Annamalaiyar Temple

அண்ணாமலையார் கோயில்

Shiva · Annamalaiyar · with Unnamulai (Umai)

Agni linga (fire)

Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu · Shaiva tradition

The temple is one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, where Shiva is worshipped as the element fire.

The story begins: “The quarrel.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Getting there
Train: Tiruvannamalai railway stationAir: Chennai International Airport (MAA)

Not yet confirmed: darshan hours, dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths, walking distance. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

2 accounts are recorded. Each is told separately, in the words of its own tradition — they are never merged.

Told in: The Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha 1–2; Uttarardha 9–14)

The column of fire that became a hill

The Skanda Purana tells this story twice in its Arunachala Khanda — once in Brahma's own voice, speaking to his son Sanaka, and once by Nandikeshvara to the sage Markandeya.

The quarrel. Brahma and Vishnu, both born of Sadashiva, fall to arguing over which of them is supreme. Brahma remembers it plainly: each of them claimed to have been born of himself. Ishvara resolves to end the dispute.

The column. A column of fire rises between the two gods, filling the gap between heaven and earth and growing until it pierces the shell of the cosmic egg. Its light turns the mountains, seas, rivers and sky red; even Brahma's body takes on its colour. Yet, the text says, it dazzles without burning. The two gods stop quarrelling and stare at it. A voice declares that whoever finds either end of the column will be counted the greater; in Nandikeshvara's telling it is Vishnu who proposes the contest.

The search. Vishnu takes the form of a huge boar and digs down into the earth for the base. He finds none, tires, and turns to Shiva in humility, praising him as present in fire, wind, sky and the other elements. Brahma takes the form of a swan and flies upward for the top. He wanders for years until his wings fail. Siddhas born of Shiva's splendour rebuke him for his pride, and he comes to see that Shiva is known through grace, not through Vedic learning or austerity.

The hill. The radiance is now a danger. Brahma warns that the earth, scorched by it, will no longer bring forth living beings, and asks Shiva to withhold his splendour and become an immobile linga. Vishnu adds his prayer. Shiva grants it and takes the state of an immovable linga in the form of Arunachala — the hill on the earth's surface. The text calls it Arunachala, Arunadri and Shonashaila, names for the red mountain, and adds that the sun will not pass over its peak while Shiva remains in this form.

What it explains. The episode is why the hill, and not only the linga in the sanctum, is treated as Shiva at Tiruvannamalai. It is also the ground for the walk around the hill: later in the same book, circling Shonachala on foot is taught as a practice that ends rebirth.

Where this account comes from

  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 1.23–72 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 2.28–62 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Uttarardha) 10.1–29 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Uttarardha) 14.1–32 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 9.34 wisdomlib.org
Told in: The Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha 3–4)

Parvati comes from Kanchi to the red hill

After covering Shiva's eyes and plunging the worlds into darkness, Parvati does penance at Kanchi on the Kampa river. When she has held her sand linga through Shiva's flood, Shiva tells her he will take a fiery form called Arunachala and sends her to the sage Gautama. Parvati, now called Kamakshi, goes to the hill. She finds sages and Siddhas attending the immobile linga but insists on first seeing Gautama, as Shiva instructed. Gautama's disciples receive her, and Gautama, returning, recognises her.

Read this account

This episode joins Tiruvannamalai to Kanchipuram: the Skanda Purana makes the goddess's penance at Kanchi the first stage of her journey to Arunachala.

Why she travels. In play, Parvati covers Shiva's three eyes and the worlds go dark for crores of human years. To atone she does penance at Kanchi, on the bank of the Kampa, beside a single mango tree. She makes a linga of sand and holds it through a flood that Shiva sends to test her.

The instruction. When the flood has passed, Shiva tells her that he will take a fiery form called Arunachala on the mountain, a place where sins are removed. He tells her to go to the sage Gautama and ask him about devotion, and promises to reveal his effulgent form to her there.

The journey. Parvati, now called Kamakshi, tells the Devas and sages to stay on the Kampa bank and sets out alone. At Arunachala she finds sages, Siddhas and rivers attending the immobile linga. The gods tell her to bow to it; the sages ask her to stay. She answers that she must first see Gautama, as Shiva directed.

At the hermitage. Gautama is away gathering materials for a sacrifice. His disciples receive her with honour, and the hermitage fills with jewelled mansions. Returning, Gautama sees through his insight who has come, recognises Gauri, and hurries back.

What follows. The Purana's next chapters are titled for her fight with Mahishasura, the demon's head sticking to her hand, her reunion with Shiva and the boons he grants her. Those chapters are not retold here yet.

Where this account comes from

  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 3.23–72 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 4.37–73 wisdomlib.org

In one minute

Why Annamalaiyar Temple matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. The temple is one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, where Shiva is worshipped as the element fire.

