Arunachaleswara Temple

Continues from Arunachaleswara Calls

My first morning at Thiruvannamalai started with a little surprise for me. For a person like me, the wake up calls at 4 am always brings forth headaches. I preferred the morning hours for nothing other than sleep. However, when I woke up at 4 am without any wake up calls; I was as fresh as if waking up from a deep sleep.

When the morning shower refreshed my body, Priya’s melodious Bhajans gave a new freshness to my mind.  We were out of the Ashram gates in the early morning hours to pay our first visit to Arunachaleswara temple. The morning wind revived our spirits as we travelled to the temple located just 5 kilometres away from the Remanashramam.

I was spell bound as I reached the eastern Gopuram (fort) of Arunachaleswara temple.  Built in the 9th and the 10th centuries by the Chola Kings, the temple’s entrance itself claimed the unique experience that’s waiting inside.  

The temple was still not opened as we entered it. We waited outside the main shrine. Soon we heard the tinkling of bells from the shores of temple pond. The divine cow was entering with full adornments to wake up Lord Shiva. People clustered near the gates that were ready to open. The cow came and stood facing the door, as if in a prayer. As told by someone who stood next to us, we bought little grass from a lady and fed the holy cow.¹

 

The morning wind gushed past us as we entered the temple. We waited in the special queue for the Darshan. As we got out from the shrine, there began the music for the divine marriage. They were singing for the wedding of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi.  It was a special treat for me, who was betrothed at that time.

The sun rays were getting hot as we passed the abandoned 1000 pillared hall of the temple. The doves have started taking rest under the majestic shade of the Gopuras. As I passed Nandikeshwara, I just paused for a moment to marvel his divine bliss. Nandikeshwara is destined to have eternal devotion to Lord Shiva and completely amalgamates with his Lord in devotion. What else should one need than the oneness with the God?

1. We are still not sure whether they have fooled us with the then invented custom.

Continues in The Divine Aum