Tourism > India > Tamilnadu > Temples in Tamilnadu > Thiruvannaamalai temple

Thiruvannaamalai temple

Thiruvannamalai is the Tejo Sthalam among the Pancha Bootha Sthalams representing Fire. The others are - Tiruvanaikavil (Appu sthalam - water), Kanchipuram (Prithvi sthalam - Earth), Kalahasti (Vayu sthalam - Air) and Chidambaram (Akasa sthalam - Space).

Four Brahmotsavams are celebrated every year, the most famous of which is the one celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthikai (November/December). The ten day event culminates on the day of Karthigai Deepam. On that evening, a huge lamp is lit in a cauldron with three tons of ghee at the top of the Annamalai hill.

Every full moon night, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Shiva by circumbulating (14 km) the Arunachala hill barefoot. On the yearly Chitra Powrnami (full moon) night in the Tamil calendar year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the temple.

The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built between the 16th and the 17th centuries by the kings of the Vijayanagara empire. The temple is famous for its massive gopurams.

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 Deva Rayarar of Vijayanagar. Each of the prakarams has a huge Nandi and several towers such as the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram and Kili Gopuram.

How to Reach

A railway line between Vellore (near Chennai) and Villupuram passes through Thiruvannamalai.