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A Journey across India: The call to Adventure

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An easy, practical and in-sequence itinerary planner I have travelled the length and breadth of India, and am truly proud of its rich and varied heritage. I am amazed by the tradition and values, the people, festivals, celebrations and the changing landscape. Have you wondered if it's possible to travel across India completely? Most foreigners arriving in India, land in Delhi and then travel the Golden Triangle route first- which is a good decision incase you have limited time at hand and want to make the most of it. The Golden Triangle- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur includes the much hyped Taj Mahal which invariably is part of a tourist's bucket list. This blog on the other hand- is a sequential strategy and detailed 'been there done that' itinerary plan starting from Mumbai. I am sure as we go through this Journey you will understand India better. My experiences are based from the perspective of a - digital nomad, budget backpacker and from a local standpoint. Each Itinerar
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TIRUVANNAMALAI~ the abode of Shiva as Agni(Fire) : Temples of TamilNadu

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How to reach Tiruvannamalai

If you are coming from Chennai, Tiruvannamalai is roughly 4.30hrs drive via Tindivanam and there are plenty of buses on this route. There is also an excellent train network to multiple railway stations nearby, such Villupuram Jn, Tindivanam and Tiruvannamalai. 

However, if you are following my itinerary, then continue the journey about 83km/ 2 hr by road from Vellore.




Tiruvannamalai~ the abode of Shiva as Agni (blog)
Tiruvannamalai~ the abode of Shiva as Agni (blog)


Peacocks, Peacocks everywhere!

 
peacocks on a rooftop at Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu
peacocks on a rooftop at Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu


peacocks on the terrace, peacocks in the courtyard and in your doorway, much like the fowl we see everyday. The last time I witnessed that many peacocks was during the drive to Annamalai WLS (also in Tamilnadu). 

Much to the delight of wildlife enthusiasts and tourists, the rising number of peafowls closer to the hills are on a other hand a matter of great distress to farmers. Even so, this gorgeous vehicle of Lord Murugan is loved and cared by the locals who live here.
 
 

TIRUVANNAMALAI~ A Global Spiritual destination

Another noteworthy sight is the growing number of foreign tourists seeking spiritual comfort in this small temple town. 

Much to the delight of the locals who once depended on agriculture for their livelihood; now see this as a great opportunity to earn from spiritual tourism. The local administration however is far behind in improving the needs even for domestic tourists. The roads are not so good and lodging facilities are basic. It was difficult to even spot an orientation/ pilgrim's office around. Possibly the only time they are active is during festival days.

Most foreign tourists who arrive here prefer to spend their time at the Ramana ashram. 

 

ARUNACHALESWARAR : the Agni Shiva

The ARULMIGU Annamalaiyar kovil (temple) at Tiruvannamalai where SHIVA is Arunachaleshwara is an important temple.  This is our 3rd Pancha bhoota sthala and the SHIVLING here represents AGNI (Fire 🔥).  Our previous two pancha bhoota sthalas were Ekambareshwarar temple at KANCHIPURAM which represents the element #EARTH and SRI KALAHASTI temple at Chittoor, A.P.  which represents the element #AIR.


We nudged our way along the queue to the main sanctum, almost haphazardly. 

"This place is so disorganised, Isn't it!?!" said a guy walking beside me. "I totally agree," I replied. We were here during non-festivals days and it seemed nobody cared much about keeping order. "Are you from India?" asked the guy making conversation. "Well, yes... What about you?".. "I'm from Malaysia," he replied. 
 
devotees partaking of the prasadam
devotees partaking of the prasadam
 
  
So you see, countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have a significant number of devotees of Tamil origin who arrive here and measure the quality of basics based on their country standards. I sincerely hope the local authorities pay heed to improve the quality of overall administration.


Taking a break at a local cafe

It was a perfect afternoon and time to take a break. So after darshan we stepped into a nearby cafe for some refreshments. 
 
tamato jalapeno thin crust pizza + watermelon mojito
tomato jalapeno thin crust pizza + watermelon mojito


I noticed another lady wearing a peacock 🦚 color outfit. "Have you been here long?" I was curious to know more about the town. "Not too long, just a few days. I'm staying at the Ramana ashram", said the friendly lady. Apparently, the ashram of Ramana Maharshi at Tiruvannamalai offers free accommodation, food and probably extended stay for those who wish to do sadhana and meditation. Request for stay however needs to be done a few weeks prior  through email.

Girivalam~ the sacred pathway

Across the cafe is the arch gateway leading to a circumambulatory pathway around the sacred Arunachala hill.

the arch gateway leading to a circumambulatory pathway~ as seen across the cafe
the arch gateway leading to a circumambulatory pathway

 
It is this hill that represents the Agni lingam (a tall column of fire). Full moon and festival days like Karthiga witness a surge of devotees who circumambulate the hill. I'm sure it must be quite an experience. 


It was almost late evening and time to call it a day for now. I do hope you enjoyed reading this blog. Your comments will be appreciated. Bye for now!



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