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Thursday, February 18, 2016

Annamalaiyar Temple – Third Prakaram – Ekambareswarar Shrine

Annamalaiyar Temple – Third Prakaram – Ekambareswarar Shrine
This shrine is situated on the north east corner of this prakara. It is facing west. It stands on a high plinth containing garbagraha and antarala. The adhishtana parts are upana, padma, kanta and kapota. The exterior walls show pilasters at the corners. In the Devakoshtas Brahma, Lingodbhavar and Lakshmi are found. The vimana is Nagara with circular kalasa.

The Ekambareswarar shrine in the Arunachaleswarar Temple Third Prakaram represents (Earth). On the back of the Ekambareswarar shrine there is a beautiful representation of Lingodbhava or Adimudi.

The five elements of the Universe are earth, water, fire, air and ether and the Shastras call them the Pancha Boothams. These five elements are represented by five sacred shrines or the Pancha Bootha Sthalams of which Thiruvannamalai is one.

Prithvi (Earth) Sthalam is Kancheepuram; Appu (Water) Sthalam is Tiruvanaikaval; Theyu (Fire) Sthalam is Thiruvannamalai; Vayu (Air) Sthalam is Kaalahasthi; and Akasa (Ether) Sthalam is Chidambaram.

Of the six Athara Kshetrams, Thiruvannamalai is said to be the Manipooraga Kshetram. It is also one of the Saivite Shrines sung by the great saints Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manikkavacakar.