Annamalaiyar Temple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Arulmigu Annamalaiyar Thirukoil | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Name: | Arulmigu Annamalaiyar Thirukoil |
| Primary deity: | Annamalaiyar (Shiva) and Consort: Unnamalaiyaal (Apitakuchambaal - Parvati) |
| Architecture: | Kovil |
| Location: | Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu |
| Coordinates: | 12°13′54″N 79°04′02″E / 12.2316°N 79.0672°E |
Annamalaiyar Temple (Ta: திருஅண்ணாமலையார் திருக்கோயில்) (Arunachaleswara in Sanskrit) is a noted Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located at the bottom of the Annamalai hill in Thiruvannamalai town in Tamilnadu, India. It is the home of Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswarar (Lord Shiva worshipped as a Shiva Lingam) and Unnamalaiyaal (Apitakuchambaal - Parvati), and is one of the largest temples in India.
It occupies a special place in the Saivite realm and is regarded as one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams (one of the five grand temples associated with the five basic elements) – associated with the element Fire; the other four being Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Chidambaram Natarajar (sky), Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth) and Kalahasti Nathar (wind).
It is said that the Saivite saint poet Manikkavasagar composed the Tiruvempaavai while at Thiruvannamalai.
 |
|
Dharma · Artha |
|
Vedas · Upanishads |
|
Related topics
Hinduism by country |
|
|
Contents |
[edit] History
The earliest known record of the temple is in the works of the poet Nakkirar of the third Tamil Sangam period. This dates the temple's origins back at least 2000 years. At that time, the temple might have been a simple wooden structure. The present masonry structure and gopurams (temple towers) date back approximately 1200 years. This has been determined from an inscription in the structure that was made during the reign of Chola kings who ruled in the ninth century A.D. [1]
[edit] Architecture
The temple spreads over 24 acres. The 11 tiered East Rajagopuram towers to a height of 217 feet, while the fortified walls pierced with 4 gopura entrances offer a formidable look to this vast temple complex . The Pei Gopuram, Tirumanjana Gopuram and Ammanaiammal gopuram are the other three. The 1000 pillared hall and the temple tank were built by Krishna Devarayar of Vijayanagar. Each of the prakarams has a huge Nandi and several towers such as the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram and Kili Gopuram.
[edit] Festivals
The celebration of the festival Karthikai Deepam marks the conclusion of the ten day Brahmotsavam in the Tamil month of Karthikai.
Four Brahmotsavams are celebrated every year, the most famous of which is the one celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthigai (November/December). This ten day event culminates on the day of Karthigai Deepam and on that evening, a huge lamp is lit in a cauldron with three tons of ghee at the top of the Annamalai hill.[2]
Every full moon night, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Shiva by circumambulating the Arunachala hill barefoot. The circumambulation covers a distance of about 15km. [3].
On the yearly Chitra Powrnami (full moon) night in the Tamil calendar year, lakhs of pilgrims come from across the world to worship Him.
The height of the Arunachala hill is approximately 1600 feet.
[edit] See also
- Meenakshi Amman temple
- Kalahasti temple
- Ekambareswarar Temple
- Chidambaram Temple
- Thiruvanaikaval Temple
[edit] References
- ^ Arunachala From Rigveda to Ramana Maharshi, Chapter 8 (Arunachaleswarar Temple), by A. R. Natarajan, published by Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning, Bangalore.
- ^ The Hindu: 10 lakh devotees witness Tiruvannamalai Deepam
- ^ This is referred to as the Giri Valam.Tiruvannamalai at Tamil Nadu tourism website
[edit] External links
- Link to Indiantemples.com website
- Karthikai Deepam festival
- Thiruvannamalai Info
- Annamalaiyar video
- Annamalaiyar articles
- Annamalaiyar wallpapers
|
|||||||
