Erumbeeswarar Temple in
Thiruverumbur
Thiruverumbur (also spelt as Tiruverambur) is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirapalli (Trichy or Tiruchi) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was merged with the Tiruchirappalli Corporation in 2011.
Demographics
India census, Thiruver ...
, Tamil Nadu, India, is a
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hi ...
dedicated to the deity
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hin ...
. Built on a tall hill, it is accessible via a flight of steps. The temple's main shrines and its two ''
prakaram
A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. As ...
s'' (outer courtyards) are on top of the hill, while a hall and the
temple tank
Temple tanks are wells or reservoirs built as part of the temple complex near Indian temples. They are called pushkarini, kalyani, kunda, sarovara, tirtha, talab, pukhuri, ambalakkuḷam, etc. in different languages and regions of India. Some ...
are located at the foothills. Shiva is believed to have transformed himself into an ant hill and tilted his head at this place to enable ants to climb up and worship him. Erumbeeswarar is revered in the canonical 7th-century Tamil Saiva work the ''
Tevaram
The ''Thevaram'' ( ta, தேவாரம், ), also spelled ''Tevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Śaiva narrative of epic and puranic heroes, as well as a hagiographic account of early ...
'', written by Tamil saint poets known as
nayanmars
The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; ta, நாயன்மார், translit=Nāyaṉmār, translit-std=ISO, lit=hounds of Siva, and later 'teachers of Shiva ) were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were ...
and classified as ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam
The Paadal Petra Sthalam, also known as Thevara Sthalam, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Saiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE and are amongst the greatest Shiva temples of the continent. The Divya Desams by comparison ar ...
''.
The temple is one in a series built by
Aditya Chola (871-907 CE) along the banks of river
Cauvery
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dist ...
, to commemorate his victory in the Tirupurambiyam Battle. It has several inscriptions from the
Chola Empire
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
dating back to the 10th century.
The temple has been declared a protected monument by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
and is locally referred as "Kailash of South India".
The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 am to 8:00 pm, and three yearly festivals in its calendar. The annual ''
Brahmotsavam
Sri Venkateswara Swami vari Brahmotsavam or Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most significant annual fête celebrated at the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The feast lasts for one month during the ...
'' (prime festival) is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.
Every full moon, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Erumbeeswarar by circumambulating the hill barefoot in a practise called ''girivalam''. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Etymology

According to Hindu legend, there lived a demon (''
asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
'') Tharukasuran, who conquered ''
Prithvi
Prithvi or Prithvi Mata (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, ', also पृथिवी, ', "the Vast One") is the Sanskrit name for the earth, as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. In the Vedas, her conso ...
'' (earth) and ''
Svarga
Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to ...
'' (heaven).
Indra, the leader of celestial deities and other
gods
A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers great ...
suffered at the hands of Tharukasuran and sought the help of the creator-god
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
, who asked them to worship
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hin ...
in
Thiruverumbur
Thiruverumbur (also spelt as Tiruverambur) is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirapalli (Trichy or Tiruchi) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was merged with the Tiruchirappalli Corporation in 2011.
Demographics
India census, Thiruver ...
. In order to deceive Tharukasuran, the devas transformed into ants and reached the temple. Since the surface of the
lingam
A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotion ...
(aniconic form of Shiva) was slippery, the ants found it difficult to climb up and worship. Shiva transformed himself into an ant hill and slid his head, which enabled the ants to climb and worship. Hence the name ''Erumbeeswarar'' is derived from ''Erumbu'' meaning ant and ''Easwaran'' referring to Shiva. This is one of the three places where Shiva slid his head for his worshippers, the other two being the temples at Virinjipuram and
Thiruppanandal
Thiruppanandal is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Demographics Population
India census, Thiruppanandal had a population of 10,376. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Thiruppa ...
. The temple is also referred as Rathinakoodam, Thirverumbipuram, Erumbeesam, Brahmapuram, Laskhmipuram, Madhuvanam, Rathnakoodapuram, Manikoodapuram and Kumarapuram in various religious literature.
The temple is locally called as
Kailash
Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; ; sa, कैलास, ), is a mountain in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has an altitude o ...
(the abode of Shiva) of
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...
.
History
Erumbeeswarar temple in its current form was built by the
Chola
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century B ...
king
Aditya I
Aditya I ( Tamil: ஆதித்த சோழன்) (c. 870/71 – c. 907 CE), the son of Vijayalaya, was the Chola king who extended the Chola dominions by the conquest of the Pallavas and occupied the Western Ganga Kingdom.
Relations wit ...
