Panch Bootha Sthalangal

The Pancha Bootha Sthalangal are the five grand temples enshrining Lord Shiva as a manifestation of five elements of the universe namely Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Space. Those temples are:-

S.No	Temple	Element	Known as
1	Kanchipuram	Earth (நிலம்)	Prithvi sthalam
2	Thiruvanaikovil	Water (நீர்)	Appu sthalam
3	Thiruvannamalai	Fire (நெருப்பு)	Thejo sthalam
4	Sri Kalahasthi	Wind (காற்று)	Vayu sthalam
5	Chidambaram	Space (ஆகாயம்)	Akasa sthalam

Thiruvarur is also considered to be the temple for Earth along with Kanchipuram.

The orders of the elements are in such a way because, Earth will be drowned in Water; Water will be absorbed by Fire; Fire will be put off by the Wind; and finally the wind will get dissolved in space.

• The lingam in Kanchipuram and Thiruvarur is made of Sand denoting Prithivi Sthalam
• The lingam in Thiruvanaikovil is said to form of water worshipped by Goddess Parvati denoting Appu sthalam. Even today there is always water below the lingam in the sanctum sanctorum .
• The lingam in Thiruvannamalai is said to be in the form of fire, Where Lord Shiva stood up in the form of fire teach lesson to Brahma and Vishnu denoting Thejo sthalam
• The lingam in Kalahasthi is said to have Air spaces to pass denoting Vayu sthalam
• The lingam in Chidambaram is said have come from the cosmic space denoting Akasa sthalam

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