Coimbatore Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Coimbatore

Adiyogi (Shiva as the first yogi) is located in the Velliangiri Foothills at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. The face of Adiyogi – the Source of Yoga, is an iconic inspiration for people. It symbolises the possibilities to attain moksha (liberation), mentioned in yogic culture. The statue is now included in the Incredible India campaign and is considered one of the best tourist attractions in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Edifice of Adiyogi-

Recognized as the world's largest bust sculpture by the Guinness World Records, the face of Adiyogi is 112 feet high, representing the 112 ways through which human beings can overcome their limitations and reach their ultimate potential. The Adiyogi statue is 147ft long and 82ft wide steel statue of Shiva with Thirunamam. Designed by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the statue weighs around 500 tonnes.

A linga called Yogeshwar Linga was consecrated as a manifestation of five major chakras in the human system and placed in front of the statue of the Adiyogi the Yogeshwar Linga. The presence of the Yogeshwar Linga has made Adiyogi a living entity.

Marudhamalai in Coimbatore is dedicated to the Hindu God Murugan. The temple is located atop the hill and is called Marudhamalai Hill. The temple was the property of the Kongu Vettuva Gounder Kings during ancient times. The temple is second in importance next to the Arupadaiveedu temple, another temple dedicated to Lord Murugan.

Devotees of Lord Murugan believe that Marudhamalai is unofficially the seventh Padaiveedu of Lord Murugan. The temple is very old and has been mentioned in many scriptures. In fact, inscriptions of the walls of Thirumuruganpoondi temple also refer to the Marudhamalai temple.

Looking at the inscriptions one can deduce that the temple is at least 1200 years old. Like the other temples dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Marudhamalai temple has also been built on top of a hill that is an extension of the Western Ghats. The temple is only 15 km from the centre of Coimbatore city and is easily accessible via road.

Black Thunder is an amusement and theme-based park that is situated in Mettupalayam and is about 40 km from the city of Coimbatore. The amusement park has been built on an area of about 75 acres and is huge and spacious. There are 49 thrilling and fun-filled rides in the park. The most popular rides are the Wild River Ride and the Surf Hill.

Within the premises of the park is a hotel and one can even use the hotel for night stay. Many people prefer staying in the park because they not only want to enjoy the rides but also take in the scenic atmosphere of the park.

The park has been built on the foothills of the Nilgiris and offers a panoramic view of the Nilgiris as well as the tea and coffee plantations on these hills that add to the beauty of the environs. Entry fee for the park is 450 INR for adults above 10 years and 400 for children below 10.

Dhyanalinga, or Dhyanalingam, in Velliangiri, was established by Sadhguru in 1994. It was in the same year that the temple conducted its first program in which the concept of Dhyanalinga was discussed by Sadhguru for the first time. A stone edifice of the linga was established at the Dhyanalinga Temple in 1996. The temple was accessible only to the disciples of Sadhguru until 1999.

On 23rd November 1999 the temple opened its doors to the general public. The temple has gained a lot of importance among people who are looking at reducing stress and anxiety in their lives. Plenty of people come to the place to meditate in peace because of the quiet and peaceful atmosphere that exists in the temple.

The temple is also popular because it does not prescribe to any particular religion and people from all religions are welcome here to spend their time and meditate in peace.

Patteeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located at Perur near Coimbatore. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of ‘Patteeswarar’. His consort Goddess Parvati is also worshipped along with Shiva. The temple is at a distance of 7 km from the Noyyal river and is situated on the western part of the river.

The Pallayakarar Kings who belonged to the community of Kongu Vettuva Gounder constructed the temple which is considered the most important temple in the whole of Coimbatore. It is also very popular among the locals because the entire population of Coimbatore has maximum devotees of Lord Shiva.

The temple catches the interest of the tourists because of the large statues that are built within the temple premises. The temple has not only religious significance but also historical importance as is evident by the poetic works of Kachiappa Munivar and Arunagiri Nather.

Singanallur Lake is located in the Singanallur area of Coimbatore. The Lake is a very famous picnic spot among the tourists as well as the locals because of the wide variety of flora and fauna found surrounding the lake.

