Annamalaiyar Temple – Second Prakaram

Annamalaiyar Temple – Second Prakaram

The second Prakaram circuited the outside of the inner Sanctum Sanctorum of Lord Siva. Against the walls around the path are statues of 63 Nayanmars, Lingas etc. Passing through this Prakaram we can worship the following deities Somaskandar, Venugopalar, Lingothbhavar, Durga, Sandikeswarar, Gajalakshmi, Arumuga swamy, Dakshinamoorthy, Swarnabairavar, Natarajar and Palliyarai.

On both sides of the entrance to the second Prakaram we see Ganapthi and Subramaniam & the Dwarapalakars (Gate keepers). Taking leave of Adhikara Nandikeswarar in the passage we enter into the second Prakaram. In the North we see Isanyalingam and all Uthsavamoorthis (festival idols) and in the South there is Indra Lingam. On all three sides of the second Prakaram there are number of deities. They are given below in detail.

Southern Prakaram

·        Janakeswarar

·        Janardaneswarar

·        Appar

·        Sambandar

·        Sundarar

·        Manickavasagar

·        Janandaneswarar

·        Janatkumareswarar

·        Kaushikeswarar

·        Kuthsarishiwarar

·        Valmikiswarar

·        Vamarishiswarar

·        Agnilingam

·        Naradesvarar

·        Kasilingam

·        Vaisambadanesvarar

·        Sixty three Saivite Saints

·        Yamalingam

·        Thumbureswarar

·        Sapthamadhas (Chamundi, Indrani, Varahi, Vaishnavi, Kaumari, Maheswari and Brahmi)

·        Gauthamarishi

·        Duruvasarishi

Western Prakaram

·        Kshethralingam Vinayagar

·        Niruthilingam

·        Somaskandar

·        Amman

·        Arthanareeswarar (Uthsavamoorthis)

·        Venugopalaswami with Rukmini and Satyabama

·        Varunalingam

·        Vikrapandiswarar

·        Gajalakshimi

·        Arumugam with Valli and Deivayanai

·        Sahasralingam

·        Santhalingam

·        Syamalambal

·        Jeshtadevar

Northern Prakaram

·        Vayulingam

·        Annapurani

·  Utsava idols of valli, Murugan, Deivayanai, Natarajar, Bikshadanar and Chandrashekarar

·        Kuberalingam

·        Utsava idols of Sixty Three Saivite Saints,

·        Bhakthanugraha Somaskander

·        Viswamitreswarar

·        Patanjaliswarar

·        Vyagrapadeswarar

·        108 Sivalingams

·        Agastheeshwarar

·        Jureswarar

·        Kalasamhararar

·        Bairavar

·     Utsava idols of Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar, Manikkavachakar, Natarajar and Sivakami

Saint Sivaprakasa Swamigal in his Thiruveedhi Ula has called Arunachaleswarar Temple a poem wrought by seers. This great Arunachaleswarar Temple is spread over 25 acres and has like all other Temples, garbagrihas, maha mandapams, prakarams, Gopurams and sacred tanks.

The Siva Temple is the outcome of a millennium of building and extension. The original enclosure containing the main shrine was enlarged eastwards, and gained the name of "second enclosure". What is now known, as the "first enclosure" is in fact the platform around the shrine. This is a theoretical enclosure for ritual purpose, the enclosure being considered as the inner circle of Siva's Divine Court, where the sub-shrine of Chandikesvara (one who maintains accounts), receives the leftovers from Siva's puja, is located. 

The second enclosure, originally without a roof but covered in the nineteenth century, is entered through a gateway know as the Rishi Gopura. It is believed that the entrance used to be on the southern side, but the Nattukkottai Chettiars (renowned religious philanthropists) raised a wall of the prakaram and covered it with stone roofing and shifted the entrance from the southern side to the eastern side in line with other entrances. Around the perimeter of this prakaram there are several details, either free-standing or in small shrines. 

Entering the second prakaram one crosses a threshold with two large doors, on other sides of which are two large bells which are rung during the time of Arati. Walking around this prakaram is large number of idols. Some of these Shrine and images are not original—for rich Temples frequently undergo renovations. Thus the original tenth-century “Seven Mothers” have been replaced by more modern representations; and Jyeshta, the Goddess of misfortune, also an ancient statue, now stands near a shop in the town of Thiruvannamalai, ousted from the Temple in favour of Gajalakshmi, as has happened in many other Temples in Tamil Nadu. 

