The hub of Tiruvannamalai is the Annamalai hill with a height of 2,472 feet, which is regarded as Lord Shiva himself, the path along the hill called the 'girivalam' is a stretch of road 14 kms., which circumambulates the Hill. The Arunachaleswarar Temple is situated on the eastern side of the Hill in an area of approximately 24.32 acres. About 4 kms of the 'girivalam' pathway falls within the limits of the Municipality, while the remaining 11 kms., falls within the control of five different panchayats regional assemblies).
The life of the town's people centres on these deities and structures. The Temple itself, which is situated on 24.32 acres of land, has four main entrances called 'gopurams' built in the 16th century, the highest being 217 feet.
[Some amazing details on one of the Temple Gopurams]
Within the Temple precincts, there are water tanks, an orphanage, cow sheds to look after the Temple cows and Temple elephant and notified areas for collecting used flowers and other offerings made by the devotees.
The Temple is administered, controlled and regulated under the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.
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