| Description:Sree
Kalahasti is one of the most revered Saivite shrines just outside Tamilnadu, near Tirupati. It is considered to be
a Navagrahastalam where Rahu & Ketu worshipped Shiva. and a Vayu Kshetram (Wind) one
of the Panchabhoota Stalams signifying
the 5 elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai),
earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram).
This is the 19th of the 32 Tevara Stalams in the Tondai region of
South India. The Temple: This is a vast
temple adjoining a hill on the banks of Swarnamukhi. Sambandar composed hymns in honor of
Kailasam, Gowrikundam & Sreesailam from here. Muthuswamy Deekshitars Kriti Sree
Kaalahasteesa celebrates this shrine. The Gopurams and mandapams that adorn this vast
temple are contributions of the Cholas & the Vijayanagar Empire who patronized this
temple The inner precincts of the temple are very similar in construct to the other 4 Panchabhoota Temples in Tamilnadu.
Legends: Shiva here was worshipped by a spider,snake & elephant as
in Tiruvanaikkaval. Kannappa Nayanar a hunter is also associated with Kudumidevar-Shiva
atop the adjacent hill. It is believed that the 3 Saints Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar,
worshipped the Shivalingam on the hill.
Please visit a special Templenet feature on Sree Kalahasti
for more information. |
