Arunachala · Tiruvannamalai The sacred hill of fire

Arunachala · Tiruvannamalai

The sacred hill of fire, the sage Ramana Maharshi, and the great walk around the mountain.

The complete, honest guide to Arunachala — how to visit, how to walk Girivalam, the life and teaching of Ramana, the saints of the hill, the full sacred calendar, and everything the pilgrim and the seeker need. Written with care, and free.

The next full-moon Girivalam Check the 2026 Pournami calendar Every full moon, pilgrims walk the 14 km around the hill through the night · all 13 dates & timings →
The Maha Deepam flame blazing atop Arunachala hill on Karthigai Deepam, with the temple gopurams and a devotee below
The night of light · 24 November 2026

Karthigai Deepam 2026

When the cosmic flame ignites atop Arunachala, the night sky bows to a single light that outshines a million stars. Our complete guide to the greatest festival of the sacred hill ~ the date, the timings, the Girivalam, where to watch, and how to be there.

days
hours
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Maha Deepam lit~6:00 PM IST, 24 Nov
The flame~3 tonnes of ghee, burns 10 days
Pilgrims20+ lakh expected
Read the complete 2026 guide →
The towering Rajagopuram of the Arunachaleswarar temple reflected in the temple tank at Tiruvannamalai
The great temple

Arunachaleswarar Temple

A walled sacred city at the foot of the hill ~ twenty-five acres, nine gopurams, and a thousand years of unbroken worship. Here Shiva is honoured as the element of fire, in one of the five great element-temples of the south. Our complete guide to its history, its layout, the darshan timings, and how to visit.

66 mThe Rajagopuram, one of India’s tallest
9towering gopurams
Agnithe fire element of the Pancha Bhuta Sthalams
Explore the temple guide →

Everything the guide covers

The hill and its fire, the great walk, the sage Ramana, the saints of two thousand years, the sacred calendar, and everything the visit needs ~ each explored in depth. Follow whichever calls you.

The inner path

The Siddha way of Girivalam

More than a pilgrimage ~ the Tamil Siddhas knew the walk around Arunachala as a yoga in motion: a way of turning fourteen quiet kilometres into a living meditation. The seven inner rules, the infinity of visions, and the practice open to everyone who can walk with love.

Walk the Siddha way →

Popular & useful

The living spiritual town

Tiruvannamalai’s tradition of the Self is not only history ~ it lives on in ashrams and satsangs today.

Latest writing

  • The Ribhu Gita: The Non-Dual Text Ramana Loved

    The Ribhu Gita ~ the torrential song of pure non-duality that Ramana Maharshi loved and had chanted daily at his ashram, said to give the state it describes merely by being read.

  • Sacred Sounds of Arunachala: Chanting & Hymns

    The sacred audio of Arunachala ~ the Vedic chanting of the ashram, Ramana's hymns and the Aksharamanamalai, and the bhajans of the town, and where to find the authentic recordings.

  • The Skandashram Years: Ramana's Golden Time on the Hill

    The Skandashram years of Ramana Maharshi (1916–1922) ~ the intimate, golden period on the green terrace of the hill, with his mother in the kitchen, the first family of devotees, and the teaching being born.

  • The Sacred Geometry of Arunachala: Fire, Linga & the Cosmos

    The sacred geometry of Arunachala ~ the fire element and the five Pancha Bhuta Sthalams, the hill as a cosmic linga, the eight directional lingams as a mandala, and the Heart at the centre.

Browse all articles →

About this guide

ArunachalaShiva is an independent, freely-given guide to Arunachala and Tiruvannamalai — the sacred hill of Shiva, the home of Ramana Maharshi, and one of the great spiritual destinations of the world. It aims to be the most accurate, comprehensive and beautiful resource for the pilgrim, the seeker, and the curious traveller alike — honest about the practicalities, deep on the meaning, and reverent toward the living tradition of the hill.

More about this site →