Showing posts with label girivalam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label girivalam. Show all posts

26 June 2021

Isakki Swamigal Girivalam

 

Isakki Swamigal Girivalam

May 2, 1917—January 9, 1991

 

Devotees are not yet allowed to perform Arunachala girivalam (during full moon) but as soon as restrictions are lifted and public transportation fully reinstated, I will make a posting with girivalam details here on Arunachala Grace.

In the meanwhile, I reproduce below a wonderful narrative of the great Arunachala devotee Isakki Swamigal who ever sang the praises and benefits to all of performing Arunachala girivalam. To read more of Isakki Swamigal and about his Arunachala experiences, visit this link here.

For several years Isakki Swamigal daily undertook Arunachala girivalam and started to become famous amongst locals. Groups of people started to follow him around the hill chanting 'Om Namah Shivaya,' and 'Arogahara! Arogahara! Annamalaiku Arogahara!' Increasingly more locals began to follow him during his giripradakshina. On every circumambulation, when reaching Panchamukha Point, Swamigal would stop and engage in meditation. During his days, Swamigal met and saw a number of siddhars and yogis who went round the hill on giripradakshina.

During his life, it is reported Isakki Swamigal performed Arunachala angapradakshina (pradakshina by rolling the body in a clockwise movement on the ground) 1008 times. Even today, it is thought that Swamigal in his astral form performs girivalam twice daily. Close to the statue at the Panchamukha Shrine it is believed Swamigal performs meditation each day at noon. Near that place there is a well which he created specifically in order to supply drinking water for devotees.

The below narrative on Isakki Swamigal, is from a book by Howard Murphet. Murphet was one of the first Western devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and his books were important in introducing Sai Baba to the West, much in the same way Brunton's book "In Search of Secret India," introduced Sri Ramana Maharshi to the World.


Isakki Swamigal at Panchamukha Point



Meeting Isakki Swamigal by Howard Murphet

One man we met on our first visit to Arunachala had done the circular sacred journey round the mountain in an extraordinary way and had a truly remarkable boon. This was Isakki Swamigal of Tiruvannamalai. We met him one evening as we stood by the side of a road coming out of the town. Along the road towards us, with the beat of drum, sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals, came a group of men. There must have been a dozen of them, some carrying a canopy under which walked a man. Surely a prince must be approaching, we thought. And when the group came in front of us and stopped, we could see that he was truly a prince of the spirit. His eyes were shining, a smile lit up his radiant face and around him was the unmistakable vibration of one who has reached a high level of attainment. My wife was so overcome that she pushed in through the crowd of men around him and touched his feet. Then she stood up and moved to join our friend and myself by the side of the road. Then the procession moved on with its joyous marching music.

Our friend, Ma Tallyarkan, who was residing at Tiruvannamalai, told us that it was Isakki Swamigal with a group of his devotees. From her, and from other people, we heard the story of his journey around the mountain and his boon. It seems that, lying horizontally on the ground, he rolled the whole eight miles along the circular route. When he stood up at the end of it, Lord Siva with his consort Parvati, were standing before him. With this boon of the Siva-Shakti darshan, came the gift of healing.

Isakki Swamigal was reported to be able to heal with spiritual power. Miraculous healings were the result and people came to him in great crowds. His consulting rooms could not cope with this huge influx, so he took up a position near the road on the other side of Arunachala from Tiruvannamalai. It was a quiet, pleasant spot. He went there at about three o'clock each morning and droves of people surrounded him at that time. Drawn by his elevated spiritual level, people began to gather around him, treat him at their guru, and move about with him—as we saw that evening by the roadside.

[Abridged from Howard Murphet narrative 1971]


5 November 2020

Arunachala Karthigai 2020 Information

 

Information has been released that girivalam of Arunachala on the day of Karthigai (Sunday, November 29, 2020) will be banned because of the ongoing Pandemic. 

There will be no processions of the Gods around the Mada Vedhis (perimeter streets) on any of the Festival days. The observation of MahaDeepam inside the Temple (both in the early morning and evening) will be observed but will be open only to special invitees, VIPs, Donors and those connected with the Temple. The lighting of the MahaDeepam on top of Arunachala will occur but only participants and special invitees will be allowed to the summit of the Holy Hill.

It is expected that Bharani and Karthigai Deepam will be live streamed from the Temple on Sunday, November 29, 2020. We hope to provide links in order that you may access Live Stream programmes.

