Pancha Lingam Temples in India:

Pancha A manifestation of the five primary elements of nature—earth, water, fire, air, and ether each temple in the Bhuta Sthalam complex is devoted to Shiva. Pancha means “five,” Bhuta means “elements,” and Sthala means “place.” With four in Tamil Nadu and one in Andhra Pradesh, the temples are situated in South India. Every temple’s five lingam is named for the element it represents, and it is said that the five elements are enshrined in each one. 

The Vedas state that the five basic components of nature earth, water, fire, air, and ether combine to form the material world. In Sanskrit, bhuta signifies an element, while maha bhoota denotes a basic element. The ancient Indian medical school known as Ayurveda states that the principles of the tridoshas kaph (phlegm), pitta (bile), vayu (gas), dhātu, and malas (waste products)—control the body’s equilibrium with the pancha bhuta. In his book Pancha Bhoota, Rabindranath Tagore explains how the human mind’s emotional faculty is extremely sensitive to all light, color, sound, speed, sun, moon, and star phenomena.

Shiva is supposed to have appeared as a massive column of fire at the Tiruvannamalai temple. Even now, the ancient customs kept during the holidays of Maha Shivaratri and Karthika Deepam serve as a celebration of this manifestation. At the end of Agni Kalpa, the Agni Lingam reveals the mythics of life, including duty, morality, self-sacrifice, and, ultimately, freedom by and through ascetic practice. The Tevaram, a 7th-century Tamil Saiva canonical poem composed by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars and categorized as Paadal Petra Sthalam, honors the presiding deities. The TamilNadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is in charge of maintaining and overseeing three of the state’s four temples. 

Pancha Bhoota Lingas List:

Arunachaleswarar Temple – Fire – Agni Lingam

Kalahastheeshwara Temple – Air – Vayu Lingam

Thillai Nataraja Temple – Ether – Akasha Lingam

Ekambareshwarar Temple – Earth – Prithvi Lingam

Jambukeswar Temple – Water – Varuna Lingam

What are the five elements of the temples?

They are Jalakanteswar (water), Chidambaram (ether), Arunachleswar (fire), Kalahasthi (air) and Andhra Pradesh (earth).

What are the Pancha Bootha Sthalam in South India?

Arunachaleswarar Temple – Thiruvannamalai – Tamilnadu

Kalahastheeshwara Temple – Kalahasthi, Andhra Pradesh

Thillai Nataraja Temple – Chidambaram – Tamilnadu

Ekambareshwarar Temple – Kanchipuram – Tamilnadu

Jambukeswar Temple – Thiruvanaikaval – Tamilnadu