Tiruvannamalai Shri Annamalaiyar Temple seen from the hill : The view of the temple from the hill slopes is really contemplating.The courtyards surrounding the central shrine where courtyards built of stone tall gourmands seen very dominatingly and other buildings being scattered in the courtyards under the shade of big trees. The other shrines are also present within this big courtyard.The God Shiva is associated with each of the five elements namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether in five different holy places with Tamilnadu. As we already know after hearing the story of how Lord Shiva attained the mountain roopam and enlightened as a dense volume of fire here in Thiruvannamalai.The Lord Shiva is Fire here in Thiruvannamalai. The temple is the result of more than nine centuries of building process.Enlargements and alterations have been succeeded one another, can find the dates of work from the inscriptions engraved on the walls since the 10th century. The engravings tells about kings, donors.It is also said that the actual places of worship of temple was merely a small isolated temple.This temple for over so many years rebuilt and altered many times is the major total part we see now. The courtyards increased as building and started to include new buildings within the existing walls started to get included thus taking many years of construction. The outer area is 465m long and 225 metres wide as per the dating from the 16thCentury.x The alterations have continued up till now inside the walls and can expect more to come in future also. This temple of Lord Shiva is the holy place for one to attain Salvation and get the full grace of Lord Shiva. The rules over this premises and that is why people from over far distances come in thousands to thousands, year after year to make their janmam punya of this janma. The Grand Entrance of the temple (Raja Gopuram): The eastern entrance gopuram is the main entrance of the temple. This tower is situated in the outer wall and this tower dominates the eight other towers which crown the gates made in the walls at the four cardinal points. This gopuram (tower) is 54m high with pyramid shaped made of stucco-coated bricks has massive stone at its base. Inside and outside of the temple The eastern gopuram is the main entrance to the temple inside. The inner most shrine opens to the east and accommodates the main deity, Lord Shiva. The courtyards are counted, starting from the centre. There are said to be seven of them. But it is said five were built, first one disappeared in the course of nine centuries of extensions and alterations the sixth is represented by four "Chariot Streets" around the temple seventh by the road surrounding the hill. The location of the Shrines dedicated to the deities and the buildings used for rituals are strictly laid out so that they are oriented to the east. In the corner of a courtyard, to the Southern-Eastern side are the kitchens where the Brahmins prepare the offerings consisting of cooked food. Trees inside are considered to very scared. The tanks and wells are also sacred which is used for the purification rituals. The inner most shrine called garbha graha, a house of small square room which is cramped to dark insides the sellai, the image of Lord Shiva. It is always in the form of "Lingam". This is an upright stone, square at the bottom, Octagonal in the middle, then cylindrical with a rounded top. The base is embedded in a circular or oval plinth. The devotees watch the worship from the hall in font of it in the form of queque The outside of the temple covered up by many vendors stall holders, florists busy people going round the temple which is said to be "Maada-Veedi", the path around the temple, in which the Lord Shivamoorthi is taken for procession on the festival occasion of Karthikai deepam. So this path around the temple out is said to be sacred for going around which is also equal to going round the mountain as well. This path is indeed blessed and used by Lord Shiva on his procession on the occasions successfully.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 06:05:22 +0000
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