Arunachaleshwara Thiruvannamalai

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 the most dramatic Hindu celebrations: a massive cauldron of 2+ tonnes of ghee is lit on the mountain summit; the flame visible for 20+ km. Pilgrims perform the 14 km barefoot girivalam (mountain circumambulation) on the full-moon of every month. Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) recognized Arunachala as "the Atman itself" and made this one of the most spiritually significant mountains in modern Hinduism.