[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I'm confused... This implies that it is not actually possible to drive to the town at all ?

Very unlikely. There have hardly been any restrictions in general this time. Whatever was there has been totally relaxed in the lead up to local body elections on 19th Feb. This is no Karthigai Deepam, for overcrowding in Tiruvannamalai. You have a hotel booking, call them up, easily the best source for the ground situation.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Very unlikely. There have hardly been any restrictions in general this time. ...

And I'm sure that hserus would have been very explicit if he had meant a total exclusion! I just had a small panic there

[rajwheelz]

I have been to thiruvannamalai last December. No restrictions/checks whatsoever. I was double jabbed though. Same with Girivalam. Mask up and enjoy your trip

[tiagoatrix]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Wife suddenly announced a day trip (from home in Chennai) to Tiruvannamili! Even has an estimate from our usual driver.

I pipe up that I'd actually like to drive, if we stay overnight and don't do the round trip in one day.

What is the current procedure/restrictions at the temple (Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar of course)?

-- I read that they ask for double vax cert. We both have.

We are not planning to visit on a busy, special day (15th Feb probably). Can one just wander in and out or is there a security system?

-- Do they allow phones inside?

-- Do they allow cameras inside?

-- I imagine that the usual restrictions apply to the family member with non-brown skin? I don't mind.

Mrs G wants to visit lingams. Whilst she is much fitter than me, I doubt that she will walk 14km! From what I see on Youtube, it is an ordinary road (at least on non-special days) with ordinary traffic?

I don't know how much climbing she's interested to do, but

-- Is the hill itself currently open to visitors?

We booked one night at Hotel Arunachala. Reviews are mixed, but it caught my eye on the map as being wonderful placed.

(I don't know if it is wise or stupid, but after two years of nothing, suddenly travel is back on the agenda, with this trip, and, two days later, leaving for a few days in Wayanad --- which we will do with a driver, as I really don't have the stamina for 10-12 hour drives and am not yet prepared to do trains/planes)

We will have one afternoon, one evening and one morning there. Could have been longer, but we had already committed to another trip a couple of days later!

I plan to leave Chennai (South) not-too-early morning (8am maybe) and take GST route. Google maps says 4 hours, so I'll count on 5+ and take it easy. Any comments welcome.

I am from tiruvannamalai.

There is currently no restriction to enter the temple.
Temple's main moolasthanam (idol area) will be closed between 1230-1530

Yes you can wander in /out of the temple, no issues.

Best time to visit temple is evening hours. Click pictures of towers, enjoy the evening breeze.

Mobile phones are allowed, I have seen people carrying dslr, not sure about current regulation. It's a friendly management, believe they are allowing.

Plenty of foreigners visit temple, no restrictions.

Girivalam road is well paved with wider foot path (favor block) people walk around the mountain 24*7.Road has light traffic, with lot of sit out benches, shops for refreshments. Though there's shade throughout the path, recommend to walk around the mountain during early morning hours.

Avoid climbing the hill, it's too rocky without proper markings, not recommend.


Avoid arunachala hotel. Best hotel in town is Hotel Arpanaa

Arpanaa Hotels

No.7, Sriram Nagar, Polur Rd, near Anna Arch, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu 606601
098433 80379 https://g.co/kgs/k5s4mf

Hotel himalaya is not in Girivalam Road, slightly off and this one is much better than himalaya. This one is located right on Girivalam Road.

Road from Chennai to Tindivanam is fine but its terrible from Tindivanam to Tiruvannamalai.

If you are okay with travelling extra 40km, then travel via villupuram, excellent road. You'll reach in almost same time.

You can pm me if you need any help before /during your trip.

[Arun_S]

We are not planning to visit on a busy, special day (15th Feb probably). Can one just wander in and out or is there a security system?

No major security issues, there will be bag scanner alone when entering the main sanctum.
If you are worried about crowds, there is a 100 rs special entry ticket which you can take. As you are going on a normal day there might not be much crowd.

-- Do they allow phones inside?

Yes, they allow it inside. No concerns

-- I imagine that the usual restrictions apply to the family member with non-brown skin? I don't mind.

Lot of people visit the temple, as most of them who are visiting Ramana Maharshi Ashram come here.

Mrs G wants to visit lingams. Whilst she is much fitter than me, I doubt that she will walk 14km! From what I see on Youtube, it is an ordinary road (at least on non-special days) with ordinary traffic?

The first lingam is just near the main temple, so it is difficult to park there for long time. Usually I stay in the car for the first one alone, ask my family to visit and comeback incase they ask to move the car can move it.
The second one you need to take Right turn, sometimes people miss it as it is in a narrow road. .
Rest all are in the Girivalam path you need not worry, you will not miss them. All of them have clearly marked Green Boards so no major concerns.
The last one Yama Lingam alone, you need to cross the main road and go to the other side.

-- Is the hill itself currently open to visitors?

They don't allow climbing on the hill

We will have one afternoon, one evening and one morning there. Could have been longer, but we had already committed to another trip a couple of days later!

You will be able to visit the temple only in afternoon as it closes around 12:30 P.M. The temple usually opens at 3:30 P.M

I plan to leave Chennai (South) not-too-early morning (8am maybe) and take GST route. Google maps says 4 hours, so I'll count on 5+ and take it easy. Any comments welcome.

I usually take the GST route, as you live in ECR, take the Thiruporur - Chengalpet road, you will join just after the toll plaza, after that there should not be much crowd.

[ike]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

We booked one night at Hotel Arunachala. Reviews are mixed, but it caught my eye on the map as being wonderful placed.

