Located just half mile away from the railway station, Arunachaleswarar Thirukoil at
Thiruvannamalai is one of the biggest temples in South India. This holy place is set against the beautiful background of a hill. Large mandapams, high rampart walls, broad quadrangles, spacious gateways, and fine tanks are the main features of the temple. There are four stately towers on all the four sides and four high stone walls just like the rampart walls of a fort. The highest among them is the
Rajagopuram, the eastern tower. Thirumanjangopuram is the southern tower, Peygopuram is the western tower and Ammaniamma Gopuram is the northern tower. Spread over an area of 25 acres of land, the east and west walls measure around 700 feet each. The length of the southern wall is 1479 feet and that of the northern wall is 1590 feet. The rajagopuram is 217 ft high, with its base measuring 135 ft by 98 ft. The 11 storeyed gopuram was built by King Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar and completed by Sevappa Nayaka of Thanjavur. Krishna Devaraya also constructed the Thousand Pillared Mandapam and dug the tank opposite to it. An ascetic Ammani Ammal built the North Gopuram, which is named after her.
Sculptural works abound in the towers, on the pillars in the mandapas and in the vimanas. The eastern gopuras sport beautifully carved figures in dance postures. Swarnabandana is of special importance here. The temple has seven prakaras. There are the sixteen-pillared mandapam and the four-pillared mandapam just before the eastern entrance. Gopura Ganapathi is also there.
Kambathilayanar Sannidhi and Gnanappai Mantapam are seen when we come to the fifth prakaram. It was here that Lord Muruga manifested himself on a pillar for the sake of the King Prabudadevaraya, as prayed for by saint Arunagirinathar in response to his famous song "Athalasadanarada."
Towards the south there is the sacred tank called Sivaganga Teertham. It has stone steps and Thirumalapathi Mandapam on all four sides.
The Adiyar Viduthi (devotees rest house) is located in the south-east corner of this fifth prakaram. Siddhi Vinayagar shrine is found in the north-west side of the sacred tank and towards its west is seen the Theerthawarimantapam. There is Mangalavinayagar Sannidhi in the fifth south prakaram and Thiruvarul Vilasa Mantapam just to the west of the southern tower. The Kothala Vinayagar shrine occupies the western prakaram. The northern prakaram is insignificant except for the big banyan tree which is considered sacred. Coming again to the eastern side of the fifth prakaram, we see the Mathapirappu Mantapam. A festival of Sri Chandrasekara Swami is celebrated here on the first day of the Tamil month. The Thousand Pillared Mantapam and the underground temple of Sri Pathala Linga where Ramana Maharishi's body was eaten by ants and in his state of Supreme Awareness are significant here. In between the Sivaganga tank and Thousand Pillared Mantapam there are the Rudrakshamantapam and the Big Nandi Mantapam.
Passing the tower gate of Vallala Maharaja Gopuram, one enters the fourth prakaram. To the left there are the Kala Bairava Shrine and the temple tank called Barhma Theertham with the Teerthavari Mantapam. To the right we see Puravi Mantapam and the Sakthi Vilasam in which religious discourses are held. To the north of Brahma Teertham we see the shrines of Neleswarar, Vigneswarar, Vidyadhareswara and Brahmalinga. Amavasya Mantapam, Vinayagar Shrine, Sthula-Sukshma temple, Tirupatha Koil, Karthigai Mantapam and Subramanya shrine are seen here.
Lord Arunagiri Siddha's centre in the temple is located near the west gate connecting the third and forth Prakarams, and it is a very good place for meditation. The separate temple for Unnamalai Nayaki or Abidhakujambal is situated in the north western portion of the third prakaram.
