Spiritual seekers from all over world comes to Tiruvannamalai, a Pilgrimage city filled with living enlightened gurus . This sacred city is Located 200 kilometer from Chennai. This ancient town has been built around Arunachala hill (Annamalai hill), a mountain with an elevation of 4000 metres.
Tiruvannamalai is famous for the sprawling Arunachala Temple temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Every full moon day people walk around the Annamalai hill and offer special prayers to the Arunachala temple called Girivalam. Spiritual gurus Yogi Ramsuratkumar , Ramana Maharshi, Arabindo, Shesathiri Swamigal , Muniyandi swamigal and many more saints and sadhus that were living and are still living here continue to bring the divine close to people.
Thiruvannamalai is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalangal representing the fire element along with Chidambaram, Sri Kalahasti, Thiruvanaikoil and Kanchipuram representing sky, air, water, earth and space respectively. Four Brahmotsavams are celebrated every year, the most famous of which is the one celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthikai (November/December). The ten day event culminates on the day of Karthigai Deepam. On that evening, a huge lamp is lit in a cauldron with three tons of ghee at the top of the Annamalai hill.
Every full moon night, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Shiva by circumambulating the Arunachala hill barefoot. The circumambulation covers a distance of about 14 km.. On the yearly Chitra Powrnami (full moon) night in the Tamil calendar year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world visit the town. Advaita Vedanta guru Ramana Maharshi lived in Thiruvannamalai for fifty three years until his death in 1950. His ashram, Ramanasramam, is located at the foot of the Arunachala hill, to the west of the town. It is a renowned spiritual centre that attracts devotees from all walks of life.