(871-907 CE). Aditya won a battle in Tirupurambiyam and to commemorate the victory, he built a series of temples along the banks of the river
Cauvery
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dist ...
. The temple has 49 inscriptions from the Chola period (850-1280 CE). The inscriptions numbered 101, 104, 105, 127, 130 and 133 of 1914 are believed to be inscribed during the 5th to 7th year of the reign of Aditya and hence believed to be between 882 and 885 CE. Another set of inscriptions from the
Sundara Chola
Parantaka Chola II (Tamil: இரண்டாம் பராந்தக சோழன்) (r. 958 – 973 CE) was a Chola emperor. He is also known as Sundara Chola as he was considered an epitome of male beauty.''Early Chola temples:Parantak ...
(957-970 CE) period indicate gift of land to maintain four signs of ''Tirupadigam''. One another inscription indicates the donation of ten (a measure) of gold to the deity by a temple woman in the year 875 CE.
[ Orr 2004, p. 65][ Orr 2004, p. 144]
A king by name Siruthavur Sembian Veithi Velan from Kiliyurnadu is believed to have constructed the
vimana
Vimāna are mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The "Pushpaka Vimana" of Ravana (who took it from Kubera; Rama returned it to Kubera) is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also mentio ...
(structure over the sanctum).
The temple was the only temple that
Malik Kafur
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to promi ...
(1296-1316 CE) could not conquer in 1311 CE, during his South Indian expedition.
The temple is a declared monument of the Archaeological Survey of India on account of the inscriptions in the temple.
During the war between
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English ...
and
French during 1752, the temple acted as an infantry for the French troops.
In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Architecture

Erumbeeswarar temple is located atop a hill with a flight of granite steps to the top. Since the temple is atop a hill, it is locally called "Malai Kovil" (meaning hill temple). The temple complex has two ''
prakaram
A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. As ...
s'' (outer courtyard) and a two-tiered ''raja
gopuram
A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Malayalam: ഗോപുരം, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Telugu: గోపురం) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South ...
'' (gateway tower).
The central shrine faces east and holds the image of Erumbeeswarar (Shiva) in the form of ''lingam'' made of mud mound. The granite images
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
(son of Shiva and god of wisdom),
Murugan
Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Gan ...
(son of Shiva and god of war),
Nandi
Nandi may refer to:
People
* Nandy (surname), Indian surname
* Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe
* Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi
* Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...
(the bull and vehicle of Shiva) and
Navagraha
Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology. The term is derived from ''nava'' ( sa, नव "nine") and ''graha'' ( sa, ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, ...
(nine planetary deities) are in the hall leading to the sanctum. As in other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the first precinct or the walls around the sanctum of Erumbeeswarar has images of
Dakshinamurthy
Dakshinamurthy () is an aspect of the Hindu god Shiva as a guru (teacher) of all types of knowledge. This aspect of Shiva, as the original guru, is his personification as the supreme or the ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge. Thi ...
(god of knowledge),
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around comb ...
(warrior-goddess) and
Chandikeswarar (a saint and devotee of Shiva). The central image of Erumbeeswarar is made of mud mound and is referred by other names like Erumbeesar, Mathuvaneswarar, Manikoodalachapathi, Piplikesvarar and Manickanathar. The inscriptions in the temple refer Erumbeeswarar as Thirumalai Alwar, Thiruverumbur Alwar and Thiruverumburudaya Nayanar. The shrine of the consort-goddess Narunguzhal Nayagi Amman, facing south, is in the second precinct of the temple. The second precinct is surrounded by granite walls. Narunguzhal Nayagi Amman is referred by other names like Sugantha Kuzhalal, Soundra Nayagi, Madhuvaneswari and Rathnambal.
The path around the foothills, called Girivalam Path, is wide and long. The construction and beautification of the path was carried out by the Tourism department of the government of Tamil Nadu in 2011.
The temple has a garden maintained by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL, Trichy).
Worship and festivals

The temple priests perform the ''
puja
Puja or Pooja may refer to:
Religion
*Puja (Hinduism), a ritual to host, honor or of devotional worship, or one to celebrate an event
* Puja (Buddhism), expressions of honour, worship and devotional attention
* Puja, a wooden stick, sometimes lea ...
'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the
Shaiva
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...
community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''
abhisheka
Abhisheka () means "bathing of the divinity to whom worship is offered." It is a religious rite or method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on an image or murti of a God or Goddess. Abhisheka is common to Indian religions ...
'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''
naivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Erumbeeswarar and Narunguzhal Nayagi Amman. The worship is held amidst music with ''
nagaswaram
The Nagaswaram (nādḥasvaram) is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
This instrument is "among the world's loude ...
