The Legendary Arunachaleswara Temple at Tiruvannamalai.

The Temple is one among the 5 Pancha Bhoota Stalas (5 natural elements) & dedicated to the aspect of Agni (fire). While the Lingam itself is very ancient, the Temple structure was put in place by the Cholas & later expanded by the Vijayanagara rulers

Temple Complex

Seen below standing at a massive 216.5 feet is the Raja Gopuram of the Temple. The gopuram was commissioned by none other than Shri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara.

Rajagopuram

East Gopuram

The base of the massive Rajagopuram is made out of pure granite & measures at an astounding 135 x 98 ft.

Granite base

Carving of the royal emblem of the Vijayanagara empire inside the Rajagopuram. It depicts a Boar & a dagger.

Emblem of Vijayanagara

Goddess Gaja Lakshmi flanked on either sides by elephants carved onto the ceiling of the Raja Gopuram.

Gaja Lakshmi

The massive Nandi in front of the Rajagopuram. The Nandi is facing west direction.

Nandi Mantapam

View of the Temple complex from the east. Seen to the left is a gudi dedicated to Lord Subramanya, in the middle is the west gopuram & to its right is the massive mantapam constructed during the Vijayanagara era. In the background is the Arunachala hill.

Murugan,West Gopuram & 1000 pillar Mantapam. In the background is the Arunacha hills

The South Gopuram, also called Thirumanjangopuram at the Arunachaleshwara Temple. Also seen is the Pushkarani.

South Gopuram

The massive North Gopuram of the Arunachaleshwara Temple.

North Gopuram

The North & West Gopurams seen from the South. The main Garbagriha of Lord Arunachaleshwara lies beyond the west Gopuram.

West & North gopurams

The South & West Gopurams seen from the North. It is a literally a mirror image to the previous image. The geometrical precision is mindblowing.

South & West gopurams

I'll take you through on some of the notable carvings on the Gopurams. Seen here is a carving depicting Samudra Mantan. Asuras are seen to the right & Devas to the left. Vasuki the king of the Nagas is binded to Mount Mandara in order to churn the ocean in the quest for Amrutha(nectar of immortality)

Samudra Manthan

Carvings of different manifestations of Lord Shiva carved onto the base of the Gopuram 

1) Sadashiva 

2) Bhairava 

3) Lingodbhavamurthy 

4) Gajasurasamhara

Sadashiva

Bhairava

Lingodhbhava

Gajasurasamhara

More carvings from the Gopuram include that of 

1) Veerabhadra (also seen is Daksha) 

2) Nrithya Ganapathi 

3) Ugra Narasimha 

4) Bhakta Kannappa, also known as Kannappa Nayanar, one of the 63 Shaivaite saints.

Veerabhadra

Nrithya Ganapathi

Ugra Narasimha slaying Hiranyakashipu

Bhaktha Kannapa

The circular design pattern within which all the carvings are confined is said to be the tongue of a Makara. Its seen very clearly in this carvings which shows

1) Durga slaying Mahisasura
2) Lord Kartikeya with his consorts Goddesses Valli & Devasena

Durga & Murugan

This circular design starts on one end of the Gopuram threshold & runs along the walls onto the ceiling & ends on the opposite wall. Seen here is one more example. Seen here are the carvings of

1) Veerabhadra 

2) Kapaala Bhairava seated on Elephant 

3) Sharabeshwara 

4) Krodha Bhairava seated on Garuda(view obstructed by pipe)

Veerabhadra, Kapaala Bhairava,Sharabeshwara and Krodha Bhairava

The circular design that continuously runs along the ceiling. Seen in the center is a terrific face called Kirtimuka. Also seen next to it is a carving of Yoga Narasimha Also panel running parallel to the circular design depicts the Trimurtis with their consorts & other devas including Skanda.

Trimurthis & Skanda

Another manifestation of Lord Shiva known as Bhikshatanamurthy. Here he is depicted as a Bhikshuka(beggar). Shiva assumes this form to perform prayaschita for the paapa of having severed Lord Brahma's 5th head. He is feeding a deer with his right hand here.

Bhikshatanamurthy

Carving of Gaumata performing abhishekam to Shiva lingam with her milk.

Dakshinamurthi

Durga

Some of the carvings are fast fading away due to abuse in the name of maintainance. Seen here. 

