Sri Karneshwar Nataraja Temple

Located on the Pudhukuppam Beach in Pondicherry, 12 kms north of Auroville, Sri Karneshwar Nataraja Temple is the most unusual and yet one of the most beautiful temples present in India. Constructed in a pyramid shape, the temple is built to resemble the great pyramids of Egypt. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the shrine was originally built in the year 2000 by Dr. Karan Singh who was also the Chairman of Auroville Foundation. However, the tsunami of 2004 destroyed the original temple and so the new pyramid temple that was built was bigger and better. The presiding deity is housed in a central chamber under the pointed dome. The entire structure has been pointed northwards to generate maximum energy.

Sri Karneshwar Nataraja Temple boasts of striking architectural finesse. The chief statue of Lord Shiva has been aligned with the centre axis so that the third eye is exactly at a distance of one-third from the base of the temple. Also, there have been three paths constructed for pradakshina following the Indian tradition. The entrance of the shrine faces south in reason to the fact that Lord Shiva was called Dakshinamurti- teacher of the south. The temple is unarguably, one of the most beautiful tourist spots of Pondicherry and is a must-visit destination if you are in or around the area.