Will update on this blog when new information is provided. Currently devotees are allowed inside the Temple Grounds, it is not yet known what regulations will be set in place regarding visiting Arunachaleswarar Temple during the 10 day Festival. At this time there is a stall outside the Raja Gopuram, East Gate, of the Temple which is the Donation Centre for Deepam Ghee.

 

Deepam Ghee Donation Center Raja Gopuram, Big Temple

24 September 2020

Arunachala Girivalam, Chitra Pournami: May 7, 2020

 

I recently found the below video on You Tube. The video, which lasts 28 minutes is of Girivalam performed on the day of Chitra Pournami, May 7, 2020. 

Its interesting to note that in other years, Chitra Pournami is always the second most attended Girivalam of the year—and only comes after the huge number of devotees of Karthigai Deepam in volume. 

Its an informative video that shows alot of the recent roadworks, new construction, and Temple renovations along the girivalam roadway. 

 

 




29 January 2020

Mother Amritananadamayi visits Tiruvannamalai January 26, 2020



Mother Amritananadamayi visited Tiruvannamalai on January 26, 2020. She made an address, bhajans were sung and then attendees went on stage to receive a hug from the Saint. To learn more about Mother, visit her website at this link here. Below are photographs from the evening of Mother's recent visit.














This was not the first time this saint has visited Tiruvannamalai. In 1982 with a group of 50 devotees she visited Arunachala to attend the 1982 Karthigai Deepam Festival. 

The story goes like this:- 

Mother Amritananadamayi at Karthigai Deepam 1982 

"At the end of November 1982, Mother and a group of us went to Tiruvannamalai on a ten-day pilgrimage. This was the first time that Mother had left Her village for such a long time, and also the first time that the Krishna and Devi bhavas would not be held since their inception in 1975. We took a train on a Monday morning after the Sunday night bhava darshan and arrived the next day. There were about 40 or 50 of us, and we all stayed in the two houses I had built when I had earlier resided there. Mother gave darshan in the house in the daytime. Many devotees who were living in and around the ashram came to see Her. In the evenings She sang devotional songs in Ramanashram in front of Ramana Maharshi's tomb, or samadhi shrine as it is called. 

On the morning after our arrival, a sannyasi called Kunju Swami came to visit Mother. He had been born in Kerala and was a disciple of the famous saint Narayana Guru, who had lived at the beginning of the century. Narayana Guru had brought him to Tiruvannamalai when he was a young man and had entrusted him to Ramana Maharshi for his spiritual upbringing. He was now in his eighties. But Mother treated him like a five-year-old boy, and he enjoyed it, behaving like a child with his own mother. When he sat in meditation, Mother placed Her hand on his shaved head and danced a little "ditty" while going round and round him. 

A friend of mine in Tiruvannamalai told me that when I had left to stay with Mother in the beginning of 1980, Kunju Swami had said, "Nealu would never have left this place until his death if the Mother there in Kerala were anyone but Parashakti (the Supreme Power)." And you could see in his expression that he indeed looked upon Mother as the Goddess incarnate. 

It was the Karthigai festival day at Tiruvannamalai, and it was customary for the devotees who had come to take part in the festival and circumambulate the holy hill Arunachala. To complete the circumambulation of Arunachala, one has to walk more than 12 kilometres. It was only the day before that we had climbed all the way up and down the hill with Amma, and thus that day all of us were feeling tired. So none of us stirred to do the circumambulation. 

That day Mother suddenly bolted out of our residence all alone. This was obviously an escape; She clearly did not want anyone to follow Her. Since I was the only person who saw Her leave, I immediately grabbed some bananas, cookies, and drinking water, put them in a bag and ran after Her. Having witnessed Mother's lack of body-consciousness, I knew that She might very well get lost. I followed Her from a distance as She walked around Arunachala Hill, obviously in an intoxicated mood. Seeing me running out of the house, all the others followed on my heels. Mother was walking at a very rapid pace and gradually She disappeared into the distance, leaving us behind. 

We immediately hired a horse-cart and started driving around Arunachala Hill, looking intently for Amma. The previous day, while climbing the hill with Her, we had come across many caves on both sides. Amma had gone into some of them to meditate and it was only after much urging that She could be persuaded to come out. While descending from the mountain, Amma had said, "I don't feel like coming down, but thinking of you children I am restraining myself." So we guessed that Amma might be sitting in one of those caves. But how to find Amma among the numberless caves on this vast hill? Everyone was worried. 

