Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple / அருள்மிகு அருணாசலேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Thiruvannamalai, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

 17 December 2014.

On the 13^th & 14^th of Dec 2014, I had Thiruvannamalai Sri Arunachaleswarar Darshan. It was a 1 ½ day visit to Thiruvannamalai. I want to cover the temple extensively.  Started from Chennai around 07.00 hrs from Koyambedu and reached Thiruvannamalai around 12.30 Hrs. My plan was to have the darshan of Sri Arunachaleswara first and then do the Girivalam. Since it was Saturday, there was a lot of rush, and Melmaruvathur & Ayyappa devotees also increased the crowd. So kept my back bag in the cloakroom and carried only the food and water for the Girivalam. Started the Girivalam by 12.30 hrs and returned to the temple around 17.30  hrs.  (Girivalam's experience and details were uploaded in the previous post.) Joined the 20-rupee queue. It took almost 2 hours for the darshan. When I was in the Q, the drizzling started, and later it was raining heavily, but the whole day it was overcast and cloudy. Had the peaceful darshan of Sri Arunachaleswara and Sri Unnamulai Ammai. After darshan, I was very lucky to have the darshan of Maha deepam on the Arunachala Hill with heavy rain.

Stayed in the lodge on 13^th Dec 2014, overnight. Around 07.00 hrs on 14^th Dec 2014, I once again went into the temple and started for the darshan of all the other sannadhis.  It took almost 2 hours to find out Hoysala’s “Anda Perandam“, a bird, no, an animal, no, it is a combination of both.  It took another hour to locate King Vallala’s relief on the Nandhi mandapam. But I couldn’t trace King Vallala’s wife’s relief. After collecting the details went to Virupaksha and Skandashram caves, where Sri Ramana Maharishi lived and meditated. The details will be posted in the next post.   

22. ARULMIGU ARUNACHALESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUVANNAMALAI

This Post was updated with Thevara Hymns, History, Inscriptions, Legends, etc. For the updated details, please click this link 

This is the 22^nd  and last Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam in Nadu Nadu. Nalvar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

Moolavar  : Sri Arunachaleswarar, Sri Mahadevar,

  Sri Aalwar Anna Nattudayar. Sri Annamalaiyar.

Consort    : Sri Abeethakusambal, Sri Unnamulai Ammai,

Sri Unnamalai, Sri Thiru Kamakottamudaya Nam Piratiyar, Sri Ulakudaya Perumal Nam Piratiyar.

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple was built in an area of 24 acres. The temple was built with 9 Gopurams and 6 praharas. The 6^th praharam compound wall is 700 feet on the south-north, the South wall is 1479 feet, and the North wall is 1590 feet. The East Rajagopuram is 217 feet with 11 tiers, the highest of all. The base of the east Rajagopuram is  135 feet x 98 feet. This Rajagopuram was built by Krishnadevaraya. The names of the other Rajagoprams are Thirumanjana Gopuram in the south, Vallala Maharaja Gopuram, Kili Gopuram between the 3^rd and 4^th praharam, Ammani Ammal Gopuram ( She only collected the money and constructed) on the north, Pey Gopuram on the west, and three kattai gopurams shorter than Rajagopurams.

After East Rajagopuram in the 6^th and 5^th praharam, important places / sannadhis are Arunagirinathar Annadhana mandapam, Sivagangai theertham, Kambathu ilayanar sannadhi, Sarvasakthi sannadhi (Iraivan’s various forms were painted on the ceiling), Thirukalyana mandapam, Kalyana Sundareswarar, 16 pillar/ kal mandapam, 4 pillar mandapam, vahana storage rooms, 1000 pillar mandapam, Pathala Lingam, Gopurathu Ilayanar sannadhi, Periya nandhi under a mandapam. On the west side, Kattai Gopuram Sannadhi for Ammaiappar and Annamalaiyar Thirupatham. Kosalai is on the south side. The guest house is on the north side of the 6^th corridor.