    Source for: The temple is one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, where Shiva is worshipped
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Incredible India, "Tiruvannamalai (destination page)" prod.incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  2. In the Skanda Purana the hill itself is Shiva: the column of fire that humbled Brahma and Vishnu became, at their request, the immovable linga Arunachala.

    Source for: In the Skanda Purana the hill itself is Shiva: the column of fire that humbled B
    • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 2.28–51 wisdomlib.org

  3. Pilgrims walk the roughly 14 km circuit of the Annamalai hill, many barefoot and especially on full-moon nights — a walk the Skanda Purana teaches must be made on foot.

    2 sources for: Pilgrims walk the roughly 14 km circuit of the Annamalai hill, many barefoot and
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Incredible India, "Tiruvannamalai (destination page)" prod.incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 9.34–43, 84 wisdomlib.org

  4. Tirujnanasambandar's Tevaram hymn 1.10 is addressed to the Lord of Annamalai with his consort Unnamulai, which places the temple among the Paadal Petra Sthalams sung by the Nayanars.

    Source for: Tirujnanasambandar's Tevaram hymn 1.10 is addressed to the Lord of Annamalai wit
    • Hymn: Tevaram, First Tirumurai 1.10 (Tiruvannamalai), Tirujnanasambandar; text and V. M. Subramanya Aiyar's English translation on thevaaram.org thevaaram.org · seen 2026-10-09

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Dravida

Incredible India notes four large gopurams and a building history spanning Pallava, Chola, Hoysala and Vijayanagara rule of the town, but names no style. The temple is taken to be Dravida in style, though no ASI or academic description confirming this has been found yet.

  • Gateway tower

    Four gopurams

    The four large gateway towers that Incredible India singles out, one on each side of the temple.

  • Detail

    Annamalai hill

    The hill at whose foot the temple stands — in the Skanda Purana, the linga itself in the form of a mountain.

    Where to stand: Anywhere along the circumambulation path around the hill.

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

We could not confirm the opening times from the temple’s own notice, so we are not printing any. Please check with the temple office or the devasthanam before you travel.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

We have not yet confirmed how much walking or climbing is involved, or whether there is wheelchair access. If you are travelling with elders, ask at the temple office or the devasthanam enquiry counter before you set out.

Getting there

  • By train: Tiruvannamalai railway station
  • By air: Chennai International Airport (MAA)
  • By road: Tiruvannamalai bus stand

Routes are general guidance and not yet checked against an official source.

PIN 606601 (not yet checked with India Post)

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

  • Karthigai Deepam

    Nov–Dec · Karthigai, Shukla paksha, Purnima

    Held on the full moon of the Tamil month Karthigai; Incredible India notes that it draws very large crowds to Tiruvannamalai.

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. The column of fire becomes the hill Arunachala

    The Skanda Purana's origin account. The Purana does not say in which yuga this happened.

    2 sources for: The column of fire becomes the hill Arunachala
    • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 1.23–72 wisdomlib.org
    • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 2.28–51 wisdomlib.org

  2. Parvati comes to Arunachala from Kanchi

    The goddess, sent by Shiva after her penance on the Kampa, comes to the hill and to Gautama's hermitage. No yuga is specified.

    Source for: Parvati comes to Arunachala from Kanchi
    • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 4.37–73 wisdomlib.org

In the historical record

  1. Tirujnanasambandar's hymn to Annamalai

    Hymn 1.10 of the Tevaram is addressed to the Lord of Annamalai with Unnamulai Umai. We give no date: no scholarly dating of the poet has been cited yet.

    Source for: Tirujnanasambandar's hymn to Annamalai
    • Hymn: Tevaram, First Tirumurai 1.10 (Tiruvannamalai), Tirujnanasambandar; text and V. M. Subramanya Aiyar's English translation on thevaaram.org thevaaram.org · seen 2026-10-09

Around here

Worth the detour

  • Place

    Sathanur Dam

    Named by Incredible India as about 20 km from Tiruvannamalai.

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Incredible India, "Tiruvannamalai (destination page)" prod.incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 2.28–51 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 9.34–43, 84 wisdomlib.org
  • Hymn: Tevaram, First Tirumurai 1.10 (Tiruvannamalai), Tirujnanasambandar; text and V. M. Subramanya Aiyar's English translation on thevaaram.org thevaaram.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 1.23–72 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 2.28–62 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Uttarardha) 10.1–29 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Uttarardha) 14.1–32 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 9.34 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 3.23–72 wisdomlib.org
  • Purana: Skanda Purana, Maheshvara Khanda, Arunachala Khanda (Purvardha) 4.37–73 wisdomlib.org

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Annamalaiyar Temple”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/annamalaiyar-thiruvannamalai (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence