5 Elemental Temples Of India (Panch Bhoota Sthalam)
By: Deepansh Palawat
Tags: Mindfulness, Water, Earth, Fire, India

Pancha Bhoota or Pancha Maha-Bhoota, five elements out of which this whole creation came into existence. These elements are Prithvi (Earth), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Air), Akasha/Ether (Space). Each element has a different characteristic and it accounts for a very different faculty of human experience. According to Ayurveda, the human body is made up of these five elements.

Pancha Bhoota Sthalam (Pancha indicates “five,” Bhoota means “Elements,” and Sthala means “Place”) refers to the five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is worshipped for many reasons all over India. However, in South India, He is worshipped as the presiding deity of the five elements of Nature, and also called as Bhootapati or Bhootnath.

Na | Ma | Shi | Va | Ya — these five syllables indicate the five elements (known as Bhoota in Sanskrit).

The five Shiva temples, each of which represents one of the five elements of Nature. All of these temples are located in the Southern part of India and each temple has a unique story to tell with a distinct spiritual essence. Here is a small attempt to take you on an imaginary tour of the five temples, till you get the opportunity to visit them life-size.

1 — Ekambareswarar Temple (Element — Earth) (Kanchipuram, Tamil nadu)

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In the Ekambareshwarar temple, Lord Shiva is represented by a Lingam made out of sand to depict the Earth element. This is also known as Prithvi Lingam. Ekambareshwarar means Lord of the Mango Tree.

Attractions of the temple -

It houses 1008 Shiva lingam idols and, believed to be built by Raja Krishna Deva Raya.

There is a mango tree inside the temple that is said to be more than 3500 years old.

It has one of the tallest Gopurams (monumental ornate gateway tower) in South India, at 190 feet.

Having been in existence since at least 600 AD, the Ekambareshwarar temple is one of the most ancient temples in India.

The temple is the tenth-largest temple in India, spread over 23 acres.

2 — Jambukeswarar Temple — (Element — Water) (Thiruvanaikaval, Trichy, Tamil Nadu)

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The Jambukeshwarar Temple in Trichy depicts the water element. Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of Appu Lingam (a water Lingam). Jambukeswaram, a place filled with Jambu trees (rose apple) — this is another name for Tiruvanaikkaval. In the shrine of the temple, a stream of water flows under the Lingam. This engulfs the Lingam with water, embodying the water element.

Attractions of the temple -

It is said that the stream of water below the Appu Lingam never dries up.

It is the thirteenth-largest temple in India, spread over 18 acres.

The temple idols are installed opposite to each other — Such temples are known as Upadesa Sthalams.

Temple was built by Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola), one of the early Cholas, around 1,800 years ago.

3 — Arunachalesvara Temple (Element — Fire) (Annamalai Hills, Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu)

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The Arunachaleswarar Temple depicts the Fire element bestowed by Shiva and is represented by the Agni Lingam. The Arunachaleshwarar Temple is one of the most visited and revered pilgrim centres in India. The Agni Lingam explains the mythics of life — duty, virtue, self-sacrifice and finally liberation by and through ascetic life at the end of Agni Kalpa. The Arunachaleswarar deity is said to bless seekers with the light of knowledge, a cleansing of karmic impressions, and positive energy.

Attractions of the Temple -

Every full moon, thousands of pilgrims perform the Girivalam, which is a form of worship done by the circumambulation of the Arunachala hill. This is a 14-km long walk. The legend is that this walk washes away sins, fulfils desires, and gives one freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

The temple has four Gopurams, one on each side. The highest of these is called Rajagopuram, which is 217 feet in height and is the third-largest in India.

On the entrance of the temple, there is a 1000 pillar hall. These pillars are carved with scriptures of the naik period and with some divine images.

4 — Srikalahasti Temple (Element — Air) (Srikalahasti, Andra Pradesh)

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Located on the banks of the Swarnamukhi River, the Kalahastheeshwara Temple depicts the Air element. Lord Shiva is worshipped at this temple in the form of Vayu Lingam, representing the wind. There is a lamp inside the inner sanctum that is constantly flickering despite the presence of air inside. The Vayu Lingam can be observed to move even when the priests close off the entrance to the main deity room, which does not have any windows. The Lingam is white and is considered Swayambhu, or self-manifested.

Attractions of the Temple -

The temple is famous for its Rahu-Kethu poojas. It is believed that the ill-effects of manifestation due to the positioning and movements of the planets Rahu and Kethu can be warded off when this particular Pooja is performed with utmost devotion.

It is said that the priests never touch the Vayu Lingam of the Kalahastheeshwara temple with their hands.

At this place, Lord Shiva is believed to have given liberation to an elephant, serpent and spider who were great devotees of Lord Shiva lingam located at this place.

5 — Thillai Nataraja Temple (Element — Akash/Ether) (Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu)

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The Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram worships the Ether (Sky) element, the subtlest of the five elements. Lord Shiva is worshipped here in his formless form in the Thillai Nataraja Temple. The word Chidambaram may be derived from chit, meaning “consciousness”, and ambaram, meaning “sky” (from aakasam or aakayam); it refers to the chidaakasam, the sky of consciousness, which is the ultimate aim one should attain according to all the Vedas and scriptures.

Attractions of the Temple -

Shiva is represented by an anthropomorphic idol rather than the Lingam. The temple also worships Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam made out of crystal and in his formless form (represented by an empty room).

The gold-roofed stage is the sanctum sanctorum of the Chidambaram temple and houses the Lord in three forms -

1) — The “form” — the anthromorphological form as an appearance of Lord Nataraja, called the Sakala thirumeni.

2) — The “semi-form” — the semi-anthropomorphological form as the Crystal linga of Chandramouleswarar, the Sakala niskala thirumeni.

3) — The “formless” — as the Space in Chidambara Rahasyam, an empty space within the sanctum sanctorum, the Nishkala thirumeni.