Arunachaleswarar Temple ( Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu )

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The temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of the biggest and grandest temples in South India.  With the hill as back ground it gives the appearance of a fort to those who see it from a distance. It is unique on account of its stately towers, high rampart walls, broad quadrangles, spacious gateways, large mantapams and fine tanks.  It has also much architectural importance and sculputural beauty.

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Tiruvannamalai should have been under the sway of the Pallava Kings who ruled from Kancheepuram before the ninth century A.D. We do not find any inscription in the temple prior to A.D.850 and hence the present temple could not have existed then. Saint Sambandar in his Thevaram relating to this place mentions a temple. Saints Appar and Sambandar belonged to the Seventh Century, Sekkizhar, the renowned author of Periapuranam mentions that both the Saints Appar and Sambandar worshipped Arunchaleswarar in the hill Temple.

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The Chola Kings ruled over the country for more than four Centuries from 850 A.D. to 1280 A.D. Some earlier Kings of Vijayalaya dynasty must have begun to construct the inner shrine(Garbegraha). In the fourteenth Century the Hoysala Kings had their capital at Tiruvannamalai. Afterwards the Kings of Vijayanagar and Nayak Kings of Thanjavur ruled over this part of the Country. In the Seventeenth Century it came under the sway of the Nawabs of Carnatic. There was confusion and chaos after A.D. 1753. Muraru Raya, Krishna Raya, Mrithis Ali Khan, Burkat Ullakhan, French Soupries and Sambrinet, English Captain Stephen Smith besieged this place and had their successes and defeats. In A.D. 1790 it was captured by Tippu Sultan. During the first half of the nineteenth century it came under the British rule.

The Temple is situated east at the bottom of the hill half a mile west of the Railway Station. 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 iin 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.

Kalahasti Temple (Andhra Pradesh)

Sri Kalahasti temple, situated 36 km away is famous for its Vayudeva temple, which is the only shrine of the god of wind in India. Constructed in the 12th century by the Chola king, Rajarajendra, Vayu is incarnated as Lord Shiva and worshipped as Kalahasteeswara.

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This is an important temple dedicated to Lord Siva. This temple has one of the elemental lingas, the vayu (air) linga. 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 pujaris close off the entrance to the main Deity room, which does not have any windows. You 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.

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Kalahasti is surrounded by two sacred hills. The Durgamba temple is on the northern hill. On the south hill there is the shrine of Kannabeswara, in memory of the Sage Kannappa, who offered an eye to the Lord. When he tried to offer his other eye as well, the Lord mercifully stopped him. There is also a temple dedicated to Subramanya on one of the surrounding hills.

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. This temple is one of the most impressive Siva temples in India. It features an enormous, ancient gopuram (tower) over the main gate. The tower is 36.5m (120 feet) high. The entire temple is carved out of the side of a huge stone hill. It was built in1516 by King Krishnadeva Raya.

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The temple is run by neatly dressed Saivite Brahmins, who conduct the worship of the various deities inside. Inside the temple you will find the tremendously ornate and splendid architecture that South India is famous for. Elaborately designed pillars, altars, and paraphernalia abound. The main linga is in the shape of an elephant trunk, with tusks on each side and a figure of a spider at the bottom. If you look at the linga from the top it looks like a snake with five hoods. The spider is call “Sri,” the snake “Kala,” and the elephant “Hasti.” The three names combine together in the name Srikalahasti.

It is said that the spider wove a web above the linga to protect it from the sun and rain. The elephant would get water with its trunk and bath the linga (perform abhisheka) and the snake would also worship the Lord. One day the snake found some bilva leaves and water near the Lord. He thought that someone was trying to harm the Lord, so he surrounded the Lord to protect him. When the elephant came the next day to worship the Lord the snake through he was trying to harm the Lord so he got into his trunk. Unable to handle the pain, the elephant dashed his trunk against the linga killing both the snake and the spider. The elephant also died at this time. Lord Siva being satisfied by their devotion, gave liberation to his three devotees.

Kalkaji Mandir (Delhi)

Kalkaji Temple is situated beyond the commercial complex of Nehru Place lies Kalkaji temple dedicated to the Goddess Kalka Devi, a reincarnation of Goddess Durga. Kalkaji mandir is very famous and has numerous devotees thronging it on many religious occasions, throughout the year. he oldest section of the Kalka Ji Mandir dates back to the year 1734. It is said that the Maratha rulers looted the temple in the year 1738, after they were defeated by the Mughals in the battle of Talkatora. Somewhere in the mid-19th century, certain changes and additions were carried out on Kalkaji temple by Raja Kedarnath, the treasurer of Emperor Akbar.

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Small red flags decorate the temple then, and women outnumber men among the devotees. Folklore is replete with tales of the Kalkaji temple, so much so that one does not know where legend ends and history begins. The Kali Temple in Kalkaji boasts of an existence of 3,000 years, although the oldest surviving portion of it dates to 1764-1771 when the Marathas were in power. Looking at the present-day Kalkaji temple one may find it hard to believe that this shrine to Kali is an antique one, where perhaps even the Pandavs and Kauravs had worshiped during the reign of Yudhisthir, whose citadel of Indraprastha had the fabled fairy gates of which bards sang, much like Homer of old, right up to the time of Prithviraj Chauhan.

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The temple is situated on a hill and is dedicated to Kali. There is a very distinctive feeling there and the devotees are overwhelmed by light, which stay during the whole night. The power of Ma Kali is ambiguous but powerful. Everyday, the idol of the deity is bathed with milk in the morning. Devotees also try to meditate there and a spectacular tantric aarati is held at about 7 pm. The temple is also quite near to the Bahai Temple, which is just opposite on the other side of a big road.

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Still, the temple holds a very modern and contemporary look. The temple gains special importance during the period of Navratras, which lasts for almost nine days. At that time, a fair is held at the Delhi Kalkaji Temple and is attended by thousands of devotees. One can hoards of hawkers near the temple during the fair, which are often accompanied by groups singing hymns and songs eulogizing the Goddess.

A 12-sided structure, Kalkaji Temple has been constructed completely out of marble and black pumice stones. The entire structure is devoid of any ostentation and comes across as very plain and simple. People coming to the temple can purchase offering from the vendors sitting just before its entrance. In the backyard of the main structure is an inn, which is known as Kali Dharamshala.