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Thiruvanaikaval
Name:	Thiruvanaikaval
Creator:	Kochenga Chola
Date built:	10th century AD
Primary deity:	Jamukeshwara(Shiva) and Akilandeswari (Parvati)
Architecture:	South Indian, Kovil
Location:	Trichi

Thiruvanaikal is a famous Shiva temple near Tiruchirapalli, India and adjacent to the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam. It was built by Kocengannan, also called Kochenga Chola, who was one of the Early_Cholas, around 1800 years ago. It is one of the five major Shiva temples (Panchabhoota Sthalams), representing five major elements - Fire, Earth, Water, Sky and Wind. The main deity, Jambukeswara representing the element Water, sits under a Jambu tree over a small stream that engulfs the deity during the rainy season. The other Panchabhoota Sthalams are located at Chidambaram(space), Kalahasti (wind), Tiruvannamalai (fire) and Kanchipuram (earth). The goddess Akilandeswari is one of the most famed forms of Parvati along with Meenakshi and Kamakshi. The massive outer wall - Vibudi Prakara, stretching over a mile, is said to have been built by Lord Shiva Himself, working with the laborers, in Tamil mythology. The temple is known as one of the hosts for the annual Natyanjali festival of the classical Indian dance.

The stone Vibudi Prakara (Compound Wall), which extends for over one mile, is two foot thick and over 25 feet in height.

According to Hindu mythology, there was a spider and an elephant, who were both extreme devotees of God, in spite of their being animals. The elephant used to clean the shiva deity and pray for him, while the spider tried to protect the deity from external damage. One day, the spider had built a very big web around the deity to protect it from dust and rust. The elephant, not knowing this, pours water on it and cleans it up. This causes a war between the two, and the spider punishes the elephant by entering its trunk and in the process kills itself. Both the animals die, and the spider takes birth as a great king, while the elephant reaches heaven for satisfying all its karma. The king continues his good work from the previous age and builds a variety of temples that seeks to protect the underlying deity with tons of stones. The greatest of his works include Tiruvanaikaval and Kilvelur Akshyalingaswamy temple. It is interesting to note that all his temples, keep the deity beyond the access of an elephant. In this temple, access to the deity is through a narrow passage in the side of the building that prevents an elephant from extending its trunk over the lord from any side.

The Sannathy of the goddess Akilandeshwari along with the Sannathy of Prasanna Vinayaka is in the shape of the Pranava manthra called "OM".It is believed that people who go round the sannathy which is in the shape of "OM", 12 times and for one full mandala(48 days), will get the blessings of the goddess Akilandeshwari and have a good, healthy and wealthy life.

• Thiruvanaikoil

v • d • e Famous Shiva temples
Kailash Mansarovar · Kashi · Kedarnath · Amarnath · Madurai · Rameswaram · Kanchipuram · Chidambaram · Thiruvannamalai · Kalahasti · Thiruvanaikaval · Thanjavur