Of the five South Indian Shiva temples associated with the five elements, this 12-hectare precinct is the shrine of earth. You enter beneath the 59m-high, unpainted south gopuram, whose lively carvings were chiselled in 1509 under Vijayanagar rule. Inside, a columned hall leads left into the central compound, which Nandi faces from the right. The inner sanctum (Hindus only) contains a lingam made of earth and a mirror chamber whose central Shiva image is reflected in endless repetition.
According to legend, the goddess Kamakshi (She Whose Eyes Awaken Desire; a form of Parvati, Shiva's consort) worshipped Shiva under a mango tree here. In a courtyard behind the inner sanctum you can see a mango tree said to be 2500 years old, with four branches representing the four Vedas (sacred Hindu texts).
Tamil Nadu is home to three more of South India's five elemental Shiva temples: Arunachaleshwar Temple in Tiruvannamalai (fire), Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram (space) and Sri Jambukeshwara Temple in Trichy (water). The fifth is Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple (air), in Andhra Pradesh.
