Near the village of Panamalai is located an early-8th c AD Pallava temple known as Talagirishwara. It is situated on a granite outcrop next to a lake (hence the name). Like the Kanchipuram Pallava temples that it is contemporaneous with, and unlike the later Uttiramerur Pallava temples, Talagirishwara has the rearing-lion-yali sculptures on its sanctuary outer walls. Only the sanctuary structure is from the Pallava era, the adjoining mandapa and shrines are from the Vijaynagar period.

Talagirishwara temple visibly on the rocky hill, surrounded by paddy crops

The rocky landscape around the lake. This temple is situated south of the Gingee area, and the landscape is very similar

Shrine at the foot of the stairs leading up to the temple

Durga shrine amongst the rocks

Talagirishwara temple

Inside the mandapa