The horse-cart finally reached the hill. After travelling a few miles, we suddenly caught a glimpse of Amma's form, walking far ahead of us on the road. When we had driven up fairly close to Her, we got down off the cart. It was a glorious sight to see Amma. She was swaying to and fro while walking, as if drunk. Her whole body was vibrating, and Her hands were forming sacred mudras (mystic hand poses). Her eyes were half closed and a blissful smile glowed on Her face. It looked as if the Goddess Parvati were circumambulating Lord Shiva! We followed Amma and instructed the horse-cart to follow us. We began chanting Vedic mantras and loudly singing bhajans. The hills echoed with our chanting. The bliss of samadhi that radiated from Amma, together with the joy of singing and chanting, blessed all of us with a sublime experience. 

After we had followed Amma for some distance, She turned round and cast a glance of indescribable love at us. Her gaze held so much compassion and power that it seemed she was burning away all our karma and vasanas (deep-rooted tendencies). Slowly Amma came down to our level. Soon She was laughing and talking with us affectionately. A little tired by the long walk, She sat down under a tree at the roadside for a few minutes. Despite our suggestions, She refused to get into the horse-cart, and was soon up and walking again. Thus we all walked for the full eight miles around the hill. 

Towards the end of the circumambulation, we saw a snake charmer playing his flute by the side of the road. Amma went and sat before him, watching with great interest as the snake danced to the music of the flute. Like a little child, Amma asked, "Children, why don't snakes have hands and feet?" Her innocent question made us all laugh. She Herself then gave the answer: "In their previous lives, they may not have used their hands and legs properly. Children, keep in mind that such a birth could come to anyone who misuses what God has given him." 

Now her facial expression had completely changed, revealing the seriousness and majesty of the Guru. "Children," She continued, "Amma knows that you love Amma more than anything else. You cannot think of any form of God other than Amma. Therefore, you do not really have to circumambulate the hill. However, you must become a role model for society and should set an example for others to follow. In olden days, people were able to see God in their gurus. But in the present age, not many people have that power of discernment. This is why conventional rites and rituals are required for the ordinary person. Society can learn from your example how to follow these practices. So, in the future, always honour those rituals in order to uplift mankind. Amma Herself does these practices to teach you the proper path." 

We all sat in chastened silence, absorbing Amma's words. After a few moments, Amma continued, "Children, don't be sad thinking that Amma is always correcting you. Never think that Amma doesn't love you. It is only out of Amma's overflowing love for you that She instructs you. Children, you are Amma's treasure. When Amma renounced everything, there was only one thing that She couldn't renounce -- and that was you, my children. It is only when Amma sees you becoming the Light of the world that She feels truly happy. Amma doesn't require your praise or service. Amma only wants to see you acquire the strength to bear the burdens and the suffering of the world." 

"Mother's profound, nectar-like words brought our egos crumbling to the ground. Falling at Her feet we prayed, "O Mother, please make us noble! Please make us so pure that our lives may be sacrificed for the salvation of the whole world." 

For the Karthika Deepam, a sacred fire was lit on top of Arunachala Hill, representing the light of spiritual illumination blazing forth in the darkness of ageless ignorance. We all went to the town one morning to see the chariot festival. Images of the local deities were placed in a huge, ornately carved wooden chariot more than 100-feet tall, and a procession was made through the streets with people pulling the chariot by rope. It was a joyous occasion and a sight to behold. 

While Mother was standing on the balcony of one of the buildings to get a good view of the chariot, an avadhuta named Ramsuratkumar came to see her. He had been a disciple of the well-known Swami Ramdas of Kanhangad in northern Kerala. Ramsuratkumar was highly revered in Tiruvannamalai for his saintliness. Dressed in rags, he had a long, flowing beard and in his hand he carried a fan. In Mother's presence, he became like a little child, and looked upon her as his spiritual mother. This opened the eyes of the local devotees as to who Mother really was. 

After 10 blissful days in Tiruvannamalai, we all returned to the Ashram (in Kerala)." 

[By Swami Paramatmananda] 

2 January 2018

First Arunachala 2018 Girivalam



Yesterday was a very sunny, mild day and a large number of devotees were in Tiruvannamalai to take darshan at Arunachaleswarar Temple and perform girivalam of Arunachala.

