Arunachala, the Mountain of Light, has been revered since ancient times as Shiva, God himself in the form of a hill. It is the same Annamalai
of the Puranic epic, to whom the quarreling Brahma and Vishnu finally bowed in surrender, acknowledging the Supreme Being who manifested
before them as an infinite pillar of light, thus quelling their dispute and restoring peace throughout the cosmos. The eponymous town
of Tiruvannamalai nestles at its foot, with the magnificent Big Temple of Lord Arunachaleshwarar at the centre of its raison d'etre. A grand cycle of religious festivals punctuates the annual calendar, crowned by the 10-day Deepam Festival in November-December. A giant fire is lit on the peak of the Mountain, which burns for more than a week and can be seen for miles around. Every month, on the night of the full moon,
hundreds of thousands of devotees throng to Tiruvannamalai to perform giripradakshina, the 13-km circumambulation of the Mountain. It is a living tradition that Arunachala has sheltered saints and spiritual practitioners down the ages. Most recently, this vibrant spiritual centre
was made well-known throughout the world by Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950), widely regarded as one of the greatest sages of modern India. Even today, seekers the world over are drawn to the potent presence of Arunachala, with whom the Maharshi totally identified himself.
Dev Gogoi is a photographer/writer/graphic designer/editor based in Tiruvannamalai, South India, at the feet of the sacred mountain Arunachala.
