Second Prakaram

Saint Sivaprakasa Swamigal in his Thiruveedhi Ula has called Arunachaleswarar Temple a poem wrought by seers. This great Arunachaleswarar Temple is spread over 25 acres and has like all other Temples, garbagrihas, maha mandapams, prakarams, Gopurams and sacred tanks.

The Siva Temple is the outcome of a millennium of building and extension. The original enclosure containing the main shrine was enlarged eastwards, and gained the name of "second enclosure". What is now known, as the "first enclosure" is in fact the platform around the shrine. This is a theoretical enclosure for ritual purpose, the enclosure being considered as the inner circle of Siva's Divine Court, where the sub-shrine of Chandikeshvara (one who maintains accounts), receives the leftovers from Siva's puja, is located.

The second enclosure, originally without a roof but covered in the nineteenth century, is entered through a gateway know as the Rishi Gopura. It is believed that the entrance used to be on the southern side, but the Nattukottai Chettiars (renowned religious philanthropists) raised a wall of the prakaram and covered it with stone roofing and shifted the entrance from the southern side to the eastern side in line with other entrances. Around the perimeter of this prakaram there are several details, either free-standing or in small shrines.

Entering the second prakaram one crosses a threshold with two large doors, on other side of which are two large bells which are rung during the time of arati. Walking around this prakaram are a large number of idols. Some of these Shrine and images are not original - for rich Temples frequently undergo renovations. Thus the original tenth-century "Seven Mothers" have been replaced by more modern representations; and Jyeshtha, the Goddess of misfortune, also an ancient statue, now stands near a shop in the town of Tiruvannamalai, ousted from the Temple in favour of Gajalakshmi, as has happened in many other Temples in Tamil Nadu.

The statues currently in the second prakaram of Arunachaleswarar Temple include; Asta Lingas (similar to those on the girivalam roadway), the four great Nalwars: Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manikkavacakar, the four sons of Brahma, the 63 Nayanars (Saivite saints), an idol of Ayappan and the Sthala Vinayagar which was erected by Sembiyan Mahadevi the Queen of Kandaraitha Chola and dates from the 10th Century. Before functions and Festivals celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple, puja is first done to this aspect of Lord Ganesha.

Next to the Sthala Vinayagar at the back of the prakaram, are the Periyaudar Uttsavars, Ardhanarishvara, Venugopal Shrine, Lingams, Gajalakshmi and Lord Murugan with Valli. There is an interesting story attached to the Venugopal Shrine. It seems the statues of Krishna and His two wives was originally in a small Vaisnava Village of Agraharam near Samudram Eri located some two miles south of Arunachaleswarar Temple. Legend has it that the people of Agraharam, during certain festivals, carried the Utsava Moorthies from their village Shrine to Tirukoilur (a Vaisnava centre with a large Vishnu temple), about 20 miles away.

The Vaisnava inhabitants of Agraharam were very devoted to their Vaisnava God and whenever Saiva idols from Arunachaleswarar Temple passed during circumambulation of Arunachala, the incensed Vaisnava villagers would attack the procession. Repeated complaints of this disturbance were made to the King (probably Kulottunga I). It is said that the King himself visited the area to satisfy himself of the complaint.

Once satisfied of the situation, the King ordered that during a particular festival all the villagers should go in procession to Tirukoilur. When they had gone, he had the images of Venugopal and his Devis removed from the Village Shrine, brought to Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereupon installed at the back of the Siva Sannidhi.

On the Northern verandah are the Utsava-Murthis of the 63 Saiva saints, a shrine of Bhairava (aspect of Siva) and the Vaikunta Vail.