About Jalantheeswarar Temple:
- Location: Jalantheeswarar Temple (also known as Thiruvooral) is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated in Thakkolam village of Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu.
- Deity: The presiding deity is Lord Shiva worshipped as Jalantheeswarar, represented by a lingam made of sand (prithvi lingam), known as Theenda Thirumeni.
- Construction: The original temple complex was constructed by Pallavas and later expanded by Cholas. The present masonry structure dates back to the Nayak period in the 16th century.
- Architectural Features: The temple complex spans approximately 1.5 acres, featuring a three-tiered gopuram (gateway tower) and concentric granite walls. The main sanctum houses the deity Jalantheeswarar in the form of a lingam made of sand.
- Religious Significance: It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanars Sambandar.
Sambandar:
- Thirugnana Sambandar, also known as Sambandar, was a 7th-century CE Saiva poet-saint from Tamil Nadu and a contemporary of Appar.
- As per Tamil Shaiva tradition, he composed 16,000 hymns in intricate meters, of which 383 (or 384) hymns with 4,181 stanzas have survived.