The statues currently in the second prakaram of Arunachaleswarar Temple include; Ashta Lingas (similar to those on the Girivalam roadway), the four great Nalvars: Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manikkavacakar, the four sons of Brahma, the 63 Nayanars (Saivite saints), an idol of Ayyappan and the Sthala Vinayagar which was erected by Sembiyan Mahadevi the Queen of Kandraditha Chola and dates from the 10th Century. Before functions and Festivals celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple, puja is first done to this aspect of Lord Ganesha.

Next to the Sthala Vinayagar at the back of the prakaram, are the Periyaudaiyar Utsavar, Ardhanarishvara, Venugopal Shrine, Lingams, Gajalakshmi and Lord Murugan with Valli. There is an interesting story attached to the Venugopal Shrine. It seems the statues of Krishna and his two wives were originally in a small Vaishnava Village of Agraharam near Samudram Eri located some two miles south of Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Legend has it that the people of Agraharam, during certain festivals, carried the Utsava Moorthies from their village Shrine to Tirukoilur (a Vaishnava centre with a large Vishnu temple), about 20 miles away. 

The Vaishnava inhabitants of Agraharam were very devoted to their Vaishnava God and whenever Saiva idols from Arunachaleswarar Temple passed during circumambulation of Arunachala, the incensed Vaishnava villagers would attack the procession. Repeated complaints of this disturbance were made to the King (probably Kulottunga I). It is said that the King himself visited the area to satisfy himself of the complaint.  

Once satisfied of the situation, the King ordered that during a particular festival all the villagers should go in procession to Tirukoilur. When they had gone, he had the images of Venugopal and his Devis removed from the Village Shrine, brought to Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereupon installed at the back of the Siva Sannidhi. 

On the Northern verandah are the Utsava-Murthis of the 63 Saiva saints, a shrine of Bhairava (aspect of Siva) and the Vaikunta Vail.

Vaikunta Vail

The doorway known as the Vaikunta Vail, (the Gates of Heaven) opens to the third prakaram and opposite to the Devi’s Shrine. Vaikunta Ekadasi (Ekadasi is synonymous with fasting and abstinence) is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It occurs in the month of Margashirsha (between December and January). In Tamil Nadu the festival is known as Mukkoti Ekadasi or Sorgavasal Thirappu.

On this day, the Vaikunta Dwaram or the Swarga Vaasal, ‘The Gates of Heaven’ are believed to be kept open. The area encircling the Arunachaleswarar Sanctum is referred to as Swarga Vaasal and devotees throng to gain entry into the Temple, to seek the Lord.

Adjacent to this doorway is the retiring room for Sri Arunachala and every night a ceremony of taking the Lord to that room for rest is observed.

Next to the doorway is the tank that supplies water for worship in the Central Shrine and thereafter a Nataraja Shrine, where the image of the Dancing Lord is made of brass. It is said that below the site where Nataraja is installed, an underground cellar was found from which many valuable articles were recovered and handed over to Temple authorities. There is a similar story of a cellar in the Kili Gopura from which jewellery was recovered and given to the Temple. 

Shrine of Venugopalaswami

The shrine of Venugopalaswami, deity of Vaishnavite is located at the back side of the Sanctum of Annamalaiyar. This show both "Hari" and "Sivan" are same. This kind of structure is rarely available in other places. Northern side of this prakaram consist an exit which leads us to Arulmigu Unnamulai Amman temple.

Second Enclosure

While circumambulating this prakara on a raised platform can be seen Sanakesvarar, Sananteswarar, Sanatanesvarar, Sanatkumarar, Kowsikesvarar, Kutcarisvarar, Valmi, Visvanathar, Naradesvarar, Kasilingam, Vaisambadanesvarar and sixty three Nayanmars like Sundarar etc. Thambureswarar also is here. Adjoining it are Sapta Mathas chiseled in stone. Goutamar (2ft) and Durvasa (4ft) are here in a standing pose. In the west row, are the festival idols of Somaskanda, Venugopala Sannathi and Sanctum of Arumuga is located. To the left side are several Lingas. In the north now are Bikshadanar, Shanmugar, festival idols of 63 Nayanmars etc.

Kalasankara

The image of Kalasankara 3ft high armed with Mazhu, Pasu, sula and kapala is in the act of killing Yama. This is a very beautiful image.

Bhairava

The image of Bhairava of 3 ½ high (105 cms) is armed with Udukkai, pasa, sula and kapala. This image of dog is nearby. The fire halo and a necklace are his ornaments.

Sthala Vinayaka

The sanctum of this Vinayaka is in the south west corner of the southern end in the west of the second prakara. This was erected by Sembian madevi of Kandaradiya Chola.