Thiruvannaamalai

Thiruvannamalai (Tamil: திருவண்ணாமலை) is a pilgrimage town and municipality in Thiruvannamalai district in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai district. Thiruvannamalai is home to the Annamalaiyar Temple located at the foot of the Annamalai hill. This place is around 185 km  from the city of Chennai. Thiruvannamalai has long been associated with many yogis and siddhars and more recently the 20th century guru Ramana Maharshi.

Thiruvannamalai is one of the panchabhootasthalas representing the fire element along with Chidambaram, Sri Kalahasti, Thiruvanaikoil and Kanchipuram representing sky, air, water and earth respectively.
Four Brahmotsavams are celebrated every year, the most famous of which is the one celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthigai (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, lakhs of pilgrims come from across the world to worship Him.
The height of the Arunachala hill is approximately 1600 feet.
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.
Seshadri Swamigal and Yogi RamSurat Kumar are examples of two other gurus who lived in this city.

Source: Wikipedia

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