Construction of new Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Girivalam Roadway

Groundbreaking and Bhumi Puja for Temple Construction took place at the end of April 2021 for the new Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple that is being constructed at the foot of Arunachala. 

The new Temple will be located on the right side of Girivalam Roadway near the junction with Kanji Road.

 

New Temple at junction of girivalam roadway and Kanji Road

Ashram on the right side of the Temple land

 

Arunachaleswarar Temple You Tube Videos

To those who want to keep in touch with the Big Temple at Tiruvannamalai (Arunachalewarar Temple), there is now an official You Tube Channel with current videos of various functions at the Temple. Yesterday there was a long live streaming video of Vasantha Urchavam.

The below short video is of aarti on the 8th Day of Vasantha Urchavam.

The 2015 Arunachala Karthigai Deepam Cauldron

Early morning on the 8th day of the 2015 Karthigai Deepam Festival, puja was performed to the cauldron before it started its long journey to the top of the Hill. Lovely Rukku, our Elephant was on hand to lend her own regal blessings to proceedings. As is traditionally the case the Cauldron was taken up the Hill by locals of the Fishing Caste. 

The Cauldron after cleaning and painting

Lovely Rukku, adding her own substantial Blessings to the proceedings

After Puja, the long journey starts to the top of Arunachala

Leaving the Temple at the Pey Gopuram Gate (West Gate)

The men of the Fishing Caste on their way to the top of the Hill

Their long haul upward

The Wick for the Cauldron, at the Temple waiting to be transported up the Hilll

Just a small part of the ghee that will be used in the Cauldron over the Festival

Some devotees choose to purchase ghee directly from a Temple Shop

Lingodbhavamurti Abhishekam 2014

Below are photographs of the 2014 Lingodbhavamurti Abhishekam performed at Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

The manifestation of Shiva in a column of fire with Lord Brahma manifesting as a swan at the top of the Lingodbhava and Lord Vishnu manifesting as a swine at the base of the Lingodbhava, is carved in stone and always enshrined in the rear niche of the sanctum sanctorum in Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Since most Temples face east, the Lingodbhava faces West.

Lingodbhavamurti, Arunachaleswarar Temple

The non-anthropomorphic form of the Shiva Lingam is a representation of an infinite cosmic column of fire, whose origins were not traceable by either Lord Brahma or Lord Vishnu. The Shiva Lingam is the centre of reverence and worship in all Saivite temples.

The bathing of the Lingodbhavamurti with tumeric

The puja celebrating the legend of the Lingodbhavamurti is particularly relevant on the day of Mahashivaratri as it represents the worship of sacred Arunachala itself, which is considered to be the manifestation of this cosmic column of fire as it represents the primordial element of fire as one of the Pancha Bhuta Stalas. 

Bathing of the Lingodbhavamurti with milk

On the night of Mahashivaratri around 8.30 p.m. I circumambulated the Shiva Sannidhi and noticed a large crowd assembled in front of the Lingodbhavamurti that would patiently wait until midnight and start of abhishekam. But really not such a difficult wait, as one isn’t often offered the opportunity to sit undisturbed for hours behind the Sannidhi next to the Lingodbhava. 

Lord Vishnu in form of Boar at base of Lingodbhava

Aarti at 2014 Mahashivaratri Lingodbhavamurti Abhishekam

The day of this Mahashivaratri abshikeham is also significant in that it is the only day in the year that the Ketaki flower (Pinescrew) is allowed to be used in the worship of Lord Shiva. To read the reason for this go to an earlier posting at this link here. 

Ketaki Flower (white celery looking flower) top of Lingodbhava

Annabhishekam at Arunachaleswarar Temple

Annabhishekam is held only once a year on the Full Moon day in the seventh month of the Tamil year i.e. Aippasi (October/November). This year Annabhishekam was performed during the full moon which fell on October 29th, 2012. 

Annabhishekam which is performed at Shiva Temples, is connected to the rice harvesting time. It is performed at the time of the Full Moon as it is considered to have the enegies of bounty, abundance and expansion. This festival gives an opportunity to people, who believe that God is the creator of food and life, to show gratitude for the bounty they have received. 

The following photographs of the recently performed annabhishekam at Arunachaleswarar Temple were taken of the annabhishekam performed upon the Shiva Lingam at the Kalyana Sundareswarar Sannathi. This Sannathi is located opposite the Periyar Nandi Statue and stands at the southern side of the broad flight of stone stairs leading up to the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram. 

Poornima Prathosam, June 2012

The below sequence of photographs celebrating Poornima Prathosam were taken at Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

Right click on all photographs to view enlargement.