The complete Girivalam guide

What Girivalam is

Girivalam comes from the Tamil giri (hill) and valam (going around). Traditionally, devotees walk around Arunachala as an act of pilgrimage. In the Arunachala tradition the hill is regarded as Shiva himself, so walking around it is a form of pradakshina, the clockwise circling of a sacred object. The Arunachala Mahatmyam, part of the Skanda Purana, praises the practice, and Ramana Maharshi encouraged those who were able to do it.

According to the Tiruvannamalai District Administration, pilgrims do Girivalam on full-moon days and on festival days such as Karthigai, the first day of a Tamil month and Tamil New Year. People also walk it on ordinary days.

The route at a glance

Distance	About 14 km (8½ miles), per the district administration
Direction	Clockwise, with the hill on your right
Traditional start	East Rajagopuram of Arunachaleswarar Temple
Surface	Tarred road with footpaths on most stretches; mostly level
Typical time	4–6 hours with stops; about 3 hours for brisk walkers
On the way	8 Lingams, many shrines and tanks, Adi Annamalai temple, ashrams

From the temple the route runs south-west along Chengam Road past Sri Ramanasramam, round the western side of the hill through Adi Annamalai, and back into town from the north-east. The route guide describes each stretch.

The interactive map loads here. Every place is also listed below.

List of mapped places

• Arunachaleswarar Temple · open in Google Maps
• Arunachala Hill (summit, 814 m) · open in Google Maps
• Sri Ramanasramam · open in Google Maps
• 1. Indra Lingam (East) · open in Google Maps
• 3. Yama Lingam (South) · open in Google Maps
• 4. Niruthi Lingam (South-west) · open in Google Maps
• 5. Varuna Lingam (West) · open in Google Maps
• 7. Kubera Lingam (North) · open in Google Maps
• Chandra Lingam · open in Google Maps

The eight lingams

Eight lingams stand along the path, one for each direction, each associated with the guardian deity of that direction (the Ashta Dikpalakas). Pilgrims usually stop at each one in order.

The district administration notes a few specifics:

• Agni Lingam is the only one on the right side of the path.
• Yama Lingam is about 3 km from the Rajagopuram.
• Varuna Lingam is about 8 km from it.
• Devotees traditionally offer coins at Kubera Lingam.

Each lingam is described on the 8 Lingams.

How long it takes

Girivalam time calculator

Approximate walking estimate

Walking pace

Slow · 3 km/hElderly walkers, barefoot on hot roads, young children Normal · 4 km/hMost adult pilgrims with short stops Brisk · 5 km/hFit walkers who keep moving Custom km/h

Distance (km) Time at shrines and rest stops None About 20 min About 45 min About 1 h 30 min About 2 h 30 min (all lingams, long stops) Start time

Walking time 3 h 30 min With stops 4 h 15 min Likely finish 10:15 PM

This is a rough guide, not a promise. Pournami crowds can double the time. The standard route is about 14 km (Tiruvannamalai District Administration).

For pace advice and what slows people down, see distance and walking time.

When to go

• Pournami (full moon). Most pilgrims walk through the night while the Pournami tithi lasts, and crowds are very large. The Pournami calendar gives the start and end times, and Pournami and night Girivalam explains what to expect.
• Any other day. Early morning, between about 5 and 9 AM, is cool and quiet.
• Avoid midday heat from March to June, when the road surface gets very hot.
• Festival days such as Karthigai Deepam and Maha Shivaratri bring the largest crowds of the year.

Practical essentials

• Footwear: barefoot is traditional, not compulsory. Walk after sunset or before 9 AM if barefoot; cotton socks help.
• Water: carry it. Stalls and water points line the route, with many more on Pournami.
• Direction and side: keep the hill on your right and walk on the left side of the road.
• Plastic: single-use plastic is banned in Tamil Nadu, so carry a bottle and a cloth bag.
• Valuables: keep them to a minimum; crowds on full-moon nights are dense.
• Stopping part-way: autos wait at several points along the road.

More detail is in the first-time Girivalam guide and Girivalam with children and elderly family members.

Climbing the hill is different

Girivalam goes around Arunachala, not up it. The hill is forest land, and climbing to the summit is regulated. It is generally allowed only on specific occasions, such as the day of the Maha Deepam, and then only with passes issued in limited numbers. Short, well-used footpaths lead from Sri Ramanasramam to Virupaksha Cave and Skandashram.

Girivalam guides

• Route & mapThe Girivalam route around Arunachala with a map: where to start, which direction, each stretch of the 14 km road, lingams, and stopping part-way.
• The 8 LingamsThe eight Ashta Lingams on the Girivalam path around Arunachala: Indra, Agni, Yama, Niruthi, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera and Esanya, with directions, traditions, notes and map.
• Distance & walking timeGirivalam is about 14 km. See typical walking times at slow, normal and brisk pace, what slows you on Pournami, and estimate your own finish time.
• Pournami & night GirivalamWhat Pournami Girivalam is like: when to start within the full-moon tithi, crowds and road closures, walking at night safely, and the busiest full moons of the year.
• First-time GirivalamA first-timer's guide to Girivalam at Tiruvannamalai: what to carry, what to wear, barefoot or not, etiquette on the path, food and water, and a simple step-by-step plan.
• With children & eldersCan children and elderly people do Girivalam? Practical advice on pace, timing, footwear, rest, shorter options by auto, crowd safety and health precautions for families.