India is a land of centuries-old ancient temples. The temples in South India are a part of the heritage, and they are sacred places that hold essential beliefs and mystical auras.
The Pancha Bhootams (Five Elements of Nature), comprising air, earth, fire, water, and sky, are manifested in the highly revered temples located in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Shiva is the presiding deity.
One such temple is the Thiru Arunachaleswara temple in the Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu. One of the most sacred and revered places, it is home to the Shiva temple and one among the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams. Tiruvannamalai is situated at the foothills of Annamalai. The spiritual aura of the town has many ashrams, as well as the abodes of saints. It is a place of healing for inner peace and physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
Temple History
The temple is one of the most ancient, dating back centuries and built by several dynasties through different timelines. It is also called the Annamalaiyar Temple and manifests the element of Agni (Fire). The presiding deity is Shiva as Arunachaleswara or Annamalaiyar, with his consort Goddess Parvati as Unnamalai Amman (Apitakuchalambal). The Lingam is referred to as the Agni Lingam in this temple.
The Arunachaleswarar temple is the largest Shiva temple in the world. It is very ancient, and inscriptions show that it was built by the Chola kings in the 9th century (between 850 CE and 1280 CE). Other inscriptions include those of Vijayanagara kings, the Sangama dynasty, and the Ty, Saluva, and Tuluva dynasties.
The kings of the Chola, Pandya, Pallava, Hoysalas, the Nayaks of Tanjavur, the Kadavarayas and the Banas contributed to renovating and developing the vast temple complex. The temple's five Prakarams (Corridors) are believed to have been built at different times. While there is no clear evidence about the emergence of the first and second Prakarams, the third one was built in the 12th Century, and the fourth and fifth were constructed in the 16th Century.
Temple Architecture
The temple is located at the foothills of Tiruvannamalai and is east-facing. It is an architectural marvel with paintings and sculptures representative of the Vijayanagara and Hoysala dynasties. The temple is situated across a sprawling 25 acres of land. The Rajagopuram (Temple Tower) is 41 metres tall and 30 metres wide on the east side. The temple has seven Prakarams (Corridors) and nine Gopurams (Towers). It is surrounded by four high stone walls that resemble a fort.
The temple has five courtyards and houses two holy water tanks—the Brahma Theeertham and the Shiva Ganga Theertham. It also has a massive thousand-pillared hall (Mandapam). The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva as Lingothbavar (an image of Shiva emerging from the Shiva Lingam). The shrine of Goddess Unnamalai Amman lies in the second precinct.
In the 13th Century, the Hoysala kings built some Sannadhis (Sanctums) and Prakarams (Corridors). The temple also houses the Pathala Lingam (Underground Lingam) beneath the temple where Ramana Maharshi is believed to have performed penance.
Temple Legend
Shiva first manifested as Lingothbavar. Brahma, the Creator, and Thirumal (Vishnu) argued about superiority. It is believed Shiva appeared as a massive column of fire (Jyoti) and asked them both to find his crown and feet.
Vishnu took the boar avatar and went deep into the earth to seek Shiva's feet but failed. Brahma became a swan and set out to locate Shiva's crown. On the way, he came across the Thazhambu flower (which had adorned Shiva's crown) and a cow, which witnessed Brahma's pretence that he had found the crown.
An enraged Shiva cursed Brahma, saying there would be no temple on earth for his worship. He cursed the Thazhambu flower, saying it was unfit for worship. He cursed the cow, saying that seeing the cow first thing in the morning would be considered a bad omen.
Tiruvannamalai is the holy spot where Shiva appeared as a massive Cosmic pillar of fire. This fire column is regarded as the original symbol of the Lingam, the source of creation without a beginning or end. When Brahma and Vishnu prayed to Shiva to transform into a calmer form, Shiva agreed and came to reside as a Shiva Lingam at the foot of the hill, where the present temple is located.
