LARGEST LORD SIVA TEMPLE IN INDIA

Tiruvannamalai is a well-known temple town in TamilNadu. Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of fire. It is trusted that this temple on the foot hill of Annamalai came to be built around 750 A.D., as per the details available from archeological sculptures. It is the largest saivaite temple in India dedicated to Lord Shiva. These shrines in Thiruvannamalai, on a sprawling 24 acre temple campus, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every full moon. In this holy place the 'Karthikai Deepam' festival is of great significance.

This temple offered to Lord Shiva was built by Vijayanagara Kings between the 16th and the 17th centuries. The temple is renowned for its gigantic gopurams (towers). The 11 tier main East Rajagopuram is to a height of 217 feet, while the protected walls perforated with 4 gopura entrances offer an impressive look to this great temple complex . The other three gopurams are: Pei Gopuram, Tirumanjana Gopuram and Ammanaiammal gopuram . Each of the Prakarams (Hall way) has a huge Nandi and several towers such as the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram and Kili Gopuram. The 1000 pillared hall and the temple tank were built by Emperor Krishna Deva Rayar of Vijayanagara. It is one of the 'Panchabhootha' sthalam (five basic elements of the cosmic) and it is representing fire. The other places representing five elements are - Tiruvanaikavil (Appu sthalam - Water) Kanchipuram (Prithvi sthalam - Earth) Kalahasti (Vayu sthalam - Air) Chidambaram (Akasa sthalam - Space)

Thiruvannamalai is home for the Annamalaiyar Temple situated at the foot of the Annamalai Hill and amongst one of the great Siva Temples of Tamil Nadu. The Saiva sect is a world phenomenon and Thiruvannamalai is the headquarters of Saivism. In Tamil Nadu there are 275 sacred places (Temples of Lord Siva) which were admired by 'Thevaram' (Sacred hymns) and were entitled "Thirumurai Thalangal". Out of these sacred places twenty two are found in Nadu Naadu (Heart of Tamil Nadu ). Thiruvannamalai is the most sacred place of these twenty two. Annamalai Annal is the most sacred of the names of the materialization of Lord Siva.The Siva Puranam, a sacred book of saivaites, spots out four sacred places for obtaining salvation. Thiruvannamalai is one of them. The importance of this place is that by mere commemoration of Lord Siva (Arunachaleswarar) at Thiruvannamalai gives salvation to all souls. Saint poets Sundarar, Thirunavukkarasar etc., have visited Temples in Thiruvannamalai, worshiped the Lord Siva and have composed divine poems. Saint Manickavasagar had composed "Thiruvempavai - 20" and "Thiruvammanai". Even today, you can find a temple for Saint Manickavasagar on the Girivalam path at Adi-Annamalai.Each full moon day of every month Girivalam is undertaken by the pilgrims. Millions of devotees take part every month in this healthy sacrament. This word Girivalam is the derivation of the Tamil word "Giri "means hill and "Valam" means coming around. For this reason coming around the hill is called as Girivalam in Tamil.

This monthly ritual is a gesture of dedication working a stage in spiritual developments. The illumination of the full moon light, is a monthly feature pilgrims drawn from different parts of the India visit the temple and dextrally move in a circle in large numbers keeping the hill as the centre covering in a complete round . To finish one full round (Girivalam) the hill, it is around 14 kilometres. And people both young and old devotedly go round on the full moon day. It is believed to bring in plentiful peace or calmness for the mental well being and also uplifting the physical fitness.

The Siddhas and disciples from all part of the country walk around the hill on all days. .But in the full moon day of every month, millions of devotees go around the hill recurrently.

In Thiruvannamalai temple many festivals are celebrated through out the year. Among them Karthigai Deepam is the most important festival that is celebrated with splendor and cheerfulness at Arunachalaeswar temple in the Tamil month of 'Karthikai' that falls between 15th Nov. and 15th Dec. This festival is celebrated as a ten day festival and it widely known as 'Karthikai Deepam'

The tenth day of Karthigai Deepam festival is very important one and it starts at around 4am in the early morning and the 'Bharani Deepam' is lit at the temple. In the evening the 'Mahadeepam' is lit on the top of the Annamalai hill at around 6pm. This ceremony is a very important during the Karthikai Deepam festival. Lord Arunachaleswarar is said to be visually represented in the form of fire on the hill. There is a very huge gathering on this day at the temple to witness this magnificent and sacred event.

After this the night ceremony begins with 'Lord Periya nayagar' going out procession on the gold made Rishaba vahanam. This is another marvelous happening at Arunachaleswar temple at Tiruvannamalai.