Place · Pancha Bhuta Shiva temple · India
Ekambareshwara, Kanchipuram
Also known as Ekambareshwar, Ekambareshwar — Kanchi (Prithvi), Ekambareshwara, Kanchi, Kanchipuram
The Ekambareshvara Shiva temple at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu — the earth-element (prithvi) linga of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams (Shiva's five-element shrines). The temple's foundation is 6-century Pallava; the current structure is 10-century Chola with major 16-17th century Vijayanagara additions. The temple is one of the five earth-air-fire-water-space elements in the Pancha Bhuta tradition (with Chidambaram akasha, Jambukeshvara appu, Kalahasti vayu and Arunachaleshvara tejas). The temple's distinctive feature is its 3,500-year-old sacred mango tree (bearing four different varieties on four branches, corresponding to the four Vedas) under which Parvati is said to have married Shiva. The temple's 59-metre 11-tier gopuram (one of the tallest in India) was built by Krishnadevaraya in 1509. UNESCO tentative list since 2014.
- Function
- Sacred site & pilgrimage
- Confidence
- Established / referenced
- Location
- 12.847, 79.700
Connections (1)
- Site withinKānchī / Kānchīpuram / Kanchipuram
The Ekambareshvara Shiva temple sits within Kanchipuram, the Pallava capital-city in northern Tamil Nadu. The temple's 59-metre 11-tier gopuram (built by Krishnadevaraya in 1509) is one of the tallest in India and is Kanchipuram's architectural landmark. The temple represents the earth-element (prithvi) linga of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams within the Kanchipuram grid, which also holds the Varadaraja Vishnu temple and the Kamakshi Amman Shakta shrine.
Sources
Wikipedia, “Kanchipuram”. Archaeological Survey of India and State Archaeology monument records, and the standard regional literature.
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