After climbing a few steps through Vallala Maharaja's gopuram, we can enter the fourth prakaram. Sannadhi/ important places are Brahma theertham, Sri Kala Bhairava (big in size), 4 Pillar mandapam, Mandapam with shops, Brahma lingam (with four faces – via fire, Vayu, earth, water, and top Aakayam – Chathur mukha lingam or we can call as pancha mukha lingam), Vidyatheswarar, Naleswarar, Yanai thirai konda Vinayagar, Kambathu Ilayanar Sannadhi, Kalaiarangam, and 6 feet Nandhi. In the right side pillar of the Nandhi mandapam, a relief of King Vallalan with his hand in a worshipping posture, and on the left pillar relief of the hoysalas, Anda Peranndam (a mixture of a bird and an animal). Another relief of Vallala Maharaja’s image (Seems to be aged) is available in the Vallala Maharaja’s Gopuram passage.

We have to pass through 6 tiers, Kili (parrot) Gopuram, to reach the 3^rd praharam. A lot of parrots are there in this gopuram. From this gopuram, Arunagirinathar left his body to get the Parijata flower in the form of a parrot. Since his body was cremated before his arrival, he remained as a parrot. The important sannadis/ places are the 16-pillar and 4-pillar mandapams, office room, Ekambareswarar, Chidambara nathar, Pidari Amman (with a stone soolam at the front), Kalatheeswarar, and Golden chariot mandapam.  Unnamulai Amman Sannadhi, Balipeedam. There is Sudhai Sirpam on the right side passage of Kili Gopuram (Parrot Gopuram).

At the entrance of Moolavar sannadhi mandapam, on the left, Sri Sampantha Vinayagar and Dhandayuthapani on the right. In the front mandapam, Barani deepam (outside the mandapam), Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Adhikara Nandhi.

In the second praharam, Sannadhi for Devara Thirumurai parayana mandapam, Nalvar, 63var in stone, Sabtha mathaakkal, Lingangal, Iyappan, Gautama maharishi, Durvasa maharishi, Shethra Kanni Ganapathy, Somaskandar urchavar, Arthanareeswarar, Urchava moorthangal, Sri Sridevi, Bhudevi sametha Venugopala, Gajalakshmi, Valli Devasena Sri Subramaniar, 63var in cheppu moorthangal, Sorna Kala bairavar, Palliyarai, Theertha well, Saba mandapam.

In koshtam, Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

Moolavar is of normal size with golden nagabaranam. Ambal is small in size.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

The temple has a long history. The temple was constructed by the Pallava, Chozha, Pandya, and Hoysala kings in stages. Each one of them had left their stamps. The original structures were changed in some areas during construction and renovation/thiruppani. Nattukottai Nagarathars had done a lot of thirupani to this temple.

 

There are more than 100 inscriptions available on the temple walls. They were between 849 CE to 1582 CE. These inscriptions mainly record the donations given to this temple. Apart from Tamil inscriptions, some Telugu inscriptions are also found on the 3^rd  prahara wall. Some of the inscriptions were lost during renovations.

FESTIVALS

Even though festivals are celebrated throughout the year, the Thirukarthigai deepam is being celebrated in a grand manner for 17 days. 10^th day maha deepam is placed/burnt in a large deepam pot at the top hill. 11 days after the maha deepam, every evening at 18.00 hrs deepam is placed on the top of the hill, for which 2 cans of ghee and a wick bundle are carried by the people from the temple.

ARUNACHALESWARAR TEMPLE TIMING.

Morning 05.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs

Evening 15.30 hrs to 21.30 hrs

Morning

5:00 hrs Temple Opens for the first session pooja 

5:30 hrs Gomatha Pooja 

6:00 hrs Oudshakala Pooja 

8:30 hrs Kaalai Shanthi Pooja   

Noon

11:00 hrs Uchi kala pooja 

12:30 hrs Temple closes 

15.30 hrs Temple open for the Second session pooja  

18.00 hrs Sayaratchai kala pooja    

Night

19.30 hrs 2^nd Kala Pooja 

21.00 hrs Artha jama pooja

21.30 hrs Temple Close  

CONTACT DETAILS

Joint Commissioner/Executive Officer

Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple 

Thiruvannamalai-606601

Phone: 04175- 252438.

E-Mail- arunachaleswarartempletvm@gmail.com 

Temple's official website

http://www.arunachaleswarartemple.tnhrce.in/

HOW TO REACH :

Frequent bus facilities are available from Chennai, Kanchipuram, Viluppuram, Tindivanam, Bangalore, etc.

