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திரு தோதாத்திரிநாத வரதராஜப் பெருமாள் கோயில், திருபுவனை This is an ancient temple in the outskirts of Pondicherry again built by Paranthakan I (great grandfather of Raja Rajan) in the early to mid 10th century. It is a Vishnu temple. It has characteristic Chola architecture but has features like the kodimaram likely added at a later age. It has a flat rajagopuram. The structure sits on a pedestal or raised platform. It is considered a treasure-house of Chola art and architecture and contains a number fine sculptures and structures. There are inscriptions from the 11th century attributed to Rajendra Chola I and his son Rajadhi Raja I describing the recitation of the Vedas and the Thiruvaimozhi from the works of the Aalwaar saint Nammalvar. This area was caught up in the Carnatic wars between the English and the French in the 18th century and many temples were completely destroyed as a result. This temple is one of a few that had been miraculously spared intact. It as a relatively small temple. Although administered by the ASI, it is an active temple. It is located about 20 kms or 40 minutes west of Pondicherry. We visited in May 2023. We stayed in Pondicherry. Credits: Google Maps

திருக்குந்தன்குடி மகாதேவர் கோயில், மதகடிபட்டு This small but important Sivan temple also known as Thirukundankuzhi Mahadevar (திருக்குந்தன்குழி மகாதேவர்) temple is tucked away in rural Pondicherry. Built in the late 10th century by none other than Raja Raja Cholan I, it is hard to believe that the same king who built the Great Temple at Thanjavur built this little temple too. But the inscriptions here clearly say that it was commissioned by him. Later inscriptions from Rajendra Chola I and Kulothunga Chola I, also are found here. There are two primary structures, a sanctum housing a Sivalingam and another for the goddess. The niches or Koshtas are empty as the idols have been removed some time ago to be housed in the museum in Pondicherry for security. It is essentially a dead or inactive temple with an Archakar doing a pooja once a day. It is an ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) property and considered a monument of national importance. As such it is maintained well. It is built completely of solid granite and has withstood the ravages of the elements and humans for a thousand years. Devoid of a rajagopuram or kodimaram, it is representative of early Chola temples without the expansions that came with later dynasties. It is located about 25 km or 45 minutes west of Pondicherry. We visited in May 2023. We were based in Pondicherry. Credits: Google Maps

மருந்தீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவான்மியூர், சென்னை Marundhu means medicine in Tamil. Lord Siva manifests as a healer. at this temple. It is believed that people with incurable diseases have sought his blessings here from time immemorial. The Lord here is also known to protect devotees from future illness and bless them with good health. Thus it is a very popular temple. Located in the heart of the bustling southern suburb of Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai, it is a very ancient temple. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam sung in praise by Thirugnanasampanthar and Naavukkarasar, it must have existed in some form in the early seventh century. Together with the Kapaleeswarar at Mylapur and the Thiyagaraja Swamy temple at Thiruvottriyur, it forms the trinity of ancient shore temples of the Thondai Mandalam. Today the very busy East Coast Road or ECR abuts it on the west side. This road was known as the Vadugaperuvazhi (வடுகப்பெருவழி) in imperial Chola times and was an important route for trade and conquest. It was the gateway to the northern Andhra country. As such the location of this temple was very strategic and gave it a lot of importance. The inscriptions here, which are many, bear witness to this. With obscure origins, it was extensively renovated by the Cholas in the 11nth century, by Rajendra Cholan I and others. It has been renovated many times over the centuries ,most recently in the early 20th century and in 1970. The last Kumbabishekam was in 2008. The imposing Rajagopuram over the eastern entrance was only reconstructed within the last 50 years. Thus it sports a relatively modern look. The inner ancient core is intact. The whole temple complex is about an acre in area. The Lord faces west, which is rare as in most temples the sanctum faces east or sometimes north. Although the main entrance is on the West, the road is very busy