Arunachala
Aruṇācalam / அருணாசலம்
Also known as: Annamalai, Red Mountain, Sonagiri, Hill of Light
Religions: Hinduism | Place Type: Mountain | Region: Asia
Overview
Arunachala is a sacred mountain in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India, revered in Hindu tradition as a physical manifestation of Lord Shiva. At its base stands the Arunachalesvara Temple, and each year the Karthigai Deepam festival (a Hindu festival of lights marking the manifestation of Shiva) culminates in the lighting of a great fire atop the mountain, visible for miles. Arunachala is also profoundly associated with the 20th-century sage Ramana Maharshi, who regarded the mountain itself as his spiritual guru and who lived and taught at its base.
Present
Arunachalesvara Temple is an active Shiva temple with six daily pujas. The temple attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually, with numbers swelling during festivals and full moon days. The Karthigai Deepam festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthigai (November-December), is the most significant annual event. On its tenth day, a massive fire beacon is lit atop Arunachala mountain, visible for miles around, and millions of pilgrims attend. Girivalam — circumambulation of the mountain along a 14-kilometer path — occurs daily and is especially observed on full moon nights when tens of thousands walk barefoot in devotion. Sri Ramanashram, at Arunachala's base, remains an active spiritual center where thousands visit annually to meditate and study Ramana Maharshi's teachings.
Religious Significance
Hinduism
Unlike other sacred mountains where temples house God, Arunachala itself is worshipped as Lord Shiva in physical form.
According to legend, Brahma (creator) and Vishnu (preserver) argued over who was supreme. To settle the dispute, Shiva manifested as an endless column of blazing light (jyotirlinga). Vishnu took the form of a boar and dug deep into the earth to find the bottom, while Brahma became a swan and flew upward to find the top. Both failed. Vishnu humbly accepted defeat, but Brahma lied, claiming he had seen the top. Shiva cursed Brahma to receive no worship and blessed Vishnu for his honesty. Then, to spare the universe from the intense heat of the infinite light, Shiva condensed the column into the mountain Arunachala.
Standing 2,682 feet high, the mountain represents one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams—temples representing the five elements: fire (Arunachala-Tiruvannamalai), water (Thiruvanaikaval-Trichy), earth (Kanchipuram), air (Kalahasti), and space (Chidambaram). As the fire element, Arunachala symbolizes purification and transformation.
Circumambulation of the mountain (Girivalam or Giri Pradakshina)—a 14 km barefoot walk—is considered a simple yet powerful spiritual practice that brings blessings and removes obstacles. Pilgrims perform this especially on full moon nights.
Eight lingam shrines (Ashta Lingams) are located around the hill's circumference.
History & Structure
Arunachala is mentioned in the Skanda Purana and other ancient texts. Archaeological and geological evidence suggests the mountain is one of Earth's oldest rock formations, approximately 3.8 billion years old.
The Arunachalesvara Temple at the mountain's base dates to the 9th century CE, built during the Chola dynasty, with later expansions under the Vijayanagara rulers in the 14th–16th centuries.
In 1896, 16-year-old Ramana Maharshi came to Arunachala after a profound spiritual awakening and remained there until his death in 1950. He lived in caves on the mountain and later established Sri Ramanashram at its base. His teachings of self-inquiry attracted seekers worldwide, bringing international attention to Arunachala's spiritual significance.
Resources
- Wikipedia: Arunachala