The Hindu’s coffee table book on Tamil Nadu’s temple architecture released

A coffee table book titled ‘Evolution of temple architecture in Tamil Nadu’ and authored by Vrinda Ramanan and J. Ramanan, was released by Shiv Das Meena, the Chairperson of Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) and Nirmala Lakshman, the Chairperson of The Hindu Group, on Tuesday (August 5, 2025). The book by The Hindu Group publications is a comprehensive historical study of the evolution of temples in Tamil Nadu, from rock-cut sanctuaries to structural temples.

This special coffee table book released during the inaugural of The Hindu Tamil Nadu Real Estate Summit 2025 in Chennai has 250 photographs, 75 sketches describing the evolution of the grand vimanas and pillars and 358 pages with richly layered historical narratives weaving history, architecture, art and devotion.

The book is a visual and narrative journey through South India’s temple heritage. It traces the evolution from rock-cut caves to towering Chola temples, while also highlighting the far-reaching influence of Indian kings. The architectural legacy of the Mauryas, Chalukyas, Pallavas, Pandyas and Cholas extends beyond India’s shores — to the grand temples of Indonesia, Cambodia, Borobudur and ancient Vietnam.

N. Ram, Director of The Hindu Group, L.V. Navaneeth, CEO of The Hindu Group and Sridhar Aranala, Vice-President (Sales and Distribution) of The Hindu were also present.

The book is available for sale in The Hindu Group’s online bookstore. The cover price of this coffee-table book is ₹3,999. A special launch offer at ₹2,999 may be availed for a limited period of one week from August 5 by visiting The Hindu Group’s online bookstore at https://publications.thehindugroup.com/bookstore/