Arulachala Holy Mountain Walk - Best Pics

My time in India is quickly drawing to an end. I am now in Chennai preparing for my 2AM flight to Budapest via Bahrain and Istanbul on the morning of the 5th. I will meet my son and his fiancee in Budapest and we will spend a week exploring my/our roots in Eastern Europe. I will try to blog during that time but I may have to catch up with all of you when I re-enter the gravitational field of "home" mid- January.

On New Year's Eve, myself and a friend I met in Thiruvanamali did the holy circumambulation of Arunachala mountain. This mountain is worshipped as a form of Lord Shiva. All around the circumference, all day long, sadhus, pilgrims and curiosity-seekers walk around it in clockwise direction.

This sadhu and his puppy is my favorite photo. He was soliciting donations for "puppy support". A creative twist on the old tradition of donating to holy men. 

A myriad of temples, ashrams, holy statues are all along the way. The walk technically takes 4 hours but if you stop at each shrine it can take much longer. We started out at 4 PM and ended around 8 PM.

These sadhus were playing a game with stones and a simple drawing on the ground. My friend gave them 10 RS so we could photograph them-a standard practice to secure a photo.

There must be at least 75 or more temples of varying size along the 7 mile walk around the mountain. Here is one with the priest offering the blessings of a burning flame that was first offered to the deity behind him.

Many unique holy spots such as this forest scene of the immortal saint Babaji were along the way.

This temple to Shirdi Sai Baba was striking in its simplicity.

This is a wish fulfilling tree and people on the holy walk tie strips of cloth to the tree symbolizing their wish or offer flowers with prayers.

Beautiful lotuses are for sale along the walk to be offered at the temple of your choice. 

Here are the holy feet of Lord Shiva as a reminder to the devotees along the walk that this is a holy place. It is traditional to touch the feet showing devotion.

Just in case you missed the small feet these will remind you that "God Walks Here"!

Along the way there are many impromptu vendors. Selling holy items/souvenirs or cooking food on makeshift stoves for the tired and hungry pilgrims on the path. 

 Here is an example of a tiny shrine put together by one of the sadhus who wander the path. 

As you round the mountain you get different views of the peak, It is only about 1500 feet high but it commands the attention of the whole area. This is one of my favorite views from one of the only nature areas along the walk. 

Some people who don't care to walk, go around the mountain on bicycle, motorbike or take an auto rickshaw and stop at the holy spots along the way. This couple is enjoying food from a roadside vendor as they round.

In this part of South India there are many talented stone carvers. Quite a few have shops along the mountain path and they sell religious figures-some quite large.

As it got later and darker, the walk took on more of a mystical feeling. With ghee lamps burning in the temples and prayers chanted by priests carrying in the night breeze --it was quite other-worldly.

Sadhus in orange robes were everywhere. My friend and I each took a pocketful of 10 rupee notes to gift to beggars on the way. Since it is believed to be good karma to give to the poor/needy as part of a pilgrimage there are quite a few hopeful candidates that camp on the path and have open hands. 

Another ancient temple with beautiful evening lighting.

 A statue of a saint - not sure who...

Colorful lights here and there also made the evening walk special. It was a great way to bring in the new year.