Kovils

Koil or Koyil or Kovil, (meaning: residence of God) is the Tamil term for a distinct style of Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture. Both the terms koyil (கோயில், kōyil) and kovil (கோவில், kōvil) are used interchangeably. In Tamil language, kōvil () is the word derived, according to the rules of Tamil grammar.

In contemporary Tamil, the term 'kōvil' is also used to refer to Christian churches. Even non-religious places considered sacred are called kōvil by Tamils, for example the shrines built in the memory of Thiruvalluvar (the 2nd century poet-philosopher), or Tamil Thaai (translated as Mother Tamil, the revered personification of the language) are called Thiruvalluvar kōvil and Tamil thaai kōvil respectively.

In modern formal speech, kōvil is also referred to as aalayam, dheva sthaanam by many Hindus and as dhevaalayam by Christians. Ambalam is another term used by devotees of the 19th century Tamil monk Vallalar. Another term is 'Thali', (தளி) which also means temple.

To Shaivites, the foremost kōvils are Chidambaram temple and Koneswaram temple while for Vaishnavites, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam and Tirumala Venkateswara temple, Tirupati are viewed as important. To Christians the kōils considered very important are the Arokkiya Madha kōil (Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health) in Velankanni, Santhome Dhevaalayam (San Thome Basilica) in Chennai and the Poondi Madha kōil (Poondi Madha Basilica) in Thiruvaiyaru.

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