Arunachalam Tamil Nadu

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Zulema Estabrooks

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Aug 3, 2024, 3:27:57 PM8/3/24

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Arunachaleshwar located inTiruvannamalai of Tamilnadu. It is about 185 kms from Chennai and 210 kms fromBangalore. The town is located on the base of Annamalai hills which is to theeast of Eastern ghats.

Tiruvannamalai is named afterAnnamalaiyar, the main deity of the temple. During November and December onfull moon days, Kartika Deepam festival is celebrated. On those days hugequantity of camphor is lit on top of Annamalai hills and about three milliondevotees from different parts of India gather.

The Parikrama or Circumambulation ofArunachala hills is a very popular ritual. It is known as Girivalyam, Girimeans Hill and Valam means Circumambulation. The trek is about 14 kms whichstarts from east gopuram (gate) of Arunachaleshwara temple.

Arunachala hill to a human eye is3000 feet high but for Siddhas, it is an infinite hill with no ends on eitherside. Siddhas say that even Sun and Moon circle Arunachala without goingdirectly over head.

So Girivalam is considered as themost sacred of all rituals. It is advised to perform Girivalam with pure mind,and also give alms liberally to Sadhus, needy people and animals who are foundon the way. At every step of Girivalam, one should look at the Arunachala hill.Each of this vision is known as Arunachala Mukha Darshan.

After trekking for 1.5 kms there is the shrine for Agni Lingam the second of the Ashta Dik Lingam on Girivalam route.This is also in the midst of houses and quite inconspicuous.
A kilometer away from Agni Lingam is the Sheshadri Ashram. There is also an old Devi temple opposite Sheshadri ashram.
Further a kilometer away is the most popular Ramanashree Ashram.
The glimpse of Arunachala hill from inside the ashram is called Eka Mukha Linga Darshan.

Three kilometers away is the YamaLingam. It is the third of the Ashta Dik Lingams on Girivalam route. There isAppu Nandi next to Yama Lingam. One has to look at the Arunachala hill betweenthe horns of the Nandi deity. This vision is supposed to reunite those who are separatedor estranged.

One has to look at the peak of thehill between the horns of the Nandi. This place is to give up bad habits andmake spiritual resolutions. It is believed that Siva Raja Singha, who resideshere, is the witness for your resolution. A small dense forest known as Kaamakaadu is seen a meter further. Siddhas refer this as forest of desire. Fromhere Arunachala hill is not visible. Symbolically once we get lost in theforest of desire, we lose sight of all spiritual journeys. Hence in this site,one has to give up lustful or immoral desires.

Further away from this temple, theArunachala hill gives a darshan of Shakti Shiva. This vision was given to KingNala and his wife Damayanti and it is believed that vision brings about unityand harmony in life.

Adjacent to Unnamalai temple, thereis a pond known as Unnamalai theertham. Unfortunately it lacks maintaince. Thevision of Arunachala hill from Unnamulai temple is known as Somaskandadarshanam. Proceeding further in Girivalam route, there is the ashram ofGoutama Maharishi and a temple for Maharishi Gauthama.

About half a kilometer from Varunalingam, is Vayu Lingam. It is about 9.5 kms. from the starting point. About 2kms. from Varuna lingam is the Kubera Lingam temple. It is about 11.5 kms. fromthe starting point.