'' (pipe instrument) and ''
tavil
A ''thavil'' (Tamil:தவில்) or ''tavil'' is a barrel-shaped percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu. It is also widely used in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Telangana States of South India. It is used in temple, folk ...
'' (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...
(sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like ' (Monday) and ' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''
pradosha
Pradosha or Pradosham (IAST: Pradoṣa) is a bimonthly occasion on the thirteenth day of every fortnight in the Hindu calendar. Aiya V. 1906, p. 103 It is closely connected with the worship of the Hindu god Shiva. The auspicious three-hour peri ...
m'' and monthly festivals like ''
amavasai'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''
pournami'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. The major festival of the temple, the ''Brahmotsavam'', is celebrated during the
Tamil month
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
** Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nat ...
of Vaikasi (May -June). Other festivals include Annabishekam during the Tamil month of Aipasi (October -November),
Mahashivaratri
Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava.
In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...
and Pournami Girivalam. Every full moon, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Erumbeeswarar by circumambulating the hill barefoot. The circumambulation covers the circumference of the hill, and is referred as ''girivalam''.
Literary mention
The temple is counted as one of the temples built on the banks of
River Kaveri
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dist ...
.
Appar
Appar, also referred to as ( ta, திருநாவுக்கரசர்) or Navukkarasar, was a seventh-century Tamil Śaiva poet-saint. Born in a peasant Śaiva family, raised as an orphan by his sister, he lived about 80 years and is ...
, a 7th-century
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nati ...
Saivite
Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the God, Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates ...
saint poet and ''
nayanmar
The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; ta, நாயன்மார், translit=Nāyaṉmār, translit-std=ISO, lit=hounds of Siva, and later 'teachers of Shiva ) were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were d ...
'', has revered Erumbeeswarar and the temple in his verses in ''
Tevaram
The ''Thevaram'' ( ta, தேவாரம், ), also spelled ''Tevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Śaiva narrative of epic and puranic heroes, as well as a hagiographic account of early ...
'', compiled as the ''Fifth Tirumurai''. As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam
The Paadal Petra Sthalam, also known as Thevara Sthalam, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Saiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE and are amongst the greatest Shiva temples of the continent. The Divya Desams by comparison ar ...
'', one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. The temple is counted as the seventh in the list of temples in the southern banks of river
Cauvery
The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dist ...
.
Appar has glorified the temple in nine poems referring the place as "Erumbiyur" and the deity as "Erubmiyur Eesan", meaning god of Erumbiyur.
Manickavasagar
Manikkavacakar, or Maanikkavaasagar ''(Tamil: மாணிக்கவாசகர், "One whose words are like gems")'', was a 9th-century Tamil saint and poet who wrote '' Tiruvasakam'', a book of Shaiva hymns. Speculated to have been a min ...
, a 9th-century Tamil saint and poet has revered Erumbeeswarar in his work, ''
Thiruvasakam
''Thiruvasagam'' ( ta, திருவாசகம், tiruvācakam, translit-std=IAST, lit=sacred utterance) is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite '' bhakti'' poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and co ...
''. ''Tiruverumbiyur Puranam'' is a religious work that describes the religious history of the temple.
Ramalinga Swamigal
Thiruvarutprakasa Vallalār Chidambaram Ramalingam (5 October 1823 – 30 January 1874), commonly known in India and across the world as Vallalār, Ramalinga Swamigal and Ramalinga Adigal, was one of the most famous Tamil Saints and also one of ...
(1823-74 CE) has revered Erumbeeswarar and the temple in his religious work, ''Thiruvarutpa''.
Gallery
Malaikovil Full View.JPG, Malaikovil Front View
Rajagopuram at Erumbeeshwarar Temple.JPG, Rajagopuram at Erumbeeshwarar Temple
Narungulal Nayagi Amman Gopuram.JPG, Narungulal Nayagi Amman Gopuram
Teppakkulam Top View.JPG, Teppakkulam Top View
Tamil Sculptures in Erumbeeswarar Temple.JPG, Tamil Sculptures in Erumbeeswarar Temple
Erumbeeswarar Temple Corridor.JPG, Erumbeeswarar Temple Corridor
Ruined Area of Erumbeeswarar Temple.JPG, Ruined Area of Erumbeeswarar Temple
Notes
References
*
External links
Official website of Erumbeeswarar temple
{{Famous Shiva temples
Padal Petra Stalam
Archaeological monuments in Tamil Nadu
Shiva temples in Tiruchirappalli district
Chola architecture
Dravidian architecture
Hindu temples in Tiruchirappalli