there and most people enter from the east. There are three rajagopurams, two in the east and one in the west. There are two prominent sacred water bodies, one between the two rajagopurams in the east and the other just outside the outer rajagopuram of the east entrance. The Amman sannithy of Thiripurasundari is to the right as you go through the second rajagopuram in the east. The sculpture of Lord Sarabeshwarar (a fierce form of Lord Shiva) on one of the pillars in front of the Amman sannithy, is very special. The Vanni tree is the sthala virutcham and is much revered. It is on the south side of the temple. If you enter from the east, as most people do, you will veer left and go past the Thiyagaraja mandapam and enter the sanctum of Lord Siva on the south side and turn left, We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We stayed in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

சாளுவன்குப்பம் முருகன் கோவில் Which is the oldest temple in Tamil Nadu? It is a tough question because many of the temples are extremely difficult to date precisely as the core of these temples, which are the most ancient parts, are often hidden and obscured by later rebuilding and renovation over many centuries. But there is one ancient and ruined temple very close to Chennai that was unearthed after the tsunami in 2004, which many historians and archaeologists believe is the oldest temple structure discovered so far. After the tsunami receded in 2004, it left exposed some rock inscriptions pointing to a temple nearby on the seashore at Saluvankuppam just north of the famous UNESCO world heritage site of Mahabalipuram. Very close to the Tiger Cave site of the same period as the Pallava Monuments at Mahabalipuram, the ruins of this temple were buried under the sand for many centuries. There is evidence of an old brick temple belonging to the 2nd century BCE that appears to have been destroyed possibly by an earlier tsunami. Tsunamis likely occurred many times on this coast over the millennia. A second temple appears to have been constructed on the ruins of the older temple in the 8th century which also has been destroyed in the 13th century after which it lay buried until 2004. It is believed to be a Murugan temple as there is a structure which appears to be a Vel at the front of the complex. The other pre-Pallava temple ruin in existence is the Veetriruntha Perumal temple at Veppathur in the Kaveri delta. The site lies 52 km or 1 hour south of Chennai and 12 minutes north of Mahabalipuram off the East Coast Road. Signage and access are very poor. The best access is through the Tiger Cave complex and there is a gate at the north boundary to access the site which is visible from that point. The access is a footpath. No signs for such an important and significant monument. The site is fenced but the gate was open and it was unguarded when we visited in August 2017. A major act of vandalism occurred in 2018 which almost caused irreparable damage to the site. Credits: Google Maps

சிவானந்தீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கண்டலம் Nestled in a small village, surrounded by beautiful and verdant green fields, this ancient Sivan temple is located close to Chennai. It lies in a quiet and serene village. It used to be in the midst of a Kalli (கள்ளி) forest. Kalli is a cactus like tree that is the Sthala Virutcham here. Thus the Lord here is also known as the Kalleeswarar. In ancient times this village was called Thirukkallil (திருக்கள்ளில்). It is a relatively small temple and was in a very dilapidated condition until recently. Over the last 50 years or so, many of the ancient structures have been renovated. The main sanctum is made of granite and is intact although encased in a recent layer of stucco and painted over giving it a modern look. The small vimanam is of Gajaprishta or Thoonganai Maadam type which was frequently built in the later Chola era and is common in Thondai Mandala temples of that period. It has been rebuilt in modern times. The other structures appear to be constructed of a softer stone and are crumbling. The stucco coat appears to be holding them up and giving them a new look. The priest told me that the authorities have told the local people that no further structural changes should be made without the input of archeologists. Another kumbabishekam is imminent. It is a beautiful temple, venerated in the Thevaram by Thirugnasampanthar and is thus a Paadal Petra Sthalam. As such it must have existed in some form in the early seventh century. The construction of the earliest existing