The Ekambareswarar Temple is one of the most significant religious structures in the world. Kanchipuram is a well-known temple in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nearly 70 kilometers separate Kanchipuram from Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s capital. One of the names for this Shiva temple is the Ekambareswarar temple.
South India is home to several ancient temples that date back thousands of years. Thousands of worshippers worldwide go to South India each year to pay their respects at this one-of-a-kind temple that serves as an excellent example of Indian art.
Where Can I Find the Ekambareswarar Temple?
The gopuram, the temple’s tower, is 59 meters high, and the grounds are 23 acres in size. Vahana mandapam is one of them, while sarabesa mandapam is the other. Aayiram kaal mandapam is a madapam with a thousand pillars. A Vishnu temple, revered by Alvar saints, is one of the 108 Divya Desams. Nilathingal Thundam Perumal Temple is where rituals are performed in honor of Lord Vishu under the guise of Vamana.
Read also:
History of Ekambareswarar Temple
Extending over more than 23 acres, the temple is massive (93,000m2). The temples are a whopping 59 meters in height. The temple’s entry tower, called a Raja gopuram, is among the highest in South India. The Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, or “hallway with a thousand pillars”, was added to the temple by the Vijayanagar Kings and is one of the temple’s most distinctive features. 1,008 Siva lingams are adorning the inside walls of the temple.
The campus spans 25 acres, including five prakarams (or courtyards), and is home to a hall with a thousand pillars. A sacred river is said to flow underneath Kampai Tirtha, the temple tank. A pond and a little temple dedicated to Ganesha may be found in the courtyard’s fourth section. You’ll find several smaller shrines in the third courtyard. The lingam and Shiva’s pictures are kept in the holiest of holies.
Unlike the other Shiva temples in Kanchipuram, this one does not have a dedicated shrine for Parvati. Ekambaranathar is said to have a paramour in the form of the Kamakshi Amman Temple, according to popular belief. Within the temple grounds is a little Vishnu shrine called Thiru Nilaaththingal Thundathan. The Alvar saints revere this temple as one of the 108 Divya Desams and worship Vishnu as Vamana Murthy. The Sthala-Virutcham, or temple tree, is an ancient mango tree estimated to be 3,500 years old. Its four trunks are supposed to produce four distinct varieties of mango.
The Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram: How to Get There?
By Airport:
The closest international airport to Kanchipuram is Chennai, which is around 75 kilometers away. The airport can accommodate both public and private transportation options.
By Railways:
Kanchipuram also has rail connections to the rest of the rail network in the south, albeit only a select few trains stop there. You may get a suburban train from Kanchipuram to the seashore in Chennai at regular intervals.
By Road:
By road, Kanchipuram is close to the Quadrilateral National Highway, making it easy to reach from anywhere in the country. You may catch one of the many buses from Chennai that arrive every hour or two. The Chennai Metropolitan and the State Express Transport run these services.
A Perfect Time To Visit The Ekambareswarar Temple Is:
Every month of the year brings a new festival to the temple grounds, bringing a flurry of activity. The Phalguni Event lasts 13 days and is the most revered Shiva or Ekambareswar temple festival. During this occasion, the union of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated.
Pooja Timings of Ekambareswarar Temple:
|
Pooja |
Timings |
|
Koo Pooja |
6:00 am |
|
Ukshakala Pooja |
6:30 am to 7:30 am |
|
Kala Santhi Pooja |
7:30 am to 8:30 am |
|
Uchikala Pooja |
11:30 am to 12:00 pm |
|
Paradhosa Kaalam |
5:00 pm to 5:30 pm |
|
Sayaratchai Pooja |
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm |
|
Arthajama Pooja |
8:30 pm |
Tourism Options Close To The Ekambareswarar Temple:
The nearby Kailasanatha Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Ulhananda Perumal, and many more are all well-known tourist destinations. Located 80 kilometers from the temple, the bird sanctuary is a haven for eco-tourists.
Cormorants, egrets, grey herons, night herons, open-billed storks, darters, ibises, spoonbills, grebes, pelicans, garganey teals, shovellers, pintails, stilts, sandpipers, and many more may be seen from the sanctuary’s lookout tower.
Read Also: 8 Most Famous Destinations to See in Kanchipuram
Relevance of the Shiva Temple at Kanchipuram
Each of the five Shiva temples in Pancha Bhoota Stalam is dedicated to one of the five elements of nature (Earth, sea, sky, and fire). Five is represented by the word Pancha, three by bhoota, and one by stala (which means “place”). Located in the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, are these five religious sites. Each of the five lingams in the Shiva temple has a separate name corresponding to one of the five elements believed to be kept there.
Legend has it that Shiva appeared as the Prithvi Lingam within the temple. The Appu Lingam at the Jambukeswarar Temple in Thiruvanaikaval represents water, the Akaya Lingam at the Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram represents the sky, Agni Lingam at the Annamalaiyar Temple represents fire, and the Vayu Lingam at the Srikalahasti Temple represents air.
Conclusion
The Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India, is a well-known Hindu shrine devoted to the god Shiva.
You can also find information about Indian temples here:
- Dilwara Jain Temples, Mount Abu: Things to Do, Best Time to Visit, How to Reach
- Sri Krishna Matha Temple In Udupi: Timings, Poojas, History and How to Reach
- Top 10 Popular Shiva Temples of Uttarakhand
- 7 Famous Temples In Kanyakumari You Must Visit Soon
- Top 20 Popular Hindu Temples Outside India
- 12 ISKCON Temples in India And How To Get There
- A Complete Travel Guide to the Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
- A Detailed Travel Guide – Kashi Vishwanath Temple In Varanasi
