''Tiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar Temple''' Tiruvannamalai Tamilnadu

Tiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar Temple Night Look

Tiruvannamalai Annamalaiyar is a renowned temple town in TamilNadu which is synonym to deepam(fire). Here lord  Shiva (Arunachaleswar) is worshipped in the form of fire. This temple city is located about 180 kilometers from Chennai capital of tamilnadu .It is believed that this temple on the foot hill of Annamalai hill came to be built around 750 A.D. period as per the details available from archeological sculptures. It is the biggest temple in India dedicated to Lord Shiva.This Shiva – Annamalaiyar Parvathi – Unnamulai Amman temple has a 66 meter high gopuram that comprises of 13 storey’s or tiers. Here Shiva is known as Annamalayar in the form of Lingam and Parvathi known as unnamulai nayaki or  Apitakuchambal. This term Annamalayar is derived from the name of the hills Annamalai that means an inaccessible mountain. This place has been inhabited by many great saints and poets who have sung many poems on Lord Annamalaiyar .Among the many saints. Saint Ramana maharishi is believed lived here for more than 50 years till his death inthe year 1950. The Ashram of the saint is located on hill Arunachala that is located west side of the town Tiruvannamali. As in most Hindu Temples Lord Arunachala Temple ha the biggest walking path around the hill. Devotees are expected to go around the hill at least one time to reap the full benefit and blessings of lord Arunachaleswar. Going around the hill is known as Girivalam or Giripradhakshana. At Thiruvannamali it is great sanctity to go girivalam during every full moon day of a month or during the annual Tiruvannamalai deepam day. 

Annamalaiyar Temple Construction Details

The Temple is situated east at the bottom of the hill half a mile . It faces East it has got four stately towers on all the four sides and four high stone walls just like the rampart walls of a fort. The Eastern Tower called the Rajagopuram is the Highest. The Southern tower is called Thirumanjangopuram, that in the west is called Peygopuram and that in the north is called Ammaniamma Gopuram. The temple occupies an extent of about 25 acres of land. The walls on the East and West measure 700 feet each. The South wall is 1479 feet long and North wall is 1590 feet. The Rajagopuram which adorns the East Gateway is 217 feet high with 11 storeys, its base measure 135 feet by 98 feet. This tower was built by King Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar and completed by Sevappa Nayaka of Thanjavur. Krishna Devaraya also constructed the Thousand Pillared Mantapam and dug the tank opposite to it . Ammani Ammal a Sanyasini built the North Gopuram which is called after her name.

DAILY PUJAS

USHATHKALAM             05.30.A.M

KALASANTHI                  08.00.A.M

UCHIKALAM                   10.00.A.M

SAYARAKSHAI               06.00.P.M

ARDHA JAMAM              09.30.P.M