Tiruvannamalai Railway Station is on the Viluppuram to Katpadi and the temple is 2 km from the station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 Chariot for Urchavam

 East side RajaGopuram is 217 feet high with 11 tiers 

Inner view of East Rajagopuram

 Gopurathilayanar sannadhi, Sri Murugan gave darshan to Arunagirinathar

 Sarva Sakthi Temple 

 1000 pillar mandapam with Rishabam mandapam 

  Rishabam mandapam in 5 & 6 praharam

 Vallala Maharaja Gopuram 

 Brahma Theertham with the south side Rajagopuram and Kattai Gopuram

Kili ( Parrot ) Gopuram 

 Moolavar sannadhi 

 Moolavar sannadhi with hill view 

  Rishabam in the 4th praharam with Ammani Ammal Rajagopuram

 Ekapatha Moorthy on the dwajasthambam base - Vishnu on the left and Brhama on the right 

 Adhikara / Rishabam near Dwajasthambam 

 Night view 

 Night view 

 Pathala Lingam on the left and the east sides of Rajagopuram 

 A Pichadanar relief on the pillar of a mandapam 

Vallala Maharaja on the Rishaba Mandapam Pillar

Vallala Maharaja on the passage wall of Vallala Maharaja Gopuram 

Gandabherunda - Combinations of bird and animal - Hoysala's symbol

 View from Pidari Amman Temple 

 Saba mandapam 

 Sri Unnamalai Amman sannadhi 

 Back side of Moolavar Sannadhi - a stucco Yazhi's face on the  wall  for rainwater outlet

Pey gopuram on the west side 

Sarva Sakthi Temple

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple 

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

 Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

Paintings on the ceiling of the Sarva Sakthi temple

 Barani Deepam and balipeedam

 ARULMIGU ARUNACHALESWARA TEMPLE COMPLEX

1. East Rajagopuram

2. Sivagangai Theertham

3. Murugan sannadhi

4. 16 Pillar mandapam

5. Sarvasakthi Vinayagar Temple

6. 1000 Pillar Mandapam

7. Paathala lingam

8. 4 Pillar mandapam

9. Peria Nandhi

10. Thirukkalyana Mandapam with Kalyana Sundareswarar sannadhi

10. Kopurathuilayanar sannadhi

11. Vallala Maharaja Gopuram

12. Sri Kala Bhairavar

13. Brahma Theertham

14. 4 Pillar mandapam

15. Shops, Temple architect sample in a mandapam

16. Kalai Arangam

17. 6 Feet Nandhi

18. Kili Gopuram

19. North Kattai Gopuram

20. Ammani Ammal Gopuram

21. South side kattai Gopuram

22. Thirumanjana Gopuram

23. Brahma lingam

24. Vidhyatheswarar

25. Naleswarar, Vinayagar Sannadhi on the back side 

26. Yanai Thirai Konda Vinayagar

27. Kaarthigai Deepa Mandapam 16 Pillar

28. Office Room

29. Ekambareswarar

30. Pidari Amman

31. Chidambareswarar

32. Kalatheeswarar

33. Vahana mandapam

34. 4 Pillar Mandapam

35. Sthala Viruksham

36. 4 Pillar mandapam

37. Sri Arunachaleswarar Sannadhi

38. Sri Abeethakusambigai, Sri Unnamulai Ammai sannadhi

39. Annamalayar Thirupatham

40. Ammaiyappar

41. Kosalai

42. West side Kattai Gopuram

43. Pey ( பேய்  ) Gopuram

44. Arunagirinathar Annadhana mandapam

45. Vahana mandapam

46. Guest Houses

SANCTUM SANCTORUM LAYOUT

1. Sanctum Sanctorum with Pradhosha Nandhi

2. Devara Parayana mandapam

3. Nalvar

4. 63 var

5. Sapthamathas

6. Lingas

7. Iyappan

8. Gowthamar and Durvasa Maharishi\

9. Kshethra Vinayagar

10. Somaskandar

11. Arthanareeswarar

12. Sridevi & Bhudevi sametha Perumal sannadhi

13. Lingas

14. Gajalakshmi

15. Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar

16. Lingas, Urchavarkal

17. 63var

18. Lingangas

19. Sorna Kala Bhairavar

20. Palliyarai

21. Theertha Kinaru

22. Saba mandapam

23. Urchavas

24. Sampantha Ganapahi

25. Dhandayuthapani

26. Adikara Nandhi

27. Dwajasthambam

28. Balipeedam

29. Barani deepam

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---