Thiruvannamalai

The 'Annamalaiyar temple' has been built in the land of 25 Acres, which is having 6 corridors and 9 big towers. The tower which is in the east in direction has been the main tower or Raja Gopuram which has 11 stages, and in the height of 217 feet. This tower has been said that it would hold 2 ^nd place in south India as measured in size. This had been built by the king 'Krishna Devaraya' of Vijayanagara dynasty.

In order to worship lord 'Arunachaleshwarar' (The presiding deity), we should enter into the main tower at the east. while doing so, first we could able to visit the lord Vinayaga, and should pray him, since He has been the 'Aathi moola porul' (the god to be worshiped first in the temple).

Next to lord Vinayaga, we could see the statue of the great sage 'Gowthama', in the posture of having hands joined together for paying salute. After having worshiped the sage, we should take left in direction and could reach the shrine of 'Kampathu Ilaiyanaar' there.

Once, having accepted the request of 'Arunagirinathar' (author of the hymns of 'Thirupugzhl', in praise of lord Muruga) lord Muruga had given the 'Dharshan' (appear before) to one of the kings of Vijayanagara dynasty, Prabhuda Devaraya (2), here in the kampathu ilaiyanaar's shrine. The proof for this incident has been seen at one pillar found in the north east direction of that kampathu ilaiyaar's shrine.

On having completed the dharshan of lord Muruga at kampathu ilaiyaar's shrine, we could enter the theertham (tank) called 'Sivgangai Theertham', by near which, there lies the lord Siddhi Vinayagar'.

Next to the dharshan (worship) of lord Siddhi Vinayagar, we could able to see the big bull (Nandhi-transport of lord Shiva) which had been holy erected by the king 'Vallala', belonged to hoysala inheritance. This Nandhi has been at the length of 6 feet and it's been seen within a mantapam, there we could see the sculptures of the king and the queen, who had been the creators of that Nandhi Baghawan.

Next, we should move to the tower called 'Vallala maharaja tower', which also had been built by the same hoysala king Vallala. He has been very fond of lord Shiva and had done a lot of spiritual services to the Annamalaiyaar temple. Even he had been given the respect of honor as Shiva's father.

To the right hand side of the tank 'Sivaganai theertham', there lies the shrine of lord Muruga with consorts sri Valli and sri Deivanai. This shrine has also been called as 'Gopurathu Ilayanaar shrine'. This is the place where lord Muruga had saved Arunagirinathar from being committed suicide and had given him the power of poeticalness, by which he had sung Thirupugzhl inpraise of lord Muruga.

Having finished the dharshan of lord muruga here, we could reach just in few steps to 'Vanni tree's Vinayakar'. After having worshiped Him, and having passed through the 'Vallala king's tower', we could able to see the shrine of lord 'Kalabairavar', at the left hand side.

Lord Kalabairava had been worshiped on the 'Theipirai-Astami' (8 ^th day from the full moon to new moon) and on Sundays by a lot of devotees who have come here specifically, By having done so, people are believing that they have been got ridden from the witchcraft and evil deeds.

Next to the shrine of lord Kalabairava, there we could able to see the holy tank called 'Brahmah Theertham', which had been created by the creator god, lord Brahmah. Just opposite to the Brahmah theertham, we could able to see the 'Brahmah Lingam' which had been worshiped by lord Brahmah, Himself.

Then having worshiped the small Nandhi and lord 'Vinai theerkum Vinayagar', we could get inside the 3^rd corridor. In this corridor, a historical-famous tower called 'Kili Gopuram' (parrot tower) has been there.

This has it's legend that in Thiruvannamalai, there lived a poet called Sambanthandan who had been the contemporary of Arunagirinathar at that time. He was very jealous about Arunagirinathar, since Arunagirinathar had been popularizing by the grace of lord Muruga.

He wanted to play a trick-game against Arunagirinathar and tried to imprison him with the help of the king of that place, 'Prabhuda Devarayan' just by telling him (the king) that if Arunagirinathar had been really blessed with lord Muruga, he could have been capable of bringing the celestial flower of 'Parijatham' from the royal court of lord Indra, so that to cure the blindness of the king.

Having realized the crooked mind of that poet Sambanthandan, Arunagirnathar had transmigrated into the body of a parrot and had left behind his body in the place of what we have now called, Kili gopuram (parrot tower) and had flown to the court of lord Indra (heaven), in order to fetch the celestial flower 'Parijatham'.

But the crooked minded poet had searched the body of Arunagirinathar and made it having burned into ashes. Arunagirinathar, who had been transmigrated into a parrot, had come back with the celestial flower Parijatham from the heaven and had cured the blindness of the king Prabhuda Devarayan.

But due to the absence of his body, Arunagirinathar being in the form of parrot, had worshiped lord Muruga thereafter and had sung the hymn, 'Kandhar Anuboothi' and other songs.

It is believed that Arunagirinathar has been in the form of parrot and has resided at the right hand side of lord Muruga. In order to prove the this traditional belief, today itself we could able to find the sculpture of 'Greenish parrot' which has been made up of 'Suthai poochu' (limestone +brick like material) at the 'Kili gopuram (parrot tower).

After having passed on this 'parrot tower', we could stand at ease on the 16 kaal mantapam (16 pillars building). The other name for this mantapam is 'Theepa Tharisana Mantapam', in which, during the grand festival of 'Karthigai Theepam', lord Arunachaleshwarar has been blessing as 'Arthanarishwarar' (Half portion as lord Shiva and the rest as goddess Parvathi).

In the third corridor, at the southern side, we could able to see one more lord Vinayaka called 'Sambantha Vinayagar', who has been at red in color. After having worshiped Sambantha Vinayagar, our next dharshan has been the 'Isthala Virutcham' (temple tree), Mahizha tree. Here we could able to see the small cradles, being hung with it, for, the people who haven't got child, have been doing this type of ritual here.

After having worshiped all those deities, we are in the move to Palibeedam (sacrifice-platform) and flagstaff of the inner corridor. Now we could enter into the shrine of the presiding deity, lord 'Arunachaleshwarar' who has been decorated with 'Nagabaranam' (golden ornaments resembling the snake).

This Linga is also a Suyambulinga (origin by nature). At the ancient past, this linga had been originated as 'Suyambulingam under the 'Isthala Virutcha' of Mahizha tree. Later under various times and under the rule of various dynasties, it had been renovated and developed with enormous growth both in it's structure and it's religious involvement.

After having worshiped the presiding deity, lord Arunachaleshwarar, we could worship Thatchinamurthy, Somaskandhar, Sapthakannier, Sastha, Thurvasa maharishi, Gowthama maharishi, Shethra Vinayagar, Venugopalan and Gaja Lakshmi who have been residing at the inner corridor and then exited through the entrance of 'Vaigundha vasal'.

Now we could enter into the big Mantapam, where the presiding goddess Sri 'Unnamulai Amman' have been residing with. Before having entered into the shrine of goddess sri Unnamulai Amman, we could pay our salute first to the 'Athimoola porul', lord Vijayaraghava Ganapathy, and then only to the goddess.

The other names of this goddess Unnamulai Amman are 'Kodi pramanda Nayaki' and 'Abitha Khujambal'.

With this i conclude this 'Thruvannamalai' temple structure and some legends about them. A lot more to share with you all, about the saints who had been attained their 'Jeeva Samathis' and the important chapter about the circumambulation of the holy mountain, in other words in Tamil as called 'Girivalam'. Will meet you soon with a lot of information about Girivalam.