28 Agamas Lingas

Saiva Siddhantha comprises of 28 Agamas-branches. Lord Muruga installed 28 Shivalingas representing this philosophy and performed pujas. These Lingas are in a separate shrine northwest of the temple.

Lord Vinayaka is in the south line of the Lingas and Lord Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai is in the north line.

The Shiva Lingas bear the names of the 28 Agamas with Word Eswarar Added –

The Sivabheda Agamas

1) Kamika, 2) Yogaja, 3) Chintya, 4) Karana, 5) Ajita, 6) Dipta, 7) Sukshma, 8) Sahasraka, 9) Amshumat and 10) Suprabheda.

The Rudrabheda Agamas

 (1) Vijaya, 2) Nihshvasa, 3) Svayambhuva, 4) Anala, 5) Vira (Bhadra), 6) Raurava, 7) Makuta, 8) Vimala, 9) Chandrajnana (or Chandrahasa), 10) Mukhabimba (or Bimba), 11) Prodgita (or Udgita), 12) Lalita, 13) Siddha, 14) Santana, 15) Sarvokta (Narasimha), 16) Parameshvara, 17) Kirana and 18) Vatula (or Parahita).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80gama_(Hinduism)

The temple is praised as Agama Temple as this prestigious feature belongs exclusively to this temple alone. Vruddha means ancienet – Achalam the hill. Vruddhalacham means an ancient hill. In chaste Tamil this is mentioned as Mudhu Kundram in Thevaram hymns.

Significance  of 5

Number five has a significance in this temple.

Murthis are five – Lords

1. Vinayaka, 
2. Muruga, 
3. Shiva, 
4. Shakthi and 
5. Chandikeswara. 

Lord is praised by five names –

1. Vruddhagiriswarar, 
2. Pazhamalai Nathar, 
3. Vruddhachaleswarar, 
4. Mudhu Kundreeswarar and 
5. Vruddhagiri. 

There are five Vinayakas in the temple –

1. Aazhathu Vinayakar, 
2. Mattru Uraitha Vinayaka, 
3. Muppillayar, 
4. Dasabhuja Ganapathy and 
5. Vallabha Ganapathi. 

Five Rishis had the darshan of Lord – 

1. Romesa, 
2. Vibasiddhu, 
3. Kumaradeva, 
4. Nada Sharma and 
5. Anavardhini.  

There five towers in the temple at 

1. east, 
2. west, 
3. south, 
4. north and 
5. Kandarathithan (a Chola king) gopuram. 

There are five prakaras – called Tiruchuttru in Tamil.

1. Car-Rath, 
2. Kailaya, 
3. Vanniyadi, 
4. 63 Nayanmar Chuttru and 
5. Panchavarna Chuttru. 

There are five Kodimarams-flag post with with five Nandhis –

1. Indra Nandhi, 
2. Vedha Nandhi, 
3. Atma Nandhi, 
4. Maalvidai Nandhi and 
5. Dharma Nandhi.  

There are five inner Mandaps –

1. Artha, 
2. Idaikazhi, 
3. Thapana,
4. Maha and 
5. Isai Mandapams. Outer Mandaps are 20 pillar mandap, Deeparadhana, 100 pillar mandap, Vipachithu and Chitra mandapam. 

 Five time puja is followed in the temple -

1. Tiruvanandal, 
2. Kalasandhi, 
3. Uchi Kala, 
4. Sayaraksha and 
5. Arthajama at scheduled times from early morning till night. 

The temple has five cars-raths for Lords

1. Vinayaka, 
2. Muruga, 
3. Pazhamalai Nathar, 
4. Mother Periyanayaki and 
5. Sri Chandikeswara. 

The place has five names –

1. Tirumudhu Kundram, 
2. Vruddha Kasi, 
3. Vruddhachalam, 
4. Nerkuppai and 
5. Mudhugiri. 

 http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=493