🕉️ Arunachala Girivalam Deepam Kit 🕉️
Experience the Sacred Circumambulation of Fire
The Sacred Arunachala
Arunachala is one of the most sacred and powerful spiritual destinations in India, revered as "the red mountain that burns with spiritual energy."
Located in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, this ancient mountain is considered to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva himself, representing the element of Fire (Agni) among the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams.
"Arunachala is the Heart of the Earth. Of all holy places it is the most sacred; know it to be the Heart of the Supreme."
— Tirumular
For thousands of years, devotees have been drawn to this sacred peak, where the divine presence is felt so strongly that merely being in its presence is said to be spiritually transformative.
🌙 The Sacred Ritual of Girivalam
Girivalam (Giri + Valam) means "circumambulation of the mountain" — a sacred 14-kilometer walk around the base of Arunachala.
This ancient ritual is performed during full moon nights (Purnima) and special occasions. Pilgrims walk around the mountain, chanting mantras, meditating, and offering prayers at the 360 lingams and 18 sacred shrines along the way.
Spiritual Significance
Girivalam represents the journey of the soul around the divine. Each step taken is believed to dissolve karmas and bring the devotee closer to enlightenment.
Physical Benefits
The 14 km walk provides exercise, fresh air, and a sense of accomplishment. The practice of walking meditation brings peace and clarity to the mind.
During Girivalam, devotees often carry deepams (ghee lamps) symbolizing the light of consciousness, illuminating their spiritual path and paying homage to Lord Shiva's primordial form as the column of fire.
The 18 Deepam Shrines Around Arunachala
Along the sacred path of Girivalam, there are 18 major shrines where devotees traditionally light deepams. Each shrine has its own spiritual significance and represents different aspects of Lord Shiva's divine play.
1. RajaGopuram
The Sacred Gateway - Beginning of Girivalam
RajaGopuram is the magnificent entrance tower of the Arunachaleswarar Temple, standing as a testament to centuries of devotion. This is where your sacred Girivalam journey begins - stepping through this gateway marks your entry into the divine circumambulation of Mount Arunachala.
🔥 Spiritual Significance
Lighting the deepam here invokes divine protection for your 14km journey, sets your sacred intent, and activates the inner light within yourself.
📍 Location
East entrance of Arunachaleswarar Temple. Start your Girivalam in clockwise direction from here.
🙏 Ritual & Mantra
Before lighting your deepam, take a moment to offer gratitude and set your intention. Visualize the divine light dissolving past karmas.
"Om Namah Shivaya"
Chant 3 times while lighting
💡 What to Reflect On
- • Offer gratitude for the opportunity to walk this sacred path
- • Set your intention for spiritual growth and purification
- • Feel the divine mountain's presence embracing you
- • Visualize your journey illuminating your path forward
🌟 Historical Significance
The RajaGopuram was built during the Vijayanagara period and stands as one of the tallest temple towers in South India. Its intricate carvings depict various episodes from Shiva Purana and the glory of Arunachala.
🕉️ Deeper Spiritual Meaning
The gopuram represents the transition from the material to the spiritual realm. Each tier symbolizes a level of consciousness you ascend through during your spiritual journey.
- • Gateway to Self-Realization
- • Symbol of ascending consciousness
- • Entry point to divine circumambulation
📖 From Ancient Texts
"Those who circumambulate Arunachala with devotion, starting from the sacred gateway, will be freed from the cycle of birth and death. The very first step taken in this direction carries immense merit."
— Arunachala Mahatmyam
2. Indra Lingam
King of Devas - Protector of Righteousness
The Indra Lingam is sacred to Lord Indra, the king of heavenly deities (Devas) and the god of rain, thunder, and lightning. This powerful shrine represents divine authority, protection, and the cosmic order (Dharma).
⚡ Spiritual Significance
Lighting deepam here invokes Lord Indra's blessings for protection from negativity, brings courage and leadership qualities, and ensures prosperity through divine grace.
📍 Location
Located along the eastern section of the Girivalam path. Second shrine after RajaGopuram, guardian of the eastern direction.
🙏 Ritual & Mantra
Offer prayers for protection, leadership, and victory over obstacles. Indra blesses devotees with strength, valor, and material prosperity.
"Om Indraya Namaha"
King of Gods, Grant Protection
🌟 Benefits of Worship
- • Protection from negative forces and enemies
- • Brings timely rains and agricultural prosperity
- • Develops leadership qualities and courage
- • Ensures victory in righteous endeavors
👑 About Indra
Lord Indra is the king of heaven (Svarga) and chief of the gods. He rides a white elephant called Airavata and wields the Vajra (thunderbolt weapon). Indra is the deity who brings rain and maintains cosmic order, making him essential for life on Earth.
🕉️ Deeper Spiritual Meaning
Worshipping at Indra Lingam symbolizes seeking divine protection on your spiritual journey. Just as Indra protects the cosmic order, this shrine guards devotees from obstacles and negative energies.
- • Master of senses and desires
- • Symbol of righteous power and authority
- • Protector of dharma (righteousness)
⚔️ Mythological Significance
In Vedic texts, Indra is celebrated as the slayer of Vritra, the demon who withheld the waters. By defeating Vritra, Indra released the life-giving rains, establishing himself as the protector of life and dharma. His worship ensures victory over inner and outer demons.
3. Agni Lingam
Sacred Fire - Divine Messenger and Purifier
The Agni Lingam is dedicated to Lord Agni, the Vedic god of fