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Ekambareswarar Temple

Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Lord Shiva
More in Tamil Nadu

Type

Hindu Temple

Deity

Lord Shiva

Pincode

631502

The 'Prithvi' (earth) Pancha Bhoota Sthalam, dedicated to Lord Shiva as Ekambareswarar, in the temple town of Kanchipuram. Its 58-metre gopuram is among the tallest in Tamil Nadu, and its ancient mango tree — said to be over 3,500 years old — is revered as the spot where Parvati is believed to have worshipped Shiva.

History & Significance

Significance

Ekambareswarar Temple at Kanchipuram is the Prithvi (Earth) Pancha Bhoota Sthalam — one of the five ancient Shiva temples representing the five elements. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Ekambareswarar (the Lord of the Mango Tree). The 3,500-year-old mango tree within the complex, said to have four branches representing the four Vedas, is one of the most ancient trees in Tamil Nadu.

History

Kanchipuram, one of the seven moksha-puri (cities of liberation) in Hinduism, has been a major religious and intellectual centre for over 2,000 years. The Pallava kings built the earliest portions of this temple. The massive 59-metre gopuram and the 1,000-pillared hall were built during the Vijayanagara period (16th century CE). The Chola, Pandya, and Nayak dynasties all made significant contributions.

Goddess Parvati is said to have worshipped Lord Shiva under the mango tree at this spot, moulding a lingam from earth (prithvi). Shiva tested her devotion by flooding the Kampa river, threatening to drown the lingam. Parvati embraced the lingam and was swept away with it. Pleased by her devotion, Shiva stopped the flood and accepted the earth lingam as his permanent form here.

Architecture

The temple complex covers 23 acres — the second largest in Tamil Nadu after Srirangam. The main gopuram is 59 metres tall with 11 tiers. The 1,000-pillared hall (Aiyanar Mandapam) contains extraordinary Vijayanagara-period stone carvings. The sacred mango tree (said to be 3,500 years old) stands in an inner courtyard and is worshipped as a divine presence. Its four branches are associated with the four Vedas.

Plan Your Circuit

Nearby Temples

Closest temples by distance — worth combining into the same trip.

Meenakshi

One of the three most sacred Shakti Peethas in South India (Kanchipuram, Madurai, Varanasi), dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi — Parvati in her benevolent form. Adi Shankaracharya installed the Sri Chakra here and is said to have attained liberation in this temple.

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Photo: Wikipedia article "Tiruttani Murugan Temple" — CC-licensed via Wikimedia Commons

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