Shiva also manifested himself in the form of Arthanareeswarar. Goddess Parvati once closed Shiva's eyes in a playful mood, and the world plunged into complete darkness. As part of her penance, the Goddess moulded a Shiva Lingam out of sand in Kanchipuram. Shiva directed Goddess Parvati to go to Tiruvannamalai and get half of Shiva's body. As she was deep in prayers, a demon Makidasuran tried to disturb her penance.
The Goddess took the form of Goddess Durga and destroyed him on the Full Moon Day (Pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. Shiva manifested himself in fire atop the hill and combined Goddess Parvati onto the left side of his body. This form is called Arthanareeswarar, where the female and male forms and energies are combined.
Temple Glory
The greatness of the Arunachaleswarar temple has been glorified through literary works, including the Divine poems of Shavite poet saints Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar and Sambandar. The temple enjoys the status of Padal Petra Sthalam, given by the Tamil poet Nayanars. It mentions some of the most famous works of Tamil literature, such as Thevaram (7th Century) and Thiruvasagam (9th Century).
The saints visited the temple and composed these poems in praise of Shiva. Saint Manickavasagar composed the Thiruvempavai-20 and Thiruvammanai. This sacred place has served as the abode of the Tamil Siddhars(Highly Enlightened Beings) and other saints like Arunachala Desikar, Arunagirinathar, Deivasigamani, Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi and others.
Religious Significance
The Arunachaleswarar temple at Tiruvannamalai is one among them. It is a traditional belief that just a momentary thought of this temple can liberate us from the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. The Arunachala temple is believed to be the most sacred of all names. The Agni Lingam here symbolises duty, virtue, self-sacrifice, and liberation.
According to the Shiva Purana, there are four holy places to attain Moksha (liberation) or salvation (Ninaithale Mukti Tharum Thiruthalam). The temple and its hill are believed to emit strong, positive vibrations.
It is believed Shiva established himself as Jyotirlinga on a sacred hill behind the temple. This holy hill stands 2668 feet high and is revered as Annamalaiyar here. Around the temple are ashrams and samadhis of different saints and spiritual leaders.
Traditions & Rituals
Performing Girivalam (Circumambulation) on a 14-kilometre path around the hill every Full Moon Day (Pournami) is believed to be a very auspicious ritual. Devotees believe that observing Giri Pradakshina can relieve the cycle of death and rebirth and provide good health and peace of mind.
Ancient traditions are still practised at the temple, as the local community is involved in the rituals. Ceremonies include bringing the Ganga theertham on the elephant from the holy tank in the southern part of the town. The sacred water is brought through the Thirumanjana Gopuram on the southern side. This water is used to cleanse the second Prakaram entrance.
Shiva and Goddess Parvati are awakened, Arunachaleswarar is taken in a procession to the main temple, and the Goddess is brought to the Unnamalai Amman Temple. The first Pooja starts in the morning and is performed six times daily.
Temple Festivals
Each year in the Tamil month of Karthigai, at exactly 6:00 pm, Arthannareeswarar, in the form of a Lingam, transforms himself into Jyoti Swaroopa and grants blessings to his devotees on the tenth day of the festival (Tiruvannamalai Deepam).
Shiva is worshipped here in the form of fire. Every year in the Tamil month of Karthigai, the flame is lit on the hilltop, and the festival is celebrated as Karthigai Deepam. Witnessing this sacred fire every year is considered very auspicious, as Shiva is worshipped as Agni at Tiruvannamalai. The festival culminates in the lighting of the Maha Deepam on the sacred Tiruvannamalai hill at sunset.
Temple Timings
Morning 5:30 am -12:30 pm
Evening 3:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Transportation
By Road- Tiruvannamalai is well connected to all South Indian cities and can be reached by bus or car.
By Rail—The nearest railway stations are Villupuram (76 km) and Katpadi (65 km). Trains pass through these stations frequently from different parts of the country. Taxis and buses are available from the station to the temple.
By Air—The nearest airport is Chennai International Airport, 180 km away. Flights are available from all cities to Chennai. From the airport, taxis are available to Tiruvannamalai.
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