January 2018 has 2 girivalams. The second one (at the end of the month) will occur:

January Tuesday 30.01.2018 from 10.09 p.m. to January Wednesday 31.01.2018 to 7.58 p.m.


To view the complete 2018 Arunachala Poornima calendar, go to this link here.



Devotees waiting in line to take darshan of Lord Annamalaiyar at Arunachaleswarar Temple

Crowds of devotees performed January Arunachala girivalam

13 November 2017

2018 INDIA Full Moon Calendar



For those wanting to plan a visit to Arunachala to coincide with the Full Moon, check the below Calendar.






31 March 2017

Parvthamalai Girivalam 2017: Meditative Video


Parvathamalai 20 kms from Polur and 30 kms from Tiruvannamalai, is part of the Javadi Hills and accessible through Kadaladi village or Thenmadhimangalam. Parvatham means mountain and Parvatha Malai as it is called, connotes ‘Hill of Hills’ or ‘Queen of Hills’. Parvathamalai presents eight different shapes from eight directions around the hill. Parvathamalai’s close proximity to Tiruvannamalai ensures that it is infused with Arunachala’s radiating spiritual power.


Parvathamalai


The Sage of Kanchi (Kanchipuram) the great Sri Shankaracharya Chandrashekarendra Saraswati twice undertook pilgrimages of the Indian peninsula on foot from Benares in the North to Rameshwaram in the South. On one of those pilgrimages (written about in Paul Brunton’s book, ‘In Search of Secret India’) he visited Parvathamalai after his time at Arunachala. On seeing Parvathamalai he declared that it is in actual fact a Siva Lingam and proceeded to walk the 25 kms circumference base of the Hill. From that time the fame of Parvathamalai girivalam has spread.



Arunachala (centre back) from Parvathamalai Summit


Nowadays many devotees and pilgrims visit and climb the hill to worship at the Temple on the summit in order that they may attain bliss and enlightenment. Others following the example of the Shankaracharya prefer not to walk on the Hill itself but instead choose to perform the 25 km (approximately 8 hours to complete) girivalam around its base. The busiest times at Parvathamalai are the days of full moon, no moon and new moon.

Below is a meditative video compiled of sequential photographs of Parvathamalai Girivalam. The 25 km walk starts at Thenmadhimangalam where the main highways converge—the Hill is ever to the right and the video finishes at the starting point.

To find out more about Parvathamalai, visit this link here.





28 August 2016

The Dasha Lingams: Arunachala Girivalam


The famed Lingam Temples (Asta Lingams) are arranged around the octagonal perimeter of Arunachala. Each of these Temples are located at the four cardinal and four inter-cardinal points. This was believed by the ancients who originally constructed the Lingams at their eight cardinal and inter-cardinal points to represent, characterise and vitalise certain aspects and qualities of life in relation to specific fields of energy and influence. 

For more information about the asta lingams, go to this link here




The Asta Lingams: 

Indra Lingam (East) 
Agni Lingam (South East) 
Yama Lingam (South) 
Niruthi Lingam (South West) 
Varuna Lingam (West) 
Vayu Lingam (North West) 
Kubera Lingam (North) 
Esanya Lingam (North East) 


The Lingams have the dominant Navagraha of the God to whom they are associated. It is believed that placating a specific Lingam will bring various benefits that are associated with the respective Navagraha. 

In addition to the Asta Lingams, there are two additional Lingams on the girivalam roadway which according to the oral tradition of the region are part of what is considered the “Dasha Lingams” (10 Lingams) of Arunachala. 

These two additional Lingams are Chandra Lingam and Surya Lingam. For information about the escoteric significance of Chandra Lingam, go to this link here

To find out about Surya Lingam and its juxtaposition with Chandra Lingam and how the Lingams are stationed at the gateways to both the Lingam of Arunachala Hill and the Shiva Lingam at Arunachaleswarar Temple’s Moolasthanam, go to this link here

18 January 2016

Pongal 2016 Gods Girivalam


There are two times Lord Siva perform girivalam of Arunachala each year. Those times are during the Karthigai Deepam Festival and the Pongal Festival. As well as a particular esoteric significance attached to the Girivlams at both those times, another reason for the circumambulation is for the Lord to give old and infirm devotees who live around Arunachala His darshan. 


