Ardhanareeswarar Temple, Rishivandiyam

Ardhanareeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in his Ardhanareeswarar form at Rishivandiyam in Kallakurichi district, Tamil Nadu. Located about 30 km southeast of Tiruvannamalai, it is noted for its Dravidian architecture, east-facing sanctum and shrine for Goddess Muthambigai. Traditionally linked to sages who worshipped here, the temple is believed to date to the Chola period with later Vijayanagara expansions and remains an active pilgrimage centre.

Visitors can expect a traditional South Indian temple complex with a gopuram, pillared mandapams, stone inscriptions and a central sanctum housing the Ardhanareeswarar lingam representing the combined form of Shiva and Parvati, with a separate shrine for Goddess Muthambigai. The courtyard is used for circumambulation and daily rituals. The setting is a small temple town surrounded by agricultural land, with shops selling flowers and offerings near the entrance and a generally quiet devotional atmosphere.