It would be better to call the hotel and ask about the restrictions, they are likely to be updated more than anyone else.

[jkrkrish]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And I'm sure that hserus would have been very explicit if he had meant a total exclusion! I just had a small panic there

The crowded girivalam that happens on full moon days have been stopped. On other days, it is allowed. But, please check with the hotel, where you are booking.

Hotel Arunachala is a good location, to get inside the temple very early in the morning.

[NvrGivUp]

Hi,

I went for girivalam a week back and also had the darshan at the temple. It was on Saturday and Pradosham as well. There was heavy crowd inside the temple but nothing at all for the girivalam. Pointers for your trip

1. Dindivanam GST road is the best and it will normally take around 3.5 hrs from Guindy during the day time without any major break. Roads are under construction (20%) at few places after you take right from the GST towards Tiruvannamalai.
2. No restrictions to enter the temple. You just need a mask and they carry out a routine bag check at the entrance. It could change on the full moon day but since you are planning to visit on 15th which is a day before full moon, there should not be any problem for you.
3. To skip the crowd or queue, you may have to approach someone (nothing official, hope you can understand) at the temple. Local connects can help you here. Special entrance tickets were given few years back and I don't see that happening recently
4. Girivalam takes around 3.5 -4 hrs who are fit and young (<40) and for others it can be completed within 5-5.5 hrs. On normal weekdays, there will be hardly any people performing the girivalam by foot. Better to start by 5 pm. Before that, it will be little sunny and not so pleasant. My suggestion would be to fix an auto for 5 hrs and depending upon how you guys feel after walking few kms, you can take a call to complete the girivalam by auto.
5. If interested, you can have a small trek to virupaksha cave. Entrance through Ramanashram will be open only between 8-11 AM and 5-7 PM. There is some other entrance which you can enquire about it locally. Best to have an auto fixed and he will be able to take you around. Trekking and girivalam by foot will be very tiresome / impossible to be done on the same day. You can plan to do the girivalam in the evening and trekking on the next day morning.

Have a safe, divine and wonderful trip!

[mpksuhas]

Just to add one thing - Few years back I had stopped on way back from Pondy to visit temple. At entrance they mentioned that they wont allow me inside since I was wearing 3/4ths / shorts.

Usually I wear those when driving, hence didn't think much of that till I was stopped at the main door. I suppose that is a regular guideline in all temples, hence those visiting, do keep note.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Very grateful to all for the further information! Fantastically useful!

No problem with dress: I am an always-vesti man! If you see me in trousers or shorts, I'm either going to airport for international trip or, sometimes when rain is very heavy

We are re-jigging the dates, but very much still going. So we can re-jig hotel too. I'd prefer to be closer to temple, but wife is prioritising lingams. It is her trip!

One more question. Are the lingams enclosed? If so, do they keep temple hours, ie closed for most of the afternoon?

[adisan]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

One more question. Are the lingams enclosed? If so, do they keep temple hours, ie closed for most of the afternoon?

Yes, each Lingam is a temple on its own. I have seen only the first Lingam to be closed for a part of the day. But even then the Lingam will be visible from outside the closed door. All the other Lingams were open whenever I have gone, whether before sunrise or late evening. Request other members to correct me if I am wrong about this.

BTW, except for the first Lingam, all the other Lingams are on reasonably wide roads where parking by the side would not be a problem. You might like to consider driving instead of taking an auto, if you choose not to walk. The first Lingam is at a walkable distance from the main temple so can be covered by walk before starting the drive.

The below article has more details about each Lingam, in the order in which they come during the walk/ drive. By just typing in the name of each Lingam, Google Maps can be used for driving directions.
https://richardarunachala.wordpress....akshina-route/

Also BTW, have you considered including Sri Ramana Asramam in your trip? It is situated a little after the second Lingam, and will be open for visitors only from 8-11 am and 2-5 pm because of covid restrictions.

[Arun_S]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

One more question. Are the lingams enclosed? If so, do they keep temple hours, ie closed for most of the afternoon?

You can go in and see the lingams they don't have timings, atmost they won't have a priest.
My suggestion don't go after sunset.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks to all for the updates. We are probably bringing the trip to this week, now, and might make it two nights!

Originally Posted by tiagoatrix

Avoid arunachala hotel.

May I ask why? Any particular negatives? I didn't do much looking around, just picked it for its position and modest pricing. We do want AC, apart from that, only need basic and clean. And a parking space. Thank you very much for all the other information you have given

[tiagoatrix]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Thanks to all for the updates. We are probably bringing the trip to this week, now, and might make it two nights!



May I ask why? Any particular negatives?

You might find it difficult to park your car in that hotel.
Hotel arunachala is located adjacent to the temple, in a narrow road, in fact all the roads around the temple are narrow / occupied by encroachments. Rooms are okayish. I've been to both the hotels, found Arpana to be way better in all aspects. Arpana is located about 2 km from temple.

Since you'll be in tiruvannamalai for 2 days, try to Vist Sri ramanar ashram for a day. There's nothing much other than temple, Girivalam and ashram.

Lingams you've mentioned are located around the Girivalam path.

My pleasure

[NvrGivUp]

Originally Posted by adisan

Also BTW, have you considered including Sri Ramana Asramam in your trip? It is situated a little after the second Lingam, and will be open for visitors only from 8-11 am and 2-5 pm because of covid restrictions.

Sri Ramanashram Timings - 8 to 11 AM and 5 to 7 PM I think that's what I saw on the board. OP can check on the same with Ramanashram directly by calling them. Contact numbers are available on the Ramanashram website.