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Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fifth Prakaram – Patala Lingam Shrine

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fifth Prakaram – Patala Lingam Shrine
A portion beneath a row of 11 pillars on east west and seven pillars on south – north of the south – west corner of the 1000 pillared mandapa form an underground hall. In this underground hall is housed the Patala linga shrine of miniature size. This is very famous for Sri Ramana Maharishi. In his youth he meditated in this chamber for many years in front of the Linga before he attained the state of trance.

In the southwest corner of the 1000 Pillar Hall is the Patala Lingam in a small underground shrine. This Lingam used to be connected to the mutt that belonged to the Thondaimandala Vellalas where the 1000 pillar hall stands. Azhiavradam Poonda Tambiran (head of the Mutt) was a Siva devotee and part of his observance included worship at a jnani’s Samadhi — this is the Samadhi that is now known as the Patala Lingam. 

Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire wishing to build the 1000 pillar hall purchased the property from the Vellalas, who went on to build a Mutt at another place—inscriptions inside the hall describe this event. The name Patala (i.e. underground) Lingam arose because the floor was raised around the lingam, in order not to disturb it, thus reducing the lingam to a lower level. 


This shrine was to become a meditation place for Sri Ramana Maharshi soon after he came to Thiruvannamalai in 1896. This shrine has been renovated twice in the last century, first in 1949 and more recently in 1996.