Arunachala

Arunachala, meaning red mountain, rises in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai district and counts among the five chief Shaiva sacred sites of the south. The Arunachalesvara temple stands at its foot, and the hill also goes by names such as Annamalai and Arunagiri. Legend says Shiva appeared here as a column of light to settle a quarrel between Brahma and Vishnu, then took the form of the mountain, and the hill itself is worshipped as Shiva.

Each year in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November–December) a great lamp is lit on the summit and tens of thousands gather in the town. Pilgrims walk round the hill barefoot, keeping it to their right, in a circuit called Girivalam or Malai Suttru, believed to bring blessings of every kind. The hill is also central for followers of Ramana Maharshi, whose ashram lies at its base.