Temple

A divine retreat for weary souls.

      Temple is an externalized aspect of faith, and it is a place to restore peace and harmony. What great seers have visualized has been made outwardly real in a temple. This temple is safely edifice consecrated to the Lord of Light and other deities, built centuries ago at the foot of the hill to form the seat of worship. The main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is in the eastern tower, the tallest structure in proportion to the other dimensions of this largest temple forming part of it. The tower rising heavenward is marvelously massive and magnificently majestic one with its imposing structural elegance and inviting architectural excellence and awes people at a distance.

      Temple is the world's only social hope and the sole promise of peace and harmony; It purifies the society, and looks at the world with the intention of serving it, and strengthening society spiritually uniting people. The temple stands for the eternal, and the great glory of god where people praise the name of god and sing his glory. The temple offers you something you simply cannot get else where.

An Endless Echo of an incantation.

      An incantation of ecstatic import echoes endlessly through out the city. This verified phrase of wisdom which glorifies lord is a holy utterance having the stamp and dignity of divinity, it yields a nourishment to the mind; it is sweet to the soul, and wholesome to the body. This line is cluster of words is the temple in which the soul of those chant is enshrined;
It has an immense power to

• Refresh the mind and make truth flow the clearest into it

• Nurses the sprit

• Wakes the soul and

Wings it with sublime desire as fits it bespeak deity. When this Manthram of marvelous power is intoned with prayerful attitude it

• Revives one's being

• Touches the root of the matter

• Calls in one's spirit

• Composes his thought

• Delights his ear

• Recreates his mind.

• Exhilarates his soul

      Lord Annamalai appears to visionary souls in the form of conflagration attended with light and heat, but to an ordinary observer there is rocky hill in this place. The grandeur of this sthala: The Earth is composed of five elements namely Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Ether. The physical body of the throbbing life is also composed of these five elements.

There are are sacred spots (Pancha Bootha Sthalas )  of these five elements.
 

Of these five holy sthalas Thiruvannamalai is the Theju sthala. To think about Thiruvannamalai alone bestows liberation and this sthala naturally stands first. One can obtain salvation (Mukthi) by remaining in one's place and thinking of Thiruvannamalai.

This Mukthi sthala spreads an expanse of 25 acres containing the temple of Lord Arunachala with tall towers piercing the sky. This shrine is famous not only in India but throughout the world.

Legends declare that those who pronounce the name of this sthala once, secure the bliss of repeating three crores of times the panchakshara (the Mantra of five words) and that not only those who visited and worshipped in this sthala, but also their descendents up to 21 generations will get liberation.

As one enters the city Thiruvannamalai, the Rajagopuram standing majestically, soaring a height of 217 feet comes to view first. It has 11 stories. This tower is a standing testimony to the artistic genius of the Vijayanagar Dynasty.

The Paathala (underground) Linga which is inside the temple in the south west corner of thousand pillared hall is one where Ramana Maharishi worshipped and secured liberation. Next comes Kambath Illayanar Sannadhi where Arunagiri Swami, the author of Thirupugazh was granted Mukthi.

The temple has Six enclosures which includes 9 gopurams(Towers).

• In the West -  Pey Gopuram

• In the North - Ammani Ammal Gopuram

• In the South - Thirumanjana Gopuram.

Among the Gopurams Raja Gopuram is the big tower in the east and it was built by the King Vallala. And also the Entrance to the temple. 

About Enclosures

The first and second enclosures are the oldest one which has been structured very long back. The second enclosure has the idols of 63 Nayanmars. Third enclosure was structured by the King Kulothunga. It includes 16 pillars mandabam.

The fourth and fifth enclosures were constructed in 16th Century. This includes big Nandhi, Sivaganga Thirtha(Tank) and the wall enclosing huge structures.

The Katchi Mandapam or hall of Darshan.  During the famous festival  Karthigai Deepam  the five deities are brought to this Mandapam, to be worshipped by the devotees when the grand and gigantic lamp (Deepam) is lit on the top of the holy hill.

The third enclosure  houses the temple of  Unnamalai Amman the name of  Parvathi, Shiva's consort in  Thiruvannamalai. 

The second enclosure houses the Isanya Lingam, Indra Lingam and several deities. The Utsava Murthis , made of  Pancha Lohas or five metals, which are taken out for processions.

The first prakaram which has the sanctum sanctorum (Garba Graha) of lord Annamalai,  the presiding deity of the temple and the holy place.

Thousand Pillar Hall

On entering the temple through the east tower the big structure one faces on the right is the thousand pillared hall. There are indications that it was built by Krishnadevaraya. The thousand pillared hall sports exactly 1000 pillars. the pillars are carved , with sculptures of Naik periods and some divine images. Sages, Vishnu's incarations too find a place with floral designs.

Siddhi Vinayagar

The prime God Lord Ganesha also resides near the Sivaganga Theertha (tank) in the name of "Siddhi Vinayaga" and also called "Sivagangai Vinayagar". 

Annamalai sthala has a special place in the history of our Culture and Religious life. The hill Annamalai has been responsible for the blossoming of several Saints and Ghanis. Many saints have attained liberation here.

Arunachala is a sthala is as old as human civilization shines with its own glory, that burns the ego afflicting human beings.