Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar Thirukovil

 The ancient religion Temples are of major source of significance for most of the Hindus which centers for religious activity and serve as focus for social and cultural activities. The history, art and literature of Hindus are always rich of all the other regions of India. Hindus believe in salvation which is promoted by the blessings of Shiva and Vishnu. A Hindu, believes in Dharma, which is a law that rules human society corrects duties and rebirth of each person as per his deeds. For a Hindu, janmam and Karmam in a caste are the reversible actions and duties, papams (sin) performed in the previous lives. For every good action or duty in this janma, fruits out equal good actions in next janma. This is what is called "Karma". The future birth is decided on the basis of what one is performed lawful, good work, humbleness with the Order and good karmas. He alone escapes from this who attains to final salvation, a state which liberates him from the obligation to be reborn on this earth. Exactly based on these rules and actions of an individual gods also have a different function. Based on the functions they fulfill each take different aspects and names.

The gods like to flower those who deserve liberation through their devotion to a diety, or else the diety of their caste or one of their own choice. The Gods also watch over the destruction and the evolution of the worlds. At the very modest level, they are posed to be the caretaker of the Dharma in the Village of that religion or region to be said.

Holy Mountain Tiruvannamalai

The story of the Sacred mountain from the ancient times tells us that a quarrel between the Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma depicts the origin of the mountain. Both the creator and preserver of this universe were fighting to claim who is powerful among them. This went on for year and years. The sage Narada also convinced them that neither of the two were powerful nor Supreme. Then, the Lord Shiva made up his mind to show the truth, who is actual Supreme among two. To prove this he took the form of fire which was very big and immense. This fire stood in front of the two and a voice was heard from the fire, which was Lord Shiva himself and told that "Among you two who will first approach the top and bottom of this dazzling fire will be said to be the most powerful forever." Then Brahma, changed himself as a swan and flew up to the sky to reach the top of the Fire and kept flying for hundreds and hundreds of years. But could not reach the top on the other side, Lord Vishnu changed himself as a boar and starting digging down the Earth to find the bottom.

Who also did the same thing over couple of years and could not ever find the bottom. Then both of them realized that Lord Shiva, he who is endless without the start nor an end was only the "Superior" among both of them. Their fight had got a conclusion. They came back to Earth and bowed in front of the Shiva, who was in the form of dazzling form of fire and requested to stay in the same form on this Earth and bless the devotees Who is He the actual meaning for the power of creation nor preservation, Lord Shiva agreed to stay in the same form and transformed himself as a mountain. From then, every Karthikai Deepam Festival the column of dense fire comes to the sight on the top of mountain. At Thiruvannamalai this is done on the 10th day of this festival Karthikai Deepam.


Importance

This temple is one of the "Panch Boodha Sthalams" and it is "Agni" Sthalam. It has also the importance as "Padal PetraSthalam". That is the four famous 'Saiva Saints and Poets' such Appar, Sundarar, Manichkavasakar and ThirugnanaSambandar made several poems on Lord Arunachaleswara.