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 The Holy Mountain of Arunachala rises up with an
elevation of 2669 feet (800 m). The Road encircling
the mountain where devotees circumbulate is 8 1/2
miles which is 14 kms long. On Full Moon days and
festival days (like Karthigai, first day of the
Tamil month, Tamil New Year day) hundreds of
thousands of devotees circumbulate (GIRIVALAM) the
mountain and get the blessings of the Lord
Arunachala.
Though devoid of vegetation the hill stands in
prominence amidst picturesque surroundings and is
visible for miles around. This hill is of Igneous
rock (connected with fire) which is one of the four
kinds of mountains classified by geology. So one
sees the truth behind the tradition regarding the
origin and formation of this hill. Our religious
philosophy is based on science and there is always
the combination of Vignana and Meygnana. These two
are inextricably intertwined. An American Geologist
has stated about this mountain thus:- "Arunachala
should have been thrown up by the earth under the
stress of some violent volcanic eruption in the dim
ages before even the coal-bearing strata were
formed.
This rocky mass of granite may be dated back
to the earliest epoch of the history of our planet's
crust, that epoch which long preceded the vast
sedimentary formation in which fossil records of
plants and animals have been preserved. It existed
long before the gigantic saurians of the
pre-historic world moved their ungainly forms
through the primeval forests that covered our early
earth. It was contemporaneous with the formation of
the very crust of earth itself. Arunachala was
almost as hoary and as ancient as our planetary home
itself"." It was indeed a remnant of the vanished
continent (Kumarikandam) of Eunken Lemuria, of which
the indigenous legends still keep a few memories.
The Tamil traditions not only speak of the vast
antiquity of this and other hills, but assert that
Himalayas were not thrown up till later. Untold
centuries, therefore, pressed their weight upon this
time defying pile which arose so abruptly from the
plains. The whole peck offers no pretty panorama of
regular outline, straight sides and balanced
proportions, but rather the reverse. Even its base
wanders aimlessly about an eight mile circuit, with
several spurs and foot hills, as though unable to
make up its mind as to when it shall come to an end.
Its substance is nothing but igneous and laterise
rock". What a miracle! Such a barren rock has
captivated the souls of sages and saints for ages
together.
Legends say that Tiruvannamalai was a fire (Agni)
mountain in Krathayuga, Gold (Swarna) mountain in
Thrathayugha, Copper (Thambra) mountain in
Duvaparayuga and rock mountain in this Kaliyuga.
 Arunachala hill has a high status in our sacred
tradition and Tamil legends hold that it is far more
ancient than the Himalayas which are comparatively
known to be of later origin. Arunachala is a
combination of two Sanskrit words Aruna and Achala.
Aruna means 'red' and Achala means ' immovable'
mount, there by known as "Red Mount". It is also
called the "Hill of the Holy Beacon" and "Hill of
the Holy Fire". The philosophers would give another
interpretation for the word Arunachala. Aruna is
force(Sakthi) and Achala is Shiva i.e. that which
cannot be moved. The Hill therefore represents Shiva
and Parvathi. There is still another interpretation
Aruna means "Free from Bondage" and Achala means
"motionless, steady". The true inner meaning of the
word is that one can attain salvation only by
concentration on God free from wordly bondage. The
popular Tamil name is "Annamalai" which is also a
combination of two words 'Anna' and 'malai'. Anna or
"attained" and malai means hill. This denotes the
story of dispute between Brahma and Vishnu and the
philosophic truth behind it. From an inscription in
the temple and from the Sanskrit work "Sahitya
Retnakara" it is seen that the hill is called as
Sonachala(Red Mount). The hill is regarded as Tejo
linga(the fire symbol of God) or Jothi linga. It
stands at the rear end of the town and the temple is
at the foot of the hill.
Grivalam Path
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