Sankaranarayana. In commemoration of this date the Adi Tapas festival is performed every year near Pungavanakshetram.
Another legend is about how this temple was built. Ukira pandiyan's daily routine was to go to Madurai on elephant to worship Lord Somasundarar and Meenakshi. One day his elephant dug a pit with its trunk, fell and rolled over the earth, and refused to move further. Manikreevan one of the king's guards informed the king about this. When the king came there to witness this an oracle was heard at that time which instructed the Pandiya king to construct a temple and to worship him with utmost devotion which the king obliged.