Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, which represent the 5 basic elements of life – Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Sky. It is also one of the holiest Shaivite temples. It represents the element Fire. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Agni (Fire) Lingam here.
The Shiva Purana says that there are four holy spots where one can attain Moksha or liberation. This temple in Tamil Nadu is one of them. Even a mere thought of this temple supposedly liberates one from the cycle of life and death. Such is the sanctity that this temple possesses.
Lord Shiva once appeared as a column of fire to reveal that he was the Supreme God. The Arunachala Hills near the Arunachaleswarar Temple represent this fire column, which is also the original symbol of the lingam, from which all creation began, and which has no beginning or end. It is present everywhere in the cosmos, the galaxies, and the cosmic ocean.
The Annamalaiyar Temple, which is another name for it, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It lies at the base of the Annamalai hills in the town of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. The temple, which has an area spanning 25 acres, is one of the largest temples in India. It is almost a thousand years old, but the present structure includes many modifications carried out during the 17th and 19th centuries.
The temple has 4 gateway towers. There are numerous shrines within the temple complex. The most important of these are the shrines of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman. It also has many halls, of which the thousand-pillared hall built by the Vijayanagar rulers is the most remarkable.
On entering the temple, one can see the Thousand Pillared Mandapa on the right. Such mandapas are common in most Tamil Nadu temples. It is a marvelous example of ancient Tamil architecture. On the left side is a large tank. At the front, there is another gateway that leads to the inner sanctum, where one can find the Shiva Agni Linga. One can enjoy a panoramic view of the temple, standing on top of the sacred Mount Arunachala.
The 800 m hill is not an easy climb due to unstable rocks. The hot sun also drains your energy with every step you take. But one forgets all this on reaching the top of the hill. The spectacular view of the temple is well worth the pain and the effort.
Temple Legends
As per Hindu thought, life began as a combination of five basic elements – fire, air, water, sky, and land.
Lord Shiva supposedly appeared in all 5 Panchambootham temples. In each temple, he appeared as one of the five elements. In the Ekambareshwar temple, he appeared as the Prithvi lingam. Prithvi represents earth. In the Annamalaiyar temple, he appeared as the Agni lingam, which represents fire. In the Jambukeshwar temple, he manifested as the Appu lingam, that represents water, and in the Kalahastheeswar temple, he manifested as the Vayu lingam, which represents air. In the Natarajar temple, he appeared as the Aakasha lingam, representing the sky.
Once, Goddess Parvati, who was in a playful mood, closed Shiva’s eyes for a moment. Though it was only for a fleeting moment, there was no light in the universe, and darkness prevailed for many years. So Parvati, as well as the other Gods, performed penance. Then, Lord Shiva manifested as a column of fire atop the Annamalai hills, and the universe was filled with light again. He also merged with Parvati to form Ardhanarishwara, the half-female, half-male form of Shiva. Annamalai, the red mountain, lies behind the Annamalaiyar temple. It has an association with the temple. The hill is considered sacred. It represents the lingam, the symbol of Shiva.
Another legend is that once, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma had a dispute about who was superior. As their quarrel intensified, Lord Shiva decided to intervene. He appeared as an endless pillar of light. Both Vishnu and Brahma were told to find its beginning or end. The one who did so first would be the superior god, said Shiva. So Brahma became a swan and went up, while Vishnu became a boar and went down into the earth to find where the pillar of light began and ended. Neither succeeded. But Brahma lied that he had found the source of the light and made a Ketaki flower bear witness. Vishnu conceded defeat. Shiva cursed Brahma for lying to him. He said that Brahma would not be worshipped in any temple. This is why temples for Lord Brahma are rare to find.
