Srikalahasti Temple, Andhra Pradesh
Srikalahasti Temple is located in the town of Srikalahasti, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the most famous Shiva temples in South India. Sri Kalahasti temple, situated 36 km away from Tirupati is famous for its Vayu linga, one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams, representing wind. The inner temple was constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 12th century by the Chola kings and the Vijayanagara kings. Vayu is incarnated as Lord Shiva and worshiped as Kalahasteeswara.
The temple is closely associated with the Hindu astrology of Rahu and Ketu. The river Suvarnamukhi takes the north course from the temple, washing the temple’s west wall in the process. In between the two steep hills Sripuram and Mummidi-cholapuram, is the Sivalinga set to represent the element of Vayu or wind.
This temple is considered as the Kailash of the South or Dakshin Kailash. The entire temple is carved out of the side of a huge stone hill.
There is a lamp inside the inner sanctum that is constantly flickering despite the lack of air movement inside. The air-linga can be observed to move even when the priests close off the entrance to the main deity room, which does not have any windows. One can see the flames on several ghee lamps flicker as if blown by moving air. The linga is white and is considered Swayambhu, or self-manifested.
The main linga is untouched by human hands, even by the priest. Abhisheka (bathing) is done by pouring a mixture of water, milk, camphor, and panchamrita. Sandal paste, flowers and the sacred thread are offered to the utsava-murti, not the main linga.
Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram or Chidambaram temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the town of Chidambaram, East-Central Tamil Nadu, South India. The temple is known as the foremost of all temples (Kovil) to Saivites and has influenced worship, architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millennium.
A major shrine of Lord Shiva worship since the classical period, there have been several renovations and offerings to Chidambaram by the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara and Chera royals in the ancient and pre-medieval periods. The temple as it stands now is mainly of the 12th and 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style.
The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva. The temple has inspired the famous Nataraj form of the Lord, as a cosmic dancer, one that has now become notably famous in Hinduism. Two other forms of Lord Shiva are represented in the temple, as a lingam – the most common representation of Lord Shiva in temples, and as the aether space classical element, represented with empty space and a garland of fifty one hanging golden vilvam leaves.
The sculptures of Chidambaram inspired the postures of Bharatha Natyam.
Chidambaram is one of the five Pancha Bootha Sthalams, the holiest Shiva temples each representing one of the five classical elements; Chidambaram represents akasha (aether).
Jambukeshwara Temple, Thiruvanaikaval
The Jambukeshwara temple is located in Tiruchirupalli in Tamil Nadu. The Thiruvanaikal temple is one of the five panchambootham temples in the country. It represents water from the five elements the Panchambootham represent.
It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where all the four most revered Nayanars (Saivite Saints) have sung glories of the deity in this temple. The temple has inscriptions from the Chola period.
According to legend, once the Goddess Parvati mocked Lord Shiva during his meditation. As a punishment the Lord commanded her to leave their heavenly abode Kailasam, and go to earth for penance. The Goddess Parvati went down to earth and settled in Tiruchiripalli. She made a lingam out of water from the Cauvery river under the Venn Naaval tree (the Venn Naaval tree on top of the saint Jambu) and commenced her worship. The lingam is known as Appu Lingam (Water Lingam). Siva at last gave darshan to Goddess Parvati and taught her Siva Gnana. The Goddess took Upadesa (lessons) facing East from Shiva, who stood facing west.
A second legend also exists for the temple. There were two Siva Ganas (Siva’s disciples who live in Kailash): ‘Malyavan’ and ‘Pushpadanta’. Though they were Siva Ganas they always quarrelled with each other and fought for one thing or another. In one fight ‘Malyavan’ cursed ‘Pushpadanta’ to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram and continued their Siva worship. The elephant would daily shower the lingam with water from the Cauvery. The spider would weave a web daily around the lingam to protect it from dust and harm. The elephant however mistook the spider web as dust and tore it off. This continued for a number of days. The spider finally got frustated and crawled up the elephant’s trunk and killed it by biting the inside of the runk. In the process, it killed itself. The Lord however, was so pleased to see their devotion that he blessed them both and sent the elephant to heaven as he had completed his karma.
As an outcome of making sin by killing the elephant, in the next birth, the spider was born as the King Kochengot Chola and built 70 temples and this temple is the one among them. Remembering his enmity with the elephant in his previous birth, he built the temple entrance so small, that not even a baby elephant could enter. The entrance of the Jambureshwar temple is only 4 foot high and 2.5 foot wide.
Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram
The Ekambareswarar temple is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. One of the five panchambootham temples in the country, the temple is of utmost significance in Hindu culture. Thousands of devotees visit the temple every year. It is one of the largest temples in Kanchipuram.
According to legend, once when the Goddess Parvati was performing penence, the Lord Shiva set her on fire to test her devotion. The Goddess prayed to her brother, Lord Vishnu to save her. Vishnu took the moon from Lord Shiva’s head and showered the rays on his sister to cool down the flames. Lord Shiva then sent the Ganges to disrupt the penance. Goddess Parvati then convinced Ganges that the two of them were like sisters, devoted to the same god. The Ganges also relented on hearing that. Parvati then made a lingam out of sand. Impressed by her devotion, the Lord settled in Kanchipuram, making it one of the 5 panchambootham temples.
According to another legend, the Goddess Parvati had built a lingam out of sand , under a mango tree. The neighboring Vegavati river threatened to overflow and engulf the lingam. Parvati, out of sheer devotion to the Lord, embraced the lingam and was ready to sacrifice her life to protect the lingam. Pleased by her devotion, the Lord descended to earth and married her.
Arunachaleswarar Temple, Thiruvannamalai
Arunachaleswarar Temple or Annamalaiyar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at the base of Annamalai hills in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the 5 Panchambootham linga temples in the country. It represents the fire or Agni of the Panchambootham. Lord Shiva is shown here in the form of the Agni Lingam.
The temple complex covers 10 hectares, and is one of the largest in India. It houses four gateway towers. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is the thousand-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period.
According to Hinduism, life originated as a planetary combination of the five elements, fire, air, water, sky and land.
Lord Shiva is said to have appeared in each of the 5 panchambootham temples as one of the five elements. He appeared in the Ekambareshwar temple as the Prithvi lingam, representing land. He also appeared in the Annamalaiyar temple as the Agni lingam representing fire, in the Jambukeshwar temple as the Appu lingam, representing water, in the Kalahastheeswar temple as the Vayu lingam, representing air and lastly in the Natarajam temple, as the Aakasha lingam, representing the sky.
