ABOUT THIRUVANNAMALAI

Traditional stories tell us that there was an unsettled dispute between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma as to who was superior. They sought the help of Lord Siva to judge who was really superior; Lord Siva grew into a long flaming light stretching between earth and heaClick ...!ven, and asked them to find root and crown.Lord Vishnu took the form of pig and kept digging down to reach Siva's foot; Siva was really pleased with the humility of Vishnu and took him his heart.

The Saiva cult is a world phenomenon. Thiruvannamalai is the capital of Saivism. The South Indian deity Siva is the God of all countries. Annamalaiannal is the most sacred of the names of the manifestation of Lord Siva.

Saint poets Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar, Sundarar and so on have visited Thiruvannamalai, prayed to the Lord and have composed divine poems. Saint Manickavasagar had lived at Thiruvannamalai for long period and had composed "Thiruvempavai - 20" and "Thiruvammanai". Even today there is a temple for Saint Manickavasagar on the Girivalam path at Adi-Annamalai.