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| All
Major Cities Tour Packages in TamilNadu |
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PANJA
BOOTHAM STHALAMS |
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The panchabootha
sthalas (‘pancha’ – meaning
5, ‘bootha’ – meaning elements
(earth, water, fire, wind and space) and ‘sthala’
meaning location).
They are Thiruvanaikaval(Water) ,Tiruvannamalai
(fire), Chidambaram (Space), Kanchipuram (Earth)
and Kalahasti (Air) respectively. |
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Jambukeswarar
Temple at Tiruvanaikka -
Water
This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva (Jambukeswara)
and Parvati (Akhilandeswari) is one of the foremost
Saivite shrines in Tamilnadu. Located in the Srirangam
island (near Tiruchirappalli) near one of the
holiest of Vaishnavite shrines Tiruvarangam, this
large temple celebrates Shiva as Jambukeswara,
an embodiment of the element water and is often
referred to as Appustalam . |
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Sri
Kalahasthi Temple at Srikalahasthi - Air
This ancient temple dedicated to Lord Siva is
one of the panchabhootha stalams (temples celebrating
Lord Siva as the embodiment of the primary elements),
air being the element
Sri Kalahasthi Temple is in fact considered as
the Kailash of the south or Dakshin Kailash. The
protector of devotees, the granter of boons, the
merciful Lord Siva, the Three-eyed, manifested
in the form of Vayu linga in the Bilwaka grove
on the banks of river Suvarnamukhi. Lord Siva,
manifest in the form of Vayu linga, is known to
the devotees as Sri Kalahastheeswara. |
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Ekambareswarar
Temple at Kanchipuram - Earth
This vast temple with high rising Gopurams dominates
the skyline of Kanchipuram the historic capital
of the Pallavas. Kanchipuram - a temple town is
considered to be the foremost among the seven prime
pilgrimage centers in India. Along with Mamallapuram
and Tirukkalunkunram, this town attracts the attention
of several tourists in Chennai. Shiva is the presiding
deity here, worshipped as Prithvi Lingam, symbolizing
earth - one of the five primordial elements. No
separate shrine for Parvati exists here. |
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Chidambaram
Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram -
Space
Chidambaram is one of the most ancient and most
celebrated of shrines in India. It is of great religious
as well as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram
is associated with Nataraja, or Shiva in his Ananda
Tandava pose (the Cosmic Dance of bliss) in the
cosmic golden hall and the hall of consciousness
(Chit Sabha). Shiva is also worshipped in the "formless
form" of the Chidambara Rahasyam, while the
temple is known for its Akasa Lingam, an embodiment
of Shiva as the formless Space. The word "Koyil"
or temple in the Tamil Saivite tradition refers
to none other than the Chidambaram Nataraja temple. |
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The
Annamalaiyar Temple at Tiruvannamalai - Fire
It is one of the Pancha (five) Bhutasthalas. Tiruvannamalai
is the Thejo sthalam - Fire.The Tiruvannamalai temple
owes its grandeur to four lofty towers - the eastern
one called Rajagopuram is the tallest and measures
217 feet, the western is called the Pey gopuram,
the southern - Tirumanjana gopuram and Northern
- Ammani Amma gopuram. It has five prakarams, and
the walls are broad and high, resembling the rampart
wall of a fort. In each of the prakara, there are
tanks and many mini shrines. |
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