The Madathur Subramanya Swamy Temple is situated in the Madathur village, near Venniyur, in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed to be around 500 years old in its current structure, though its sacred significance and worship traditions date back further to the Pandya period. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt and expanded by the local community.
The main deity is Lord Subramanya Swamy (also called Murugan), worshipped here in a form modelled after the famous Thiruchendur Murugan.
The temple has a beautiful Rajagopuram (entrance tower) built in 1990, a spacious mandapam (hall), and a sanctum (garbha griha) housing the main deity. The architecture is in traditional Tamil style, with bright sculptures and ornamental work. The temple also has a wedding hall, front porch, and spaces for devotees to gather during festivals.
Long ago, during the Pandya dynasty, the king of this region was saddened because he had no children. On the advice of elders, he built seven spiritual monasteries (madams) in different towns to receive divine blessings. The seventh was built here, called Pillai Madathur (meaning “place of the child”). In time, the name shortened to Madathur.
When the king was finally blessed with a child, he built a temple to Lord Subramanya here in gratitude. Originally, the temple had a simple stone sanctum and a thatched roof. In 1923, it was renovated with sacred soil from Thiruchendur, and the idol was made in the image of Thiruchendur Murugan.
Over the years, devotees expanded the temple, adding the hall in 1986 and the Rajagopuram and other facilities in 1990.
The temple celebrates all major Murugan festivals, including Skanda Shasti, Thai Poosam, and Panguni Uthiram, with special pujas, processions, and community feasts. The annual temple festival draws devotees from nearby villages and towns.