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.
