Krishnapuram is a small village about 12 km southeast of Tirunelveli that holds one of the most artistically distinguished temple complexes in the southern Tamil country: the Venkatachalapathy Temple, built by the Madurai Nayaks in the late 16th century and dedicated to Vishnu. It is a working temple, but the main draw for visitors is sculptural.
The pillars of the entrance mandapam carry life-size figures carved almost in the round — warriors with raised swords, courtesans, sages, and the celebrated equestrian portrait of Krishnappa Nayak. It is the finest example of Nayak-period figural carving in the south and a short detour from Tirunelveli for anyone interested in Indian sculpture.