Ekambareswarar Temple

एकाम्बरेश्वर मंदिर, कांचीपुरम

Location

Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu

Darshan

06:00 – 20:30

Deity

🪔Lord Shiva (Ekambareswarar / Ekambaranatha — Prithvi Lingam)

Entry

Free entry

Morning session 6:00–12:30. Afternoon closure 12:30–16:00. Evening session 16:00–20:30.

Ekambareswarar is the Pancha Bhuta Stalam representing Prithvi (Earth element). The Prithvi Lingam here is made of sand/earth, and it is believed that Parvati herself fashioned the Shivalinga from sand under the ancient mango tree during her penance. The temple is one of the five elemental Shiva shrines of Tamil Nadu — the largest and most elaborate of the five.

History

The temple has Pallava origins (6th–9th century CE); expanded significantly by the Chola kings and later by the Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya (16th century CE), who built the massive 58.5m (192 ft) main Rajagopuram. The famous 1000-pillar mandapam (actually 540 pillars, each uniquely carved) was built by Vijayanagara kings. The mango tree in the complex is said to be over 3,500 years old with four branches representing the four Vedas.

Mythology

Parvati performed penance under a mango tree (eka amra = one mango tree → Ekamra → Ekambara) to unite with Shiva. She fashioned a Prithvi Lingam from sand. Shiva, pleased, appeared and married her. The Prithvi Linga cannot be bathed with water or abhishek (water would dissolve the sand); instead, only sandal paste (chandanam) is applied.