Annamalaiyar Temple, Hindu temple in Tiruvannamalai district, India.
Annamalaiyar Temple is a Hindu temple at the foot of Arunachala hill in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. Its four gopurams include the 66-metre, 11-storey eastern tower, begun under Krishnadevaraya and finished under Sevappa Nayaka. Inside the 10-hectare walled complex, flat-roofed halls with red and white painted bases surround the thousand-pillared hall.
The present masonry dates to the 9th-century Chola reign, with inscriptions recording gifts of land and cows. The Hoysalas made the region their capital in 1328 CE. Vijayanagara patronage followed: 48 Sangama, two Saluva and 55 Tuluva inscriptions, and the east gopuram was begun under Krishnadevaraya and completed under Sevappa Nayaka (1532–80).
The name refers to Shiva as Annamalaiyar, lord of Mount Arunachala, which rises directly behind the temple. On festival days, the courtyards fill with devotees carrying offerings of coconuts and flowers, waiting in long lines to enter the inner sanctums.
Visitors should wear traditional Indian clothing and remove their shoes before entering, as this is a religious requirement. The months between October and March offer more comfortable weather, while summer months can become very hot.
This temple represents the fire element among the five sacred Pancha Bhoota Stalams, each dedicated to a natural element. During the annual Karthigai Deepam festival, a huge flame is lit atop Arunachala hill, visible for kilometers around.
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