The history and cultural traditions of the Tamils may be traced back to the earliest times of human history of the various dynasties that had shaped their destiny in the historic period. The Pandiyas were the most outstanding and the Southern most part of India had always been their main seat of power. While the second Pandya empire marked the zenith of their power, the advent of the Muslim rule in the South precipitated their decline. Yet they continued to exercise limited authority in the Tirunelveli region as late as the 17th century. It was Tenkasi region which witnessed the final blaze of their power before it flickered out. The Visvanatha temple provides an insight into the splendid glory of this phase of Pandiyan power.