Have we changed the name? Because nobody has told me or anyone else here at Tiruvannamalai!
Well I feel a little disappointed in my previously respected source of what I considered good information - i.e. Wikipedia, 'the free encyclopedia'. A couple of times when supplying a link to articles mentioned in my narratives, I referred to Wikipedia as an authority, however specialists of subjects of some of the narratives got in touch to suggest better links. I rather think those people are now right because of my own experience with Wikipedia, 'the free encyclopedia'.
Go to the 'Wikipedia' site at http://www.en.wikipedia.org/ and type 'Arunachala' in the search box and you will be sent to 'Annamalai Hill'. Which is an article supposedly maintained by the 'Tamil Nadu Work Group, to 'improve organisation and standardised look and feel of articles related to the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.' The Group has decided to abandon the name 'Arunachala' (Sanksrit) in preference for the name 'Annamalai' (Tamil).
Ironically in their blurb on the 'Annamalai Hill' page, the Group also kindly informs us that; 'This place is also known by the names Arunagiri, Annamalai, Arunachalam, Arunai, Sonagiri and Sonachalam'. Not once mentioning the accepted and loved name (used since antiquity) of 'Arunachala'.
On further investigation I also see that 'Arunachaleswarar Temple' has now been christened 'Annamalaiyar Temple' by the Tamil Group intelligentsia.
Yesterday evening I performed giripradakshina around the Hill, and pretending I was a new arrival to the area, asked many local, ordinary Tamil-speaking residents - 'What is the name of this Hill?' Each one answered 'Arunachala' on my second enquiry, 'Isn't the correct name Annamalai Hill?' I was invariably and patiently informed, 'Annamalai' is a name for Shiva, but the Hill is Arunachala and the God, Arunachaleswarar.
Well the Tamil language intelligentsia have been very successful in lots of expensive, unnecessary name changes i.e. Madras to Chennai, etc., so one needs to wait and see. But one thing for sure I will definitely be using Wikipedia a whole bunch less.
