The axial and symmetrical geometry rules are applied in the design and construction of the Peruvudaiyar temple.It is categorised as Perunkoil, also known as Madakkoil, which is a large temple constructed atop a raised platform made of either man-made or natural mounds. The temple complex spans 121.92 meters (400.0 feet) from north to south and 240.79 meters (790.0 feet) from east to west. It is shaped like nearly two stacked squares. The main community hall (mukhamandapam), the great gathering hall (mahamandapam), the pavilion that connects the great hall and the sanctum (Antrala), and the sanctum with its towering superstructure (sri vimana) are the five main sections of this space.
The temple complex features a spacious courtyard with a large covered veranda (prakara) that has a perimeter of about 450 meters (1,480 feet) for circumambulation. Surrounding this veranda are two walls; the outer one, built in 1777 by the French colonial forces, includes defensive features like gun-holes and was used as an arsenal, creating a high barrier around the temple complex. The original main gateway, or gopuram, is located at the eastern end and is barrel-vaulted, but it is less than half the size of the main temple's vimana. After the 11th century, additional structures were added to the temple, including a mandapa in the northeast corner and extra gopurams around the perimeter to provide multiple entry and exit points. These additions, made during the Pandya, Nayaka, Vijayanagara, and Maratha periods, were designed to align with the original architectural plans and maintain symmetry. Inside the temple's main courtyard, there is the main sanctum and Nandi-mandapam, along with major shrines dedicated to Kartikeya and Parvati, as well as several smaller shrines.
The Peruvudaiyar Temple, while continuing the architectural and decorative traditions of South Indian Hindu temples, surpassed earlier constructions in scale. The Chola-era architects and artisans advanced techniques for large-scale construction, exemplified by the impressive 63.4-meter (208-foot) high vimana.
The temple, oriented eastward, was originally surrounded by a water moat, which has since been filled in. The current fortifications include two walls with ornate stone gateways known as gopurams. The primary gopurams are located on the east side. The first, called Keralantakan tiruvasal or "sacred gate of the Keralantakan," is named after King Rajaraja Chola, who commissioned it. About 100 meters (330 feet) further, the Rajarajan tiruvasal, the inner courtyard gopuram, is more elaborately decorated, featuring relief work depicting scenes from the Puranas and other Hindu texts.
The inner eastern gopuram opens into a vast courtyard where the shrines are aligned along east-west and north-west cardinal directions. Visitors can enter the complex through a five-story gopuram or a smaller free-standing gopuram directly leading to the main quadrangle. The main entrance gopuram, standing at 30 meters high, is smaller than the vimana. The central area of the courtyard houses the main temple dedicated to Shiva, surrounded by smaller shrines dedicated to Parvati, Murugan, Ganesha, Nandi, Varahi, Karuvur deva (Rajaraja Chola’s guru), Chandeshvara, and Nataraja.
The Nandi mandapam features a monolithic bull statue, which faces the sanctum. This statue, made from a single stone, weighs about 25 tonnes and measures approximately 2 meters high, 6 meters long, and 2.5 meters wide. It is one of the largest monolithic Nandi statues in the country. In the mandapam, stairs lead to a columned porch and community hall, followed by an inner mandapa that connects to the pradakshina patha, or circumambulation path.
