Whether it is the individual human body or the larger cosmic body, essentially, they are made of five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space. In this, the first four elements are the active participants—space is the catalytic force. It is in the lap of this boundless space that these four elements play the game,” writes Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a spiritual leader, on his personal blog. In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is worshipped as the embodiment of these elements of nature. The Chola Kings of South India hence built five Shiva temples, known as Pancha Bhoota Stalam, deifying the five elements. Each shrine of Pancha Bhoota Stalam houses a lingam that represents Lord Shiva as the manifestation of each element.

Pancha Bhoota Stalam are spread across the regions of South India—four in Tamil Nadu and one in Andhra Pradesh. In this feature, Soulveda explores the legends behind the five temples.