Tiruvannamalai

The Saivite pilgrim site at the foot of holy arunachla (Annamalai) hill is considered to be one of the most sacred towns of south India. The annual Karthikai Deepam festival held on full moon night in Nov/Dec is a major event of the town. A huge deepa (lamp), with 30 metre long wick and 2000 litres of ghee is lit on the Arunachala hill and pilgrims undertake a 14 Km long journey on foot, around the hill. The lamp burns for several days and its light can be seen for at least 10 km.

This pilgrim town, about 85 km from Vellore, is where Shiva is believed to have appeared as a column of fire. A huge lamp is lit on the hill here to karthigai Deepam festival. About 2000 litres of ghee and a 30 m wide wick is burnt in the lamp, which burns for days. The Arunachaleshvara Temple is the most important temple here where you can see gold encased Shiva Lingam. About 37 km from here is a remarkable example of military engineering is the Gingee Fort, perched atop three hills. At the foot of the hill is Venkatramana Temple. The Durbal Hall on the Krishnagiri Hill, provides a good view of the countryside.

Tiruvannamalai District is known for eternal peace and divine with the proud possession of the sacred shrine of Lord Arunachaleswara and Ashrams. It had started functioning as a separate district from 30th September 1989, on bifurcation of the erstwhile North Arcot District.

Tiruvannamalai is one of the most sacred shrines of Tamil Nadu. It is considered superior to all the other eminent shrines. While Tiruvarur confers salvation or mukti to one who is born there, Kasi confers salvation to one who dies there, and Chidambaram to one who worships there, Tiruvannamalai confers salvation to one who merely thinks of it. No wonder this shrine is most important, as it points out the easiest way to salvation.

Tiruvannamalai is situated at the margin of hill and plain it is a contact town, at the junction of two important arterial roads. Tiruvannamalai played a crucial role in military operations from at least the 15th century onwards up to the end of the Mysore wars.

The Arunachala Temple is one of the largest in the South. It is dominated by the 200 ft., 11 storey gopuram. There is also ashram of the mystic saint Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Yelagiri Hills and Resorts, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu