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Sree Kalahasteeswarar Temple
Sree
Kalahasteeswarar Temple at Sri Kalahasti near Tirupati
(Pancha Bhoota Stalam, Paadal Petra Stalam)
Deities: Shiva (Kalahasteeswara), Parvati (Gnana
Prasoonambika)
Significance: This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva is
one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams (temples celebrating Shiva as
the embodiment of the primary elements), air being the element
in case here, the other five temples being Tiruvannamalai
(Fire), Chidambaram (Space),Tiruvanaikkaval (Water) and
Kanchipuram (Earth) respectively. It is located near the
pilgrimage town of Tirupati and is visited by thousands of
pilgrims. This temple is also associated with Rahu and Ketu,
(of the nine grahams or celestial bodies in the Indian
astrological scheme).
Antiquity: This temple has been referred to in
pre-Christian Tamil literature. The Tamil Saivite saints have
visited this temple and sung its fame. The adjoining hill
Dakshina Kailasam has many a fine Pallava carving. The Tamil
Cholas and the Vijayanagara Rulers have made several
endowments to this temple. Adi Sankara is said to have visited
this temple and offered worship here. There are Chola
inscriptions in this temple which date back to the 10th
century AD. The Telugu poem 'Sri Kalahasti Satakam' explains
the traditions associated with this temple.Muthuswamy
Deekshitar, one of the foremost composers in the Karnatic
Music Tradition has sung the glory of this temple in his kriti
'Sree Kaalahasteesa'.
Architecture: The vast Kalahastiswara temple is built
adjoining a hill, and on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi.
At some points, the hill serves as the wall of the temple. The
temple prakarams follow the contour of the adjoining hill and
hence the temple plan is rather irregular. Krishnadevaraya
built a huge gopuram, a few feet away from the entrance to the
temple. The entrance to the temple is crowned with a smaller
tower. There is an underground Ganapati shrine in the outer
prakaram, while in the innermost prakaram are the shrines of
Shiva and Parvati.
Legends associated with this temple: The legend here is
similar to that of the Jambukeswara temple at Tiruvanaikka.
Shiva is said to have given salvation to a spider, elephant
and a serpent who were ardent devotees of the Shiva Lingam
located here. The spider is said to have attained salvation in
Kritayuga (the first of the four yugas in the Hindu
tradition), while the elephant and the snake were devotees in
Treta Yugam, the succeeding aeon. The elephant's devotional
outpouring was a source of disturbance to the serpent's
display of devotion and vice versa, resulting in animosity
between the two, until Shiva's intervention gave both the
devotees their liberation. Kannappa Nayanaar, a tribal is said
to have been a great devotee of Kalahasteeswarar. Legend has
it that he offered his own eyes to the Shivalingam, and for
this reason earned the name Kannappan (his original name being
Thinnan), and the distinction of having his statue adorn the
sanctum.
Festivals: Maha Shivaratri which occurs in the Tamil
month of Maasi (Feb 15 through March 15) is one of the
greatest festival seasons here, and the celebrations are
marked by processions of the deities. The fifth day of the
festival in the month of Maasi coincides with the Maha
Shivaratri.
Access and Accomodation: Tirupati (30km) is the nearest
airport and is perhaps the most convenient base for visiting
Kalahasti as it (Tirupati) is endowed with several modern
lodging facilities. A one day trip from Chennai is also
possible, as Kalahasti is well connected by road with Tirupati
and with Chennai and is only a four to five hour drive from
Chennai. If well planned, Tirupati, Tirumala and Kalahasti can
be covered in a day's trip from Chennai by car.
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