[Thiruvannamalai]
Located on the foothills of Annamalai hills, Thiruvannamalai is a popular pilgrimage town in Tamil Nadu. The history of this place revolves around the Arunachaleshwara temple, which is our first stop. The temple, inhabited by saints and sages for 1000s of years, is one of the Pancha Bhuta Stalams (five ancient shrines built for sadhana around each of the five elements – fire, earth, water, air and space). The Arunachaleshwara temple was built for the element of fire.
A sojourn at Thiruvannamalai is incomplete without a short trek up the Arunachala hill, leading to the Ramanashram and Virupakshi Malai caves. It is in these caves that Ramana Maharshi had spent over a decade in meditation, and came to be known as Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi.
▵ A Sacred Walk in Southern India (Isha)
▵ ABOUT SOUTHERN SOJOURN (Isha)