Arunachaleshwara Thiruvannamalai

Arunachaleshwara Thiruvannamalai is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalas — five temples in South India where Shiva is worshipped as one of the five classical elements. Here he is agni (fire). The Agni Liṅga is the mountain itself — Arunachala, said to be the oldest mountain on earth. The mountain IS Shiva's fire-linga, of which the sanctum linga is merely a symbolic copy. Ramaṇa Maharṣi lived in caves on this mountain for 50+ years. The Kārttikai Dīpam festival (Nov–Dec) is one of th