structures are credited to the Cholas with an inscription attributed to Vikrama Cholan present on the base of the Sivan sanctum. Later contributions were from Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings, Much of the structures that are prominent today are of modern construction with plenty of concrete and stucco. The temple has some very unique features. The main shrine to Lord Siva and the shrine to the Amman are both facing east with the Amman shrine to the left of the sanctum sanctorum. Between these two shrines is located the smaller shrine to Lord Skanda giving the temple a Somaskanda configuration. There is a separate shrine for Sivan as Lord Dakshinamurthy the teacher, which has a very unique idol of Dakshinamurthy with the Goddess by his side and with his arm around her. Legend says that the Lord taught the great sage Brihu an important lesson here that the Lord and Shakthi are equal and the same. There is a beautiful tank with clean water adjacent to the temple which is the theertham. There is a legend that when Sampanthar and his group were passing by this village he decided to take a dip in the nearby Kosasthalayar river. When he came out of the water, he could not find his spare clothes. At someone's advice he visited this small temple where he found his bundle of clothes. It was as if the Lord stole his clothes to force him to visit here. He sang thus: முள்ளின்மேல் முதுகூகை முரலுஞ் சோலை வெள்ளின்மேல் விடுகூறைக் கொடி விளைந்த கள்ளில்மேய அண்ணல் கழல்கள் நாளும் உள்ளுமேல் உயர்வெய்தல் ஒரு தலையே.  The temple is located about 36 km or an hour northwest of Chennai. We visited in August 2024. Credits: Google Maps

மாசிலாமணீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், வடதிருமுல்லைவாயில், திருவள்ளூர் This ancient Paadal Petra Sivasthalam is found just west of Chennai and falls within one of the western suburbs of the city. Easily accessible, it is a popular and well known temple. There is another Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Kaveri Delta near Sirkazhi also known as Thirumullaivayil. Thus this temple near Chennai is known as Vadathirumullaivayil (the northern one) and the other Thenthirumullaivayil (the southern one). Sundarar rendered the pathikam here and he describes it in the 8th century. There are some Pallava elements including some lion columns. But the bulk of the construction seems to have happened during the medieval Chola period. There is an inscription attributed to Uthama Cholan (CE 970-985). There is another describing the contribution made by his mother, the great Chola queen Sembian Mahadevi. This is the northernmost temple that she has contributed to. There is also an inscription from Parthivendravarman, Pallava prince and Chola feudatory from the same period which mentions the battle of Thakkolam fought nearby in the year 949. There are inscriptions from later periods including, Rajendran I (1012-1044) and other Chola kings up to the 13th century. There also inscriptions from the reigns of Jatavarman Sundara Pandian from the late 13th century and Vijaya Nagar kings like Harihara Raya II and Mallikarjuna Raya from the 14th and 15th centuries. Legends abound here. It is said that this was a Mullai (a variety of Jasmine) forest in olden days and two tyrants named Vaanan and Onan inhabited it. They terrorized the local population and the king at the time named Thondaiman went out to subdue them. As the king was wading through Mullai creepers on his elephant, cutting through the thick jungle with his sword, he accidentally hit a lingam with his sword. He defeated the tyrants and built a temple for the Lord in the Mullai forest. He captured two massive wooden staffs made out of Vellurukku wood that were the symbols of power of the two demons. The two wooden pillars make up the entrance way to the sanctum sanctorum and are seen to this day. At about an acre in area, this is a moderate sized temple with two prakarams. There is a 5 tier rajagopuram over the south entrance. The sanctums of the Lord and the Goddess are interchanged here contrary to usual custom. The goddess is on the left of the Lord or to the right as we face them. They are parallel to each other and face east. The sanctum sanctorum of Sivan has a Gajaprishta Vimanam or a Thoonganai Maadam commonly built in this region during the later Chola period. The Nandi here faces outwardly and in the opposite direction to the sanctum. It is customary for the Nandi to face the Lord. Legend says that the Nandi accompanied King Thondaiman on his expedition to subdue the demons on the Lord's instructions