Path to Vairakal Murugan Temple from Girivalam Roadway

In an earlier post about the Vairakal Murugan Temple on top of an Arunachala spur, I gave directions of how to reach the Temple (situated at the top of a hillock) by going through Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. Below is an alternative pathway you can take to reach the Temple via the Girivalam Roadway. 

Take NH66 (Chengham Road i.e. Girivalam Road) leading out of Tiruvannamalai. About one kilometre from Ramana Nagar on the right side is the Simha (Lion) Theertham. Walk past the Tank and about 500 yards further down the road, third path on the left after the Tank, is a roadway which has been created for construction material to be taken up the hillock to the Temple.

Simha (Lion) Tank on NH66 (Girivalam Road)

At the entrance to this roadway is a Temple board. Take this roadway and after a short distance it starts to climb up into the hillock. Follow this path direct to the Temple. 

Sign at pathway leading to the Vairakal Temple

Pathway leading up the Hillock

Closeup of rocky cluster surrounding Temple on Hillock

Construction roadway leading up to top of Hillock

Vairakal Murugan Temple, Arunachala Spur

There is a very nice Murugan Shrine situated on top of a spur of Arunachala Hill. The Vairakal Murugan Temple is known to locals in the area and is becoming increasingly popular with visiting devotees during Poornima and festivals. Currently several times a year evening functions with singing are conducted at the Shrine, which is brightly lit up for these occasions. So much so that from my house I can easily see the lights on those evenings coming from the Arunachala Hill spur. Lights on the Hill are put up for the night of Mahadeepam, Chitra Poornima and Panguini Utthirham. The Temple is expecting devotees to come for puja and watch the lighting of the Arunachala Mahadeepam from the Hillock. 

Around one year back, the Murugan statue which had been on the top of the Hillock for over 30 years was damaged. When this became known, many local villagers gave donations to pay for the creation of a new statue of Lord Murugan and to help finance the construction of a larger Shrine. Until the Shrine is complete, the new statue of Lord Murugan will remain in an adjacent shed (see below photographs). Kumara Swami who lives on the Hillock, is maintaining the performance of regular puja for both the Murugan Statue and Shiva Lingam. Special pujas are being performed on Tuesdays, Fridays and Poornimas. A beautiful function on the evening of December 12, 2016, the night of Mahadeepam is planned. 

To assist in bringing material up to the top of the Hillock, the excellent Shantimali Trust helped the Shrine finance the creation of a pathway for construction vehicles, the digging of a water borewell and is currently also active in supporting the development of the Lord Murugan Shrine. 

There was no thought other than creating a Shrine to house the new Murugan Statue, however a devotee felt a strong impulse to give money for the creation of Shiva Lingam to be housed in a cave situated in a rocky cluster at the top of the Hillock. It is planned that after the Lord Murugan Shrine is complete, a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva will be created inside a nearby cave in which devotees will be allowed to meditate. 

Circle shows location of Vairakal Murugan Temple. Arunachala background

The photograph above indicates how to get on the pathway leading to top of spur. The pathway to top of Hillock is located at back of Cow Sheds

Arunachala darshan from the location of the Vairakal Murugan Temple on Hillock

Easy walk up Hillock to the Murugan Shrine

Way to the top

Murugan Shrine at top of Hillock

Stone known as Anjaneya Rock, next to the Shrine

Villagers believe that the spirit of Lord Anjaneya resides at the top of the Hillock in the form of this guardian rock

This is the old Murugan Shrine which is being replaced by a larger Shrine that is nearly complete

Larger Vairakal Murugan Temple nearly complete

As construction is underway completing the Shrine, statue of Murugan is being kept in adjacent white shed. Puja is being regularly performed.

Lingam has been specially created. Will be later moved to its new home

Cave located in rock cluster on top of Hillock

There had been no intention to create a Shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva on the top of the Hillock. However when a person visited the Shrine and unexpectedly gave a large donation for the creation of a Shiva Lingam, it was decided that after completion of the Murugan Shrine, a Shrine will be created for Lord Shiva and located in a cave situated in a rock cluster (above photograph) at the top of the Hillock.

Shrine for Lord Murugan with adjacent shed housing new statue. Lingam in front of Shrine

On top of Hillock

Kumara Swami has been living at top of Hillock for the past year, conducting regular pujas to the new Lord Murugan statue and Shiva Lingam

One view from the Hillock overs the 750 acre Samudram Eri (lake) which fills with water during the Monsoon season

View from top of Hillock

Beautiful views and darshan from top of Hillock