Arunachaleswarar Temple is an incredible place; here, you will experience many such things which are unique in themselves. The identity of Arunachaleswarar Temple is associated with rituals, spirituality, reverence, and civilizations here. We can see many Temples in India which have been present in their full form for thousands of years. These temples show the great ancient artworks and architecture of India.
One of these famous and beautiful temples is Arunachaleswarar Temple, which we also have known as the Annamalaiyar Temple. Arunachaleswarar Temple has significant value in the Hindu religion, and every day many devotees from every part of the world come here to worship Lord Shiva, who is here in the form of Lingam.
Shri Arunachaleswarar Temple – Agni Lingam (Jyothi Lingam)
Arunachaleswarar Temple is the most sacred Hindu temple situated in the bottom of the Arunachala hills in Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. The Thiruvannamalai Arunachalesvara temple is the most famous in south India, which is dedicated to worship Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Shiva appeared here in the form of fire ( Agni ). The Temple is the most significant to the Hindu sect as it is one of the Pancha Bhoota sthalams, which is dedicated to the expression of the five natural elements. The Annamalaiyar Temple Premises is spread over 25 acres.
The four gates in the temple are built in four directions, which are known as Gopurams. Among these four, the eastern tower (Rajagopuram) is the tallest with 11 storeys and a height of 66 meters (217 ft), which also makes it one of the tallest temple towers in India.
The traditional Dravidian style of architecture was used to build this temple, and it is also believed that the temple is one of the eight largest Hindu temples in the world.
There are several Shrines in the temple, of which Arunachaleswarar (Lord Shiva) and Unnavalai Amman (Mata Parvati) are the most prominent.
There are many halls in the temple complex, but the thousand pillar hall is the most popular one, which was built during the Vijayanagar period. The temple is also famous as the temple of eight lingams, also known as ashtalingam, which are situated at different positions of the Girivalam route with a distance of 1.5 Km. These eight lingams are known as Indra Lingam, Agni Lingam, Yama Lingam, Niruthi Lingam, Varuna Lingam, Kuber Lingam, and Esanya Lingam.
The main lingam in the Tirtha is called Agni Lingam and represents duty, virtue, self-sacrifice, and liberation through ascetic life at the end of Agni Kalpa. The grandeur of the temple reflects the ancient architecture of the place. The walls and entry gates of the temple have carvings of images of many deities. This temple is for everyone, for those who are searching for peace and also for those who love to explore unique places. When you visit this place, this shrine gives you some of the best memories of your lifetime.
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Attractions at Shri Arunachaleswarar Temple
Arunachaleswarar Temple is like one place for everything. This temple attracts you by itself; the splendor, the sanctity, and the stories of Lord Shiva associated with it, always lure people. There are many temples, halls, pavilions located in this temple. Here you can see the idols of Lord Shiva as well as many other Gods and Goddesses. The temple houses a tree named “Magizha,” which is believed to be most sacred and medicinal, and those people who do not have the children tie small cradles to the branches of the tree to fulfill their wish. In the outer courtyard of the temple, there is a stone trident in the open air, which has a guardrail all around for protection.
The sculpture done on the gates, halls, and walls of the temple is inimitable and is also the center of attraction of the shrine. In the temple, six rituals are performed daily at different times from 5:30 in the morning to 10:00 in the night, and there are twelve annual festivals on its calendar. There are many attractions in the Shri Arunachaleswarar Temple. Wherever we go, we see something unique; this temple is a symbol of the ancient civilization of Hindu civilization. This temple is also one of the best places to visit in Tamil Nadu.
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Legends of Shri Arunachaleswarar Temple
Many Sanskrit and Tamil scriptures have clearly described the incarnation of the temple. It is believed that once there was a debate between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma that who is the most powerful among the two of them.
But the discussion became the war, and to stop this fight, Lord Shiva appeared between them in the form of Jyotir Lingam and said whoever will find my source first will be the most powerful.
To find the source of Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma took the form of Hans and flew towards the sky, and Lord Vishnu took the form of Varaha and sought its base. This scene is called lingothbava. But Both of them couldn’t find the source, But when Lord Vishnu conceded his defeat, Lord Bhrama lied that he had found the source, as a result of which Lord Shiva said that there would not be a temple of Brahma in his worship on earth.
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FAQ
The Arunachaleswarar Temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota sthalams ( five elements) this temple represent the element of fire (Agni). Also, it is one of the most sacred places in Thiruvannamalai.
The present structure was built by the Chola dynasty in the 9th century.
The walk around the holy Arunachala hill by devotees is called Girivalam or Giri Pradakshina It is considered auspicious to do it on the full moon day on Karthikai Deepam festival. Lakhs of Devotees come on full moon day to perform Girivalam and get the blessings of Lord Shiva.
The Arunachaleswarar Temple is located at the base of Arunachala hills and Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. To reach there the nearest Airpot is Pondicherry which is almost 89 km away but it is not an international airport and it has limited services. You can opt for Chennai Airport which is 155 km far. You can also choose TNSTC.
The temple opens all days of the week and the timings of the temple are:-
. 5:00 AM – 12:30 PM
. 3:30 PM – 09:30 PM