and hence the direction of the Nandi. Some other temples in the region have the same configuration with similar stories. The sthalavirutcham is of course the Mullai. There is a large beautiful temple pond which is the main theertham. There are numerous subsidiary shrines in the outer prakaram. The temple is also important as a Shakti shrine. Together with the Vadivudai Amman at Thiruvottriyur ( Gnanasakthi - goddess of knowledge power), the Thiruvudai Amman at Minjur ( Ichasakthi- goddess of willpower), the Kodiydai Amman (Kriyasakthi - goddess of action) here is one of the three most important Sakthi sthalams in the Thondai Mandalam. Sundarar describes the Lord here in the 8th century thus: திருவுமெய்ப் பொருளுஞ் செல்வமும் எனக்குன் சீருடைக் கழல்கள்என் றெண்ணி ஒருவரை மதியா துறாமைகள் செய்தும் ஊடியும் உறைப்பனாய்த் திரிவேன் முருகமர் சோலை சூழ்திரு முல்லை வாயிலாய் வாயினால் உன்னைப் பரவிடும் அடியேன் படுதுயர் களையாய் பாசுப தாபரஞ் சுடரே.  The temple is located about an hour's drive or 23 km from the centre of Chennai. We visited in August 2024. Credits: Google Maps

வேதபுரீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவேற்காடு The western suburb of the city of Chennai called Thiruverkadu is known for the popular Devi Karumariamman temple. But the more ancient and lesser known temple here is the Vedapureeswarar Sivan Temple that has been in existence at least since the early seventh century. Like a number of ancient Sivan temples, it is likely much older. It is a Paadal Petra Sivasthalam and as such we can confirm that it was here in some form at the time the Thevarams were composed. The earliest existing structures and inscriptions here are credited to the Cholas. The temple has architectural features pointing to the later Cholas in the 11th and 12th centuries. Much of the present masonry is from the Nayakkan period. It was renovated in 1973 in modern times. It is currently owned and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the HR and CE, with nominal oversight by the Devi Karumariamman Temple Trust. It is a moderate sized temple at 1.5 acres in area with a spacious outer prakaram. There are three prakarams. It is an east facing temple with a five-tiered rajagopuram. The Sivan sanctum sanctorum has an apsidal shape and Gajaprishta Vimanam or Thoonganai Maadam like many Chola temples in the Thondai Mandalam from the same period. There is a smaller shrine for Goddess Balambikai the consort. The shrine for Lord Murugan has a lingam in front which is unusual. Lord Murugan here is found holding a bow and an arrow and not a spear. The Navagraha shrine is octagonal in shape. The sthala Virutcham is the Velvela tree. There is a large temple pond with steps on all sides, which is the main theertham here. Legend says that Lord Sivan and Goddess Parvathi gave dharshan to the sage Agasthiya here in their Kalyana Kolam and like many other temples in the south it is celebrated for the event. One of the 63 Saivite Nayanmar, Moorka Nayanar was born here. Thirugnanasampanthar praises the Lord at this temple when he visited here thus: ஒள்ளி துள்ளக் கதிக்கா மிவனொளி வெள்ளி யானுறை வேற்காடு உள்ளி யாருயர்ந் தாரிவ் வுலகினில் தெள்ளி யாரவர் தேவரே.  The temple is located about 20 km or an hour west of the centre of Chennai city. We visited in August 2024, We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

பார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருவள்ளிக்கேணி Parthasarathy Thiruvallikkeni Parthasarathy Thiruvallikkeni ----------------------Parthasarathy Thiruvallikkeni One of the oldest temples within the city of Chennai, this ancient Vishnu temple celebrates Lord Vishnu and his avatar Lord Krishna as the divine charioteer of Arjuna in the Mahabharatha. Partha is another name for Arjuna and Sarathy means driver or charioteer in this case. It is a Divya Desam Temple praised by the Alwaars in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the Tamil Vaishnavite collection of verses in praise of Lord Vishnu composed during the Bakthi Movement, towards the end of the first millennium. As such it has been in existence for more than 1200 years. There are clues that the temple is much older and was initially built in the 6th century. It is the only Divya Desam temple within the city limits of Chennai. The initial construction is attributed to the Pallavas. The Chola kings contributed much to the later additions and renovations. The Pandian, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings continued their contributions for centuries after. The earliest inscriptions are from the 8th century and