In fact, the area around the Lake is considered a bird watcher’s paradise because of the several species of birds that have made the grasslands near the Lake their home. It is believed that there are some 100 species of birds who are now regulars in the region. The area is thronging with activity during spring time because plenty of tourists and locals come to spot the wide variety of birds found near the region of the Lake.

Ornithologists from all over the world visit the Lake to catch a glimpse of some of the rare and exotic species of birds that can be seen only here. One can spot egrets, herons, storks, ibis, spoonbills, kites, peafowls, harriers and teals, to name a few.

Brookefields Mall is a shopping mall in Coimbatore. The mall is one of the biggest malls in Coimbatore and is situated on the Brookebond Road and was opened in 2009. It is the most visited mall in the city. The mall was the brainchild of Brookefields Estates Pvt. Ltd, who not only developed the concept of the mall but also did the construction work.

The mall was opened in phases and is fully functional today. The reason for the popularity of the mall is the presence of both national as well as international brands. The mall offers a wide range of products for sale.

There is also a multiplex with six screens and a food court that serves local as well as continental delicacies. There is also a gaming zone for the kids and adults alike. The mall also provides basic facilities like multistorey-storey parking, Wi-Fi connection and an ATM.

Kovai Kuttralam is a very famous picnic spot near Coimbatore. The place is famous for the scenic view it offers of a cascading waterfall that owes its origin to the Siruvani Hills. These hills are also a part of the Western Ghats that are towards the western side of Coimbatore.

Kovai Kuttralam is easily accessible from Coimbatore and is at a distance of 35 km from the city. The famous Siruvani Dam has been constructed right above the waterfall. The Forest Department is responsible for the upkeep of the areas surrounding the dam including the waterfall.

One must take special permission from the forest department to visit the Kovai Kuttralam Falls. There are only a certain number of buses that run from the city to the place. However, one must ensure to visit the area well before 5 p.m. because no one is allowed in the place after the mentioned time.

Karamadai Ranganatha Temple is situated at a distance of 30 km from the city of Coimbatore. It is on the Mettupalayam Highway and is easy to locate. The temple has been built in a scenic location. The blue mountain forms the backdrop of the temple. The temple was built by Thirumalai Nayakkar who got numerous walls and mandapams built in the temple.

It is believed that Karikala Chozhan and the King of Mysore Krishanaraja Wodeyar both have contributed towards the upkeep and maintenance of the temple.

According to a local legend, a British engineer was beginning the construction of a rail line that was cutting through the temple. This made the locals and the devotees very unhappy. They prayed fervently at the temple and impressed with the prayers of His devotees, Lord Ranganatha appeared in the dreams of the engineer sitting on a white horse. The engineer decided against cutting through the temple. In honour of the deity he built a wooden white horse outside the temple.

Kurunthamalai Kuzhandhai Velayutha Swami Temple is in Kurunthamalai, a small town in the district of Coimbatore. The temple is 24 km from the city of Coimbatore and only 4 km from Karamadai. The temple is dedicated to Kuzhandai Velayudaswamy who is also worshipped as Lord Murugan.

The idol of the deity is placed in a sanctum that faces the west side. The temple is situated at the top of a small hillock. On the foothills of the hillock is a small shrine where God Vinayak or Ganesha is worshipped. Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha is His younger brother.

Kurunthamalai Kuzhandhai Velayutha Swami Temple is regarded among the most gorgeous temples in the area and is at least 700 years old. According to a legend, Sage Thiru Agasthiya received ‘Mandira Upadesam’ at this temple from the Lord Himself and hence, the temple is very popular among the devotees of Lord Murugan.

The Vanabadrakaliamman Temple is a very old temple located near Mettupalayam. The temple is dedicated to Hindu Goddess Bhadrakali. The temple is at a distance of 53 km from the city of Coimbatore. According to legend, a demon by the name of Paagasuran lived on the west side of the temple and was the cause of major terror among the people of the area.

Locals requested Bheema, the strongest of the Pandava brothers to end this reign of terror of the demon. Bheema sat down to worship Goddess Kali and gained strength to defeat the demon. He fought the demon, and the fight lasted for several hours by the end of which Bheema was able to kill the demon.

While on his deathbed the demon realized his fault and sought forgiveness from Goddess Kali for his sins. The Goddess transformed him into Kaaval Boodham or the ‘demon who protects’. Devotees worship not only the Goddess but also Bheema and Paagasuran.