Pancha Bhoota Stalams
Temples of Tamilnadu
Temples of Andhra Pradesh
Abodes of Shiva

Groups of temples constitute pilgrimage clusters all over India. The Pancha Bhoota shrines dedicated to Shiva  constitute a set of five Saivite temples in South India held in reverence for centuries.  Indigenous belief holds life as a synthesis of the five basic elements (the pancha Bhootams) wind, water, fire, earth and space. Shiva is worshipped as the embodiment of each of the five elements   in the vast temples at Sri Kalahasti, Tiruvanaikkaval, Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram and Chidambaram. Each of these temples is rich in legend, history, sculptural wealth and festival traditions.

Sri Kalahasti near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh enshrining Kalahasteeswarar is referred to as the Vayustalam (denoting the element Wind).		Tiruvanaikkaval near Tiruchirappalli in Tamilnadu enshrining Jambukeswarar is referred to as the Aapastalam (denoting the element water).
The vast temple complex at Tiruvannamalai enshrines Arunachaleswarar or Annamalaiyaar and is referred to as the Agnistatlam.	The Ekamreswarar temple at Kanchipuram near Chennai is referred to as the Prithvistalam (denoting the element earth).	The Chidambaram temple complex enshrining Nataraja is referred to as the Aakasastalam (denoting the element space).