Jambukeswarar (Water)

Once Parvati mocked Shiva's penance for betterment of the world. Shiva wanted to condemn her act and directed her to go to the earth from Kailasa (Shiva's abode) to do penance. Parvathi in the form of Akilandeswari as per Shiva's wish found Jambu forest (Thiruvanaikoil) to conduct her penance. She made a lingam out of water of river Cauvery (also called as river Ponni) under the Venn Naaval tree (the Venn Naaval tree on top of the saint Jambu) and commenced her worship. The lingam is known as Appu Lingam (Water Lingam). Siva at last gave darshan to Akilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana. Akilandeswari took Upadesa (lessons) facing East from Shiva, who stood facing west.

There were two Shivaganas (Shiva's army who live in Kailash): 'Malyavan' and 'Pushpadanta'. Though they are Siva Ganas they always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. In one fight 'Malyavan' cursed 'Pushpadanta' to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came to Thiruvanaikaval and continued their Siva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted ablution to the lingam under the Jambu tree (Eugenia jambolana, the java plum tree) daily. The spider constructed his web over the lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent sunlight directly falling on it. When the elephant saw the web and thought it was dust on lingam.

Shiva, also known as Mahadeva and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.

Read more about [Shiva](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva).

The massive outer wall covering the fifth precinct, known as the Vibudi Prakara, stretches over 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) and is 0.61 metres (2 ft) thick and over 7.6 metres (25 ft) high. Legend maintains that the wall was built by Shiva himself, disguised as a laborer and working with the human laborers. The fourth precinct contains a hall with 796 pillars and measures 742 metres (2,436 ft) by 455 metres (1,493 ft). It also has a small tank fed by perpetual springs. The third enclosure is 227 metres (745 ft) by 60 metres (197 ft) surrounded a wall 9.1 metres (30 ft) high. This area has two gopurams (gateway towers) 22 metres (73 ft) and 30 metres (100 ft) tall, a coconut thoppu and a small water tank. The second enclosure is 93 metres (306 ft) by 60 metres (197 ft), a gopuram 20 metres (65 ft) high and several small shrines. The inner most enclosure measuring 38 metres (126 ft) by 37 metres (123 ft) has the sanctum.

The sanctum sanctorum is a square structure, found independently situated at the center of the innermost enclosure. There is a vimana on the roof of the sanctum. The structure is open on three sides, with a shallow moat separating it from the circumambulatory path of the innermost enclosure. The sthala-vriksham, or holy tree here is the White Jambuka (Tamil: வெண் நாவல் மரம்) (Syzygium cumini), found growing along the south-eastern wall of the sanctum sanctorum. The trunk of the tree is protected by a walled structure.

Pancha Bhoota Sthalam (Sanskrit: पञ्चभूतस्थलानि Pañcabhūtasthalāni) refers to the five Shiva temples, each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature - space, air, fire, water, earth. Pancha indicates five, Bhoota means elements and Sthala means place. All these temples are located in South India with four of these temples at Tamil Nadu and one at Andhra Pradesh. The five elements are believed to be enshrined in the five lingams and each of the lingams representing Shiva in the temple have five different names based on the elements they represent. In the Thiruvaanaikaval temple, Shiva is said to have manifested himself in the form of water (Appu Lingam). The other four manifestations are Prithivi Lingam (representing land) at Ekambareswarar Temple, Akasa Lingam (representing sky) at Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, Agni Lingam (representing fire) at Annamalaiyar Temple and Vayu Lingam (representing air) at Srikalahasti Temple.

Located in: Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.