belong to the Pallava kings Nandivarman and Dantivarman. Dantivarman has been responsible for the initial major expansion it seems. There are inscriptions from Raja Raja Cholan I, Kulothungan III and Maravarman Kulasekara Pandian I, who have all contributed to the renovation of this ancient temple during their reigns. There are also many inscriptions in Tamil and Telugu from Vijayanagar kings. It underwent a major renovation in 1564 during the Nayakkan period. The temple celebrates three other avatars of Lord Vishnu including his Narasimha, Varaha and Rama avatars besides Krishna with dedicated shrines to each. It is one of very few temples dedicated to Lord Krishna as Parthasarathy. Here Lord Krishna is the Uthsavamoorthy and is peculiarly depicted with a moustache. The temple was the scene of intense struggles between the Vadakalai and Thenkalai traditions of Sri Vaishnavism for control of the rituals in the 18h century leading to the take over of the temple by the British East India Company. The Thenkalai prevailed and is still practiced. Today it is controlled by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR and CE) of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The well known Tamil poet and independence activist Subramanya Bharathy was fond of this temple and was a frequent visitor here . He was struck by an elephant here and later died possibly due to injuries sustained during that incident. Swamy Vivekanada during his famous trip to Chicago in 1893 recalled this temple and wrote a letter in tribute to it. We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We were based in Chennai. Unfortunately, due to the strict rules forbidding photography which we respected, we could not take many photos especially of the interior which is very beautiful. Credits: Google Maps

தேவி கருமாரி அம்மன்  திருக்கோயில் , திருவேற்காடு We recently featured the Vedapureeswarar Sivan Temple in Thiruverkadu which is lesser known but is the more ancient and historically significant temple in Thiruverkadu. There is another temple in Thiruverkadu, which is now a western suburb of the city of Chennai, which is by far the more well known and popular temple in this town. The area is synonymous with the Sakthi temple of Karumariamman and this temple deserves a dedicated post. People throng to this temple and many have deep faith in the power of the deity here. Although not an ancient temple, it has a lot of legend and aura around it. It started off as a small Amman temple beside an anthill and is associated with the worship of snakes. A giant anthill still exists right beside the temple and is highly venerated. Much of the structures are built in the current era. From its humble beginnings as a village shrine it has grown into a massive temple due to patronage by a large number of devotees. It is currently undergoing extensive renovation. Although the temple might not be attractive to temple lovers with a bent for history and antiquity, it is worth visiting to witness the importance the religion has for a large number of people. It showcases the vibrancy of the living religion. It is currently administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. We visited in August 2024. We were based in Chennai. The temple is located about 20 km or an hour west of the centre of Chennai city. Credits: Google Maps

கச்சபேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கச்சூர் The story goes that in the 8th century, the great Saivite poet-saint Sundaramoorthy Nayanar and his entourage once undertook a pilgrimage to the Sivan temples of Thondai Nadu. One day they were on their way to Kanchipuram from the nearby ancient Sivan temple of Thirukalukundram. They decided to break journey and stay for the night at this small village of Thirukachur. There was a Sivan temple here. They were tired after a day of walking. As night fell, they felt hungry. An old man appeared and offered them food. They later found out that the old man dressed as a beggar went to all the houses in the village and begged for food which the village folk gave generously. He fed the Sivanadiyar with the food he gathered. Then they could not find him. They believed that the Lord himself came here as a beggar to feed them and disappeared in to this shrine. Hence the Lord here came to be known as the Iranthitteeswarar (the Lord who was a beggar) and Virunthutteeswarar (the Lord who gave a feast). Sundarar in his gratitude rendered a pathikam here. Thus it became a Paadal Petra Petra Sthalam together with its twin temple of Maruntheeswarar, a smaller temple