Thiruchutru Maligai
The temple has a massive colonnaded cloister, Thiruchutru Maligai, ~1500 feet in perimeter that encircles the entire temple complex. It offers shelter and shade as devotees perform the traditional three parikramas or circumambulations of the temple.
Start your circumambulation from the Rajaraja Tiruvasal going clockwise as is the Hindu tradition.
​
South Cloister Wall (Map: 6)
Temple Kitchen: On the southeast corner of the cloister is the temple kitchen with a large, roofed courtyard and well. This kitchen started functioning the day before the original consecration of the temple and has been in continuous operation ever since. This is the only known temple kitchen in use for more than a thousand years, providing a variety of traditional dishes that are used for prasadam (offerings for the Gods and distributed to worshipers) every single day without interruptions for war or famine! Inside the kitchen you see an 8-foot-tall sculpture of Agni, the fire God, now in a slightly damaged condition.
​
Along the Southern wall, you see Mahaveera in the sitting posture under the Ashoka tree and Buddha in standing posture under the peepal tree where he gained enlightenment. There is a long double row of 108 Lingams (representations of Shiva) that were originally installed in this part of the temple. In later years, when Rajaraja and subsequent rulers went to war, they brought back Lingams from conquered kingdoms and installed them in the Thiruchutru Maligai. There is also a row of small Nandi (seated bulls) on the roof of the Thiruchutru Maligai.
On the south side of the corridor there is a Yama Raja sculpture in sitting position with buffaloes around him. There is Nrithi Raja (God of the cremation ground) enclosure with dead bodies around. Facing the east there is an 8 feet tall Varuna deva.
Atop the flat roof of the southern cloister, you see iron rings set into the walls. These rings were used to hold poles for tents under which physicians and other medical practitioners held advisory sessions for townspeople. Exercise classes were also provided for the general public here.
North Cloister Wall (Map: 13)
The north cloister was built by Krishnan Raman, the military commander of King Rajaraja. Several small shrines can be seen in this section of the cloister, dedicated gods and goddesses who are not represented in the main set of shrines. In later years, the Maratha ruler Sarfoji installed 108 Shiva Lingas in this section of the cloister. Apart from the shrines, the North Cloister also has some beautiful ancient murals and paintings.
On the northwest corner there is a statue of Vayuraja (God of the Winds) in sitting position with deer surrounding him. Kubera, in sitting posture with lions around is on the northern side facing south.On the northeast with Nandis around is there in the sitting position.
Complete your circumambulation, finishing at the Rajaraja Tiruvasal where you started.