1) Vinayaka 

2) Bhairava 

3) Ugra Narasimha 

4) Lakshmi Narayana

Vinayaka

Bhairava

Narasimha

Lakshmi Narayana

Within the confines of the massive 1000 pillar Mantapam seen on the left is a small underground Shiva gudi known as Patala Shiva. The great Ramana Maharshi meditated at this Gudi. The Vimana seen on the right is situated right above the Patala Shiva lingam.

1000 pillar mantapam

Patala Shiva Gudi

Seen here is the Kili Gopuram in the west direction. Kili in Tamil means parrot. It gets the name due to the fact that there is a carving of a large green parrot on the extreme top left corner of the Gopuram.

Kili Gopuram

Parrot

Seen here is the Vallala Gopuram. Vallala was none other than Veera Ballala III, inarguably the greatest Hoysala emperor. After the fall of Dwarasamudra (Halebidu), the capital city of the Hoysalas, Ballala deva reorganised his forced here at Tiruvannamalai.

Vallala Gopuram

Vallala Gopuram

Veera Ballala would later go on to lead the Hindu resistance against the vassals of the islamic barbarians of the delhi sultanate who had occupied Madurai. Just when his victory was around the corner, Ballala Deva was captured & killed in the most gruesome of manner.

Vallala Gopuram

From the ashes of Veera Ballala & Hoysala empire would be born the Vijayanagara empire. The empire under the commandership of Kumara Kampana would go on a reconquest to reclaim all of Dakshin Bharat from islamic barbarians. The city of Tiruvannamalai played a very important role in it. I've written about it in detail Here

Another Nandi, this time facing the Kili Gopuram to the west. In the background is the massive North Gopuram.

Nandi

Maha Sadashiva

A mindblowing & very rare depiction of a multi-headed manifestation of Lord Shiva known as Maha Sadashiva on the North Gopuram.

The ancient text, Manasara Shilpa shastra gives a detailed description of Maha Sadashiva.

प्रसन्नपचविंशकस्फुटाननं जटाधरं सुपञ्चसप्ततीक्षणं कपोलकुण्डलाङ्कितम् । 

शतार्धहस्तभूषितं पराभयान्वितं सितं मुजङ्गभूषणं परं भजे महासदाशिवम् ।।

Maha Sadashivamurti is depicted as having 25 heads and 50 arms. Maha Sadashivamurti is an expansive expression of Sadashiva who is depicted with 5 heads, each representing 5 aspects of Lord Shiva. Together these 5 aspects are known as Panchabrahmas.

Panchabrahmas are:

1)Ishana 

2)Tatpurusha 

3)Aghora 

4)Vamadeva 

5)Sadyojata 

While depicting Maha Sadashiva, each of these 5 Panchabrahmas are substituted with 5 heads each, making the total 25. The tattva behind Panchabrahma is extremely detailed & deserves a post of its own.

Coming back to the iconography of Maha Sadashiva, the Manasara Shilpashastra states that Maha Sadashivamurti should be represented with 25 faces, 75 eyes & 50 arms in total. The heads should be adorned with Jata Makuta(matted hair crown of Lord Shiva)

Maha Sadashiva's ears are adorned with the Kundalas. He is also shown with a number of Sarpalankara (snake ornaments). The hands are positioned in the Abhaya & Varadha positions. Notice how the 25 heads are arranged in tiers in form of an arithmetical progression.

The topmost tier has only 1 head, the next one below has 3, the next 5 and so on till the last tier which has 9 heads. Only those heads which are on the borders of this triangle of heads are adorned with the Jatamakutas.

Maha Sadashiva

Mahasadashiva

Another stunning deity from the North Gopuram. Front facing face that of Mahadeva, flanked to either sides by Varaha & Gajanana with Narasimha on the top. Trisula, Paasa & Shanka are clearly visible. Must be a manifestation of Shiva-Vishnu-Ganesha together.

The ardha mantapa & Vimana carvings of the Ganesha gudi. Seen are various devas including Shiva-Parvati, Lord Ganesha & few Nayanars( Shaivaite saints)

Ganesha Temple

Lord Maha Vishnu & Devi Mahalakshmi with Lord Murugan.

Life sized carving of Goddess Ganga. She is standing on top of her Vahana known as Makara.

Ganga

A wall inscription in old Tamil paying tributes.

Inscription

A miniature model of the entire Arunachaleshwara Temple complex.

And now I shall conclude. Have barely scratched the surface of this architectural marvel. A day or two or a month or perhaps even a lifetime isn't enough to explore, understand & appreciate this divine Temple. Thank you friends for reading patiently. 

 ॐ नमः शिवाय