Tiruvannamalai information

Thousand Pillar Hall:

On entering the temple through the east tower the big structure one faces on the right is the thousand pillared hall. There are indications that it was built by Krishnadevaraya. The thousand pillared hall sports exactly 1000 pillars. the pillars are carved , with sculptures of Naik periods and some divine images. Sages, Vishnu's incarations too find a place with floral designs.


Siddhi Vinayagar:

The prime God Lord Ganesha also resides near the Sivaganga Theertha (tank) in the name of "Siddhi Vinayaga" and also called "Sivagangai Vinayagar".

Annamalai sthala has a special place in the history of our Culture and Religious life. The hill Annamalai has been responsible for the blossoming of several Saints and Ghanis. Many saints have attained liberation here.

A divine retreat for weary souls.

Temple is an externalized aspect of faith, and it is a place to restore peace and harmony. What great seers have visualized has been made outwardly real in a temple. This temple is safely edifice consecrated to the Lord of Light and other deities, built centuries ago at the foot of the hill to form the seat of worship. The main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is in the eastern tower, the tallest structure in proportion to the other dimensions of this largest temple forming part of it. The tower rising heavenward is marvelously massive and magnificently majestic one with its imposing structural elegance and inviting architectural excellence and awes people at a distance.

Temple is the world's only social hope and the sole promise of peace and harmony; It purifies the society, and looks at the world with the intention of serving it, and strengthening society spiritually uniting people. The temple stands for the eternal, and the great glory of god where people praise the name of god and sing his glory. The temple offers you something you simply cannot get else where.


Daily Poojas at Temple
05.30 AM        Ushathkalam
08.00 AM        Kalasanthi
10.00 AM        Uchikalam
06.00 PM        Sayarakshai
08.00 PM        IrandamKalam
09.30 PM        Artha Jamam

Raja Gopuram :

There are six enclosures in the Temple :

The number of Gopurams are 9 in all. Of these, four are in the midst of the walls.

Raja gopuram is the name, by which the big tower in the east is called. It has 11 tiers, with a Width of 135 ft by 98 ft at the base. The Tanjore Big temple erected by the Chola monarch Raja Chola Soars 216 ft high. Just to compare and rival that height, one more foot has been added to the elevation of this temple making it 217 ft. And this tower provides the main entrance to the temple.

Ammani ammal gopuram, Thirumanjuna gopuram and pey Gopuram are the names of the north, south and west towers respectively.

As its name erroneously indicates. There is neither pey (ghost) nor devil in it. In olden times, Tamil scholars with literacy aspirations have named this tower as mel gopuram (western tower). But as years passed, this name got corrupted into pey gopuram!

The first and second enclosures with their enclosing walls are the oldest. The third enclosure were erected by Kulottunga as evidenced by the epigraphs in kili gopuram.

The fourth enclosure, the wall abutting it, the fifth enclosure, the thousand pillared hall the Big nandi, the sivaganga Tank, the wall enclosing huge structures and the tower, all belong to the 16th century.

Adi Annamalai Temple :

Adi Annamalai Temple is located in Girivalam path . This is the sacred place where saint poet Manickavasagar wrote Thiruvempavai. As enjoined, one should enter the temple by the Main Gate in front of the Sanctumsanctorum. Before entering the Eastern Gate we see the Sixteen-Pillared Mantapam and the Four-Pillared Mantapam. When we pass the Eastern Tower Gate we see the Gopura Ganapathi. This deity is held in high esteem and veneration by all devotees and the first worship to Him. We first come to the fifth prakaram and see before us the Kambathilayanar Sannidhi and Gnanappai Mantapam. Here it was that God Muruga appeared in a Pillar for the sake of the King Prabudadevaraya as prayed for by saint Arunagirinathar in response to his famouns song "Athalasadanarada". To the south there is the sacred tank called Sivaganga Theertham. It has stonesteps and Thirumalapathi Mantapam on all four sides