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The main Lingam has a pedestal and is in the shape of the trunk of an elephant with tusks on
either side or a figure of the spider at the bottom. Looked at from the top, it presents
the appearance of a snake with five hoods. The name of the spider is 'Sri', the serpent is
called 'Kala' and the elephant is called 'Hasti'. Hence these three forms combined into
one goes by the name, Srikalahasti which is held to be one of the Panchabhutalingas of the
South. As stated above, the Pancha Bhutas is the Earth, the Water, the Fire, the Wind, and
the Ether.
Corresponding to these there are five Lingas, which are worshipped, in five
famous Kshetras of which Kalahasti is one, representing the element of Vayu. The Pancha
Bhuta Kshetras are Kanchipuram representing Prithvi or earth, the Jambukeswara
representing Appu or water, Arunachala representing Tejas or light, Sri Kalahasti representing Vayu or air, and Chidambaram representing Akash or ether. There is a light in the innermost Garbhagriha of the temple, which is always flickering, as if it is being blown by wind, even though there are no holes or windows anywhere there. This is said to represent the Vayu element from which the temple is derived.
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