in the same village. Kachabam means turtle. Legend says that when Lord Vishnu took the form of a turtle in his Koorma avatharam, he came here to obtain Lord Sivan's blessings in his effort to save the earth from destruction. Due to this, the Lord here came to be known as Kachabeswarar. The temple should not be confused with another ancient and beautiful temple by the same name with a similar legend in the heart of the city of Kanchipuram. That one is not a Paadal Petra Sthalam. With two prakarams and granite walls and two acres in area, it is a moderate sized temple with multiple subsidiary shrines and a solid granite sanctum. Lots and lots of inscriptions. The vimanam is of the Gajaprishta or Thoonganai Maadam type similar to many Thondai Mandalam temples of the Chola era. There is no gopuram at the main entranceway. It is flat gopuram or a Mottai gopuram. The Amman here, Anjanakshi Amman, has her own special shrine. The Utsavar is a Somaskander idol and is celebrated as Thiyagarajar and the temple is sometimes referred to as the Thiyagarajar temple. The koshta idol on the western wall on the opposite side of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is an idol of Lord Mahavishnu and not a Lingothbavar as in many Chola temples. There is a small mandapam in front of the temple, which is believed to be the spot where Sundarar and his followers rested for the night 12 centuries ago. The sthala virutcham is the Aal or Banyan tree. Hence it is sometimes call the Aalakkoil. The temple was not well maintained when we first visited seven years ago. It looks better but still needs some work. It is heartening to see that the temple pond has been given a solar powered cleaning system under a CSR initiative by a multinational corporation BASF operating in the area. The pond looks nice. It is called the Koorma Theertham and is just outside the temple. With DMK and PMK flags flying at the entrance of the temple, one could feel that there is politics going on which is unfortunate. Sundarar praises the Lord here thus: முதுவாய் ஓரி கதற முதுகாட் டெரிகொண் டாடல் முயல்வானே மதுவார் கொன்றைப் புதுவீ சூடும் மலையான் மகள்தன் மணவாளா கதுவாய்த் தலையிற் பலிநீ கொள்ளக் கண்டால் அடியார் கவலாரே அதுவே ஆமா றிதுவோ கச்சூர் ஆலக் கோயில் அம்மானே. The temple is located in the small village of Thirukachur and hidden away from the bustling highways close by. It is about 55 km or 2 hours southwest of Chennai city. We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

மருந்தீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கச்சூர் This ancient Sivasthalam is found in the small nondescript village of Thirukachur in Chengalpattu District, not far from Chennai. Although the area around is developing fast, this village is hidden from all the bustle around and appears forgotten by time. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and is praised in the Thevaram by Sundaramoorthy Nayanar in the early 8th century, in the same Pathikam as the Kachabeswarar temple in the same village. The Marundeeswarar is the smaller temple compared to the Kachabeswarar and is about ten minutes away by car. We recently looked at the Kachabeswarar in an earlier post. This is a fairly small temple and is about an acre in area. It is on a small hillock and the villagers refer it to as the Malai Koil (Hill Temple). It is surrounded by a granite wall and has various shrines with the primary shrine dedicated to Lord Sivan in the form of a lingam and is known as the Marundeeswarar. There is no superstructure enclosing the temple. The individual shrines are independent structures. The entrance is a small flat gateway tower or a Mottai Gopuram. The temple was in existence in the early 8th century as Sundarar mentions it when he visited here. It was built as a granite structure in the 11th century by Kulothunga Chola I. It has been renovated by the Nayakkar in the 16th century. Today it is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is poorly maintained and is in a state of acute disrepair. Marunthu (மருந்து) means medicine in Tamil. The temple has a number of legends linking it to various cures for a variety of diseases. The herbs that grow on this hill are believed to have curative properties. Consuming the plants, the water and even the earth here is considered medicinal. Legends claim that once this area was beset by a plague and the people survived by praying to the Lord here and treating themselves with herbs found here. There is also a belief that a small bit of the Sanjeevi Hill fell here when Hanuman was carrying it from the Himalayas to Lanka. Sundarar sings thus: மேலை விதியே வினையின் பயனே விரவார் புரமூன் றெரிசெய்தாய் காலை யெழுந்து தொழுவார் தங்கள் கவலை களைவாய் கறைக்கண்டா மாலை மதியே மலைமேல் மருந்தே மறவேன் அடியேன் வயல் சூழ்ந்த ஆலைக் கழனிப் பழனக் கச்சூர் ஆலக் கோயில் அம்மானே. The temple is located in the small village of Thirukachur and hidden away from the bustling highways close by. It is about 55 km or 2 hours southwest of Chennai city. We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

