Fire is the one of the five elements. Lord Shiva was God of five elements. Siva in his form of fire, the hill is called Annamalai (Anna means fire, malai means hill).The Annamalaiyar temple is situated at the foot of a range of hills in Thiruvannamalai(Thiruvannamali nearly 200 K.m away from Chennai).Thiruvannamalai sri Arunachaleswarar(Sivan) with Sri Unnamulaiamman(Sakthi) temple built in 10th century by Cholas, then Vijayanagara, Hoisala Kings were built many Gopuram, Pragaram later here. The annamaliyar temple is associated with the Famous hindu festival of the Kartigai Dheepam. when, on Kartigai day in between December and January, a huge fire is lift up the hill, visible for kilometers around. The fire (dheepam) is called Mahadheepam, lakhs of hindu divotees visit here and pray the god shiva, shouted "arogara".

Lord Siva appeared as a huge flame of light before Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma (hindu gods), who each considered Himself supreme and said that the matter could be tested if the two could search for their Lord Siva's Head and feet. Lord Vishnu took the form of a (varagar)boar and delved deep into the earth, Lord Brahma that of a (Annam)swan and flew into the top, Lord Vishnu failed in His search and returned. But Lord Brahma, chancing upon a piece of "thazhambu", a flower learnt from it that it had been floating down for thirty thousand years from Lord Siva's head. He seized upon this and claimed to Lord Siva that he had seen the other's top. Lord Siva realized the falsehood and pronounced that there would never be a temple for Lord Brahma in this world. He also interdicted the use of the flower thazhambu in His worship. When Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma repented, Lord Siva took the form the stone Linga. That lingam errected here, the huge flame of shiva is called annmalai(the hill of Thiruvannamali).

The goddess Shakthi performed severe penance on the top of a hill there, and then took Her place in the Lord shiva's left side. Some celebrated bronzes embody the concept of Ardhanariswarar, the Lord who is half man half woman is called Ardhanariswarar, that means man and woman were equal.In sixth century the Thirunavukkarasar, Sambandar,(Nayanmars) sung of this god. Manickkavasagar wrote a "Thiruvempavai" this poem about annmaliyar in 10th century. Arunagirinathar, the great yogi, author of the "Tiruppugazh", lived here in 15th century. Sthala virutcham (temple tree) is Magizham.