Preparing the Lord for girivalam

Lord Arunachaleswarar ready for girivalam

8 October 2014

October 2014 Poornima, Arunachala


If you want an easy wait-free darshan at Arunachaleswarar Temple best to avoid visiting Arunachala during Poornima as the number of pilgrims visiting Tiruvannamalai is noticeably increasing in size month after month. The line, in the photographs, extends out of the Sannidhi to crowd barriers in the outlying courtyard.


Waiting in line for darshan of Lord Annamalaiyar, Big Temple


Pilgrims performing girivalam around the 14 km perimeter of Arunachala arrive during the 24 hour poornima period. In this photograph taken near the Sri Seshadri Ashram and the opposite Kali Temple, the crowds are only just beginning to build up. 


Pilgrims taking darshan at Lord Dakshinamurti Shrine on Chengham Road

13 August 2014

August 2014 Supermoon at Arunachala


In this third quadrant of 2014 we have already experienced two perigee “supermoons” in consecutive months; July and August. The just completed (full moon) of August 10, 2014 was the second of the three “perigee” moons, nowadays known as “supermoons”. Such moons are around 15% bigger and 30% brighter than an ordinary full moon. The recent supermoon of August 10, was the largest of the three, presenting a moon that was only 356,896 kilometers (221,765 miles) from Earth. The third and last supermoon of this sequence will be on September 9, 2014. 

To find out more about Supermoons, please visit this link here on my Arunachala Mystic Blog. 



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 August moon from behind the Earth viewed from International Space Station


Unfortunately as it was wet and cloudy at Arunachala on the night of August full moon, we were not able to get a good view of the much awaited supermoon. However the rain did not deter pilgrims from performing girivalam throughout the day and night of this just concluded full moon. 


Pilgrims on girivalam in the afternoon of full moon day

Pilgrims on north side of Arunachala on their girivalam


Next full moon India: Tuesday, 09 September 2014 around 7:08 AM 

7 August 2014

Sri Nannagaru a previous Arunachala Visit


Words from the Guru 

Bhagavan said, ‘You have intelligence and devotion. It is these that have brought you here. They will reform you and improve you. Your intelligence, devotion and ardent desire will enable you to attain peace. Devotion establishes contact with God. If you have that contact always, all sins will be washed away. Forget about the false ‘I’, devotion to God itself will reveal to you the Truth.’ 

It is enough if you have great devotion to God. Devotion purifies the mind and the purified mind turns inward. When this happens, the mind merges in the Heart. The result is that you experience Truth. It is peace, bliss; it is being. The moment this is realised one becomes free. The key to this is going beyond the mind. It is the mind alone that torments and which has to be conquered. 


Sri Nannagaru


When one has God as the centre of his life he does not feel any sorrow. When there is a liking for something, we do not feel any hardship in doing a job. He who takes the sorrows of daily life in a joyful attitude is the real sadhaka. Only a sadhaka attains the goal or siddhi - siddhi means the knowledge of what already exists. One who is not a sadhaka can never become a siddha. 

The fruits of one’s action are to be given to the society, it is real worship. He that cannot love his neighbor cannot hope to love God.True belief and abidance in the Self is surrender. Surrender is the beauty of the Self. If one loves the God within, one purifies the intellect. If you are devoted to God, God gives you the boon of liberation, as well as mundane success. If one acts with a purified mind, abiding in the Self, the reward is God’s grace. 


The below video was made over three years ago and follows Sri Nannagaru during a car circumambulation of Arunachala. As is his custom he stopped at some Temples and Shrines, including Kubera Lingam, at which place he gave a discourse in Telegu. Later in the video Guruji is seen visiting Ramana Ashram. 




Sri Nannagaru at Arunachala




Sri Nannagaru is scheduled to visit Arunachala between August 22 and September 2, 2014. Approximately 2,000 devotees are expected to follow him from Andhra Pradesh to Tiruvannamalai. As of yet a definite programme has not been announced regarding darshan and discourses. 

Sri Nannanagaru has been in poor health for several years and for this reason did not visit Arunachala for the 2013 Deepam. As the journey from his native place is very strenuous it is not known when Sri Nannagaru will again attempt the trip to Tiruvannamalai. For this reason for those eager to take his darshan, it is advisable to take full advantage of the Guruji's upcoming visit to Arunachala. 

