About Girivalam | Ramana Maharishi | Tiruvannamalai

The Giri Pradakshina manifests a double ordination of space. On the one hand, it follows a course provided by a center which is the vertical axis of the Mountain. On the other hand, it is oriented by relation to the cardinal points by the distribution (on its perimeter) of shrines consecrated to the lingams of the 8 directions (Astha Lingam).

This route is 14 Kms long and about 8 metres wide. In two places, the original path has been modified in order to shorten the way. The first place is at Adi Annamalai, where 2 mandapams and a Nandi are found, now, at a distance away from the path. Secondly, between the Eluttu mandapam and the temple of Kubera, there is a Pandya milsestone foot imprints and a Nandi which are in the middle of a field. These show the trace of an older path.

One of the devotees asked Sri Ramana “several people here go around the hill frequently. What is its greatness?” Bhagavan then recounted the following story:

It seems Amba who was doing tapas went around the hill on the day of the Karthigai star in the first quarter of the night. Immediately after the darshan of the holy beacon (deepam) she was absorbed in Lord Siva. Bhagavan said to a devotee:

“The word pradakshina has a very precise meaning. The letter pra stands for removal of all kinds of sins; da stands for fulfilling desires; the syllable kshi stands for freedom from future births, na stands for giving deliverance through jnana.”

Girivalam | Tiruvannamalai

The circumambulation of Arunachala is known as Giri Pradakshina in Sanskrit and Giri Valam in Tamil. Performing pradaksha of Arunachala is considered to be beneficial in all ways.Typically, pradakshina is done in bare feet, with the Hill on the right. Sri Ramana Maharshi once explained the meaning of the word pradakshina and how it should be done by a devotee: “The letter “Pra” stands for removal of all kinds of sins; “da” stands for fulfilling the desires; “kshi” stands for freedom from future births; “na” stands for giving deliverance through jnana. If by way of Pradakshina you walk one step it gives happiness in this world, two steps, it gives happiness in heaven, three steps, it gives bliss of Satyaloka which can be attained. One should go round either in mouna (silence) or dhyana (meditation) or japa (repetition of Lord’s name) or sankeertana (bhajan) and thereby think of God all the time. One should walk slowly like a woman who is in the ninth month of pregnancy.”
Throughout the year, pilgrims engage in a practise called giri valam(circumambulation of Annamalaiyar temple and Annamalai hill 14 km in circumference), considered to be a simple and effective form of yoga. The circumambulation is started from the temple with barefoot and is considered a sacred act.The central government of India asked the Tamil Nadu government through the supreme court to direct the path of girivalam under the provision of the proposed Tamil Nadu Hertiage Conservation Act. There are 8 small shrines of lingams located in the 14 km circumference of the hill, each one associated with the 12 moon signs. These are collectively termed as Ashta Lingam(meaning 8 lingams) and is considered one of the rituals of worship during the girivalam(circumbulation of the hill).