அண்ணாமலையார் திருக்கோயில், திருவண்ணாமலை One of the five Panchabootha Sthalams, this is one of the most important Sivasthalams. Located in the town of Thiruvannamalai, the Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswarar is an ancient and very significant temple. It is the Panchaboothasthalam associated with fire or Agni. Lord Siva manifests here as the Agni Lingam in the sanctum sanctorum. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam sung in praise by all three of the Moovar, Thirugnanasampanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar. Manickavasagar composed the Thiruvempaavai here. Throughout history Thiruvannamalai has been a magnet for the spiritually and philosophically inclined, more so than other temples in South India. The modern day saint, Ramanamaharishi spent most of his life here drawing hundreds of followers to his Ashram. The temple lies at the foot of the holy hill of Thiruvannamalai. The mountain itself is considered sacred and is venerated. Every year in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November/December), thousands flock to this temple to witness the Karthigai Deepam when a giant fire is lit on the top of the holy hill of Arunachala. It is visible for miles around and is a grand spectacle. Legend says that once Shiva manifested as a huge column of fire here and asked Lord Vishnu and and Lord Brahma to find the bottom and top of this fiery column. The column of fire solidified into the holy mountain of Thiruvannamalai or Arunagiri. Every year in November and every fortnight on the Pradosham and on other special days, thousands of believers undertake the trek around the mountain called the Girivalam. The temple has ancient origins. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, it certainly existed in some form in the early 7th century. At that time it was under the Pallavas. The earliest structures according to inscriptions are from the 9th century under the Cholas. During the nearly four centuries of Chola rule from the 9th to the 13th centuries, they rebuilt and expanded this temple. It was later maintained by the resurgent Pandians in the 13th century and subsequently came under the control of the Hoysala kings. In 1328 the great Hoysala king Veera Ballala III, under increasing pressure from the Sultanates to the north, shifted his capital to Thiruvannamalai from present day Karnataka. He expanded the temple. A lot of the structures and traditions, present today are from his time. He was defeated by Ghiyas-ud-din Muhammad Damghani, the Sultan of Madurai, at the battle of Kannanur near Thiruchirapalli in 1343 where he was captured, killed and flayed (skinned). This led to a decline in the maintenance of the temple only to be revived by the Vijayanagar emperors in the late 14th to 16th centuries. All three dynasties of Vijayanagar, the Sangama, the Saluva and the Tuluva have left inscriptions here. This was continued by the Nayakkar. The temple was briefly in the hands of the Nawab of Arcot before slipping into the possession of French and then British administrations. Spreading over 25 acres, it is one of the largest temple complexes in India . It has tall gopurams on all sides. White in colour, they look majestic. The tallest is the Eastern Gopuram at 217 feet. It is one of the tallest temple towers in all of India. It was built by the great Vijayanagar emperor Krishnadevaraya. It also has a large thousand pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period. There are seven prakarams or circumambulatory pathways. Today it is controlled by the HR and CE Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Given the great cultural importance of the temple, the ASI or the Archeological Survey of India declared it a monument of national importance and took over its stewardship in 2002. The Tamil Nadu Government sued against the decision and it was returned to the control of the HR and CE by the Supreme Court of India. It is about 2 hours or 90 km south of Vellore and 2 hours or 100 km west of Pondicherry. We visited in August 2014. We were based in Salem. Credits: Google Maps