To learn more about the teachings of Sri Nannagaru please visit his Website at this link here and Blog at this link here


20 May 2014

2014 Chitrapoornima Girivalam


An estimated 10 Lakhs pilgrims (one million) visited Tiruvannamalai this year to perform Chitra Poornima girivalam around Arunachala. After Deepam, Chitra Poornima attracts the largest number of visitors to Tiruvannamalai in order to walk around the Hill. 

During the full moon period and the days both previous and after, the area was inundated with heavy rain, which was the tail end of a storm coming up from Sri Lanka. The rain was welcomed by all, as it cooled the town and girivalam roadway down most effectively.

The two photographs below are of the daytime girivalm crowd on the Chengam Road (outside Seshadri Ashram) part of the girivalam roadway. However the BIG crowds mostly performed circumambulation in the night time of the full moon. 



Girivalam near Seshadri Ashrlam

7 March 2013

Om Arunachala Application

A very nice application designed for both iPhone and iPad has just appeared on iTunes, which might be of interest to readers. Below is the information on the relevant iTunes page. I include one of the screenshots of the app. The information on the relevant download page explaining the application goes as follows:

"OmArunachala is an universal application designed as an easy reminder for the important days of the Lord Shiva's sacred pilgrimage Thiruvannamalai. This application is created with the Lord's devotees and those who are interested in Hinduism or ancient India's culture, in mind. This app carries with it the most important dates of Thiruvannamalai and let the user add any such date as a reminder to the device. 


screenshot of application


Following list of dates can be viewed for the year 2013 with this app: 

1) Girivalam (Full Moon -- Mountain Walk) 
2) Amavasai or Amavasya (New Moon night) 
3) Karthigai Deepam (Sacred day of the mountain itself; Considered the most important day of the temple and The devotees) 
4) Pradosham (Sacred day of Lord Shiva) 

The chanting within this app offers the divine chanting of Lord Shiva, which according to the ancient text, purifies the soul and increases the concentration of the enchanter. The devotees are advised to chant the Mantra while visiting Thiruvannamalai, Lord Shiva's city of sacrificial fire." 

To go to the relevant iTune page go to this link here.

 

6 May 2012

Chitra Poornima Girivalam


To view enlargements of below, right click on individual photographs. 

I was very eager to perform girivalam this month, as Chitra Poornima, the first full moon of the Tamil year is so very special. I set off at 5 p.m. and expected to complete the full round of the Hill by 9.30 p.m. 

Many devotees had arranged the feeding of pilgrims. And the first place I stopped at was a puja being conducted by a group from various spots in South India, on behalf of their Guru (who had attained samadhi). 

A member of the group told me that they had arranged enough provisions so that they could feed 70,000 pilgrims. The provisions included: 4,000 kg of rice, 500 kg of dhal and 1,000 litres of curd. This is the sixth year (during Chitra Poornima) that this group has arranged such a puja and feeding. 







A huge crowd was expected for this poornima, and huge it was. As so many pilgrims had arranged prasad all along the girivalam roadway, many of the roadside restaurants had little business throughout the 24 hour poornima. Though it seems like tea shops did a roaring business.




Roadside artists were in attendance. And there were beautiful coloured drawings throughout the edges of the roadway. 

 

 You could get your palm read and future foretold. 



Or just stop for a moment and enjoy a 
refreshing green coconut. 



Or even a cooling glass of sugarcane water. 






The little boy in the below photograph, is whispering his secrets and wishes into the ear of Nandi, the mount of the great Lord Shiva. By the time I reached the next statue of Nandi, I too was ready to do my own whispering! 



The mood of the pilgrims was happy, and the crowds seemed to be enjoying their girivalam enormously. Many of the pilgrims I spoke with, mentioned that it was their first time at Arunachala. 

In this respect the Arts College Car Park was filled with out-of-State cars, mostly from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.



 





It started to get quite dark, and time for me to put away the camera, and continue on my walk. Which did in fact take the expected time and I arrived home almost on the dot of 9.30 p.m. 



18 November 2007

Favourite Arunachala Activites

In our recent poll asking readers, "What do you enjoy most at Arunachala", 48% answered performing girivalam around the Hill was their favourite event when visiting the area. 35% (of readers) answered their preferred activity was spending time at Ramana Ashram, 33% replied they enjoyed visiting Arunachaleswarar Temple as their major activity, while nearly 22% choose to climb or walk upon the Hill as their primary activity.
[readers were allowed to vote for more than one activity]