Pilgramage to Mount Arunachala at Tiruvannamalai
Pradakshina Arunachala, Walk Around the Holy Mountain in South India
Apr 27, 2009
People come from all over the world to visit the mountain sacred to Shiva, one of the three Gods in the Hindu Trinity. At the foot of Mount Arunachala, the city of Tiruvannamalai has built up around a massive temple campus dedicated to the honor of Lord Shiva. This ancient mountain is located in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India.
Sri Ramana Maharishi and the Holy Mountain
Saints and sages throughout time have sought out the sacred mountain, but it was Sri Ramana Maharishi who made Arunachala famous to Westerners.
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (December 1879 - April 1950) was a world-renowned guru of the 20th century. Maharshi inspired many to seek out self-realization through meditation, self-inquiry and silence. It was his meditation in the caves of Mt. Arunachala that brought pilgrims from around the world to the holy mountain.
What Mount Arunachala Represents
The mountain represents the ultimate Shiva lingam, the embodiment of Lord Shiva Himself.
Locals believe that the whole world is represented by the holy hill, and to walk around it is as effective as a walk around the world. It is said that the mere thought of the mountain brings liberation of the soul from the cycle of reincarnation (moksha).
Circumambulating Arunachala
Pradakshina is another word for circumambulation, both meaning the ritualistic walk around a holy object or location. Devotees chant the mantra sacred to Lord Shiva, "Om Namah Shivaya," while circling the holy mountain on foot.
According to the Skanda Purana (sacred text), the devotee who walks around the sacred mountain is said to gain a different blessing for each day of the week:
“A devotee who circumambulates the Hill on a Sunday penetrates the region of the Sun and attains Liberation. He gains the world of Shiva. He who circumambulates the Hill on a Monday lives free from the afflictions of old age and death. He who circumambulates the Hill on a Tuesday is released from all debts and becomes an emperor. If Pradakshina is done on Wednesday, he becomes omniscient and wise; on Thursday, he is worshipped by all the devas and attains fame as a guru. Circumambulation on a Friday brings prosperity and takes him to the abode of Vishnu; a Saturday Pradakshina brings worldly success and averts the ill-effects threatened by the planets in one’s horoscope. If those who suffer from physical and mental ailments, as well as those who are weak and emaciated, circumambulate Me, their ailments are cured.”
Ashrams in Tiruvannamalai and Around Arunachala
An ashram is a religious retreat, usually built in honor of a living or deceased spiritual guru or sage. Ashrams provide food and shelter, but differ from hotels in that there can be classes, meditation facilities, and other spiritual offerings included in the small offering of money to lodge there.
Sri Ramanasramam is the name of the ashram dedicated to the memory of Sri Ramana Maharishi, and is a peaceful retreat with wild monkeys and peacocks in its courtyard. Through the back of the ashram, devotees can access the climb up the mountain to the caves where Maharishi meditated and achieved enlightenment.
Another well-known ashram, nearby to the Sri Ramanasramam, is the Seshadri Swamigal Ashramam.
The official website of Tiruvannamalai, the “City of Enlightenment,” has a fairly comprehensive listing of ashrams and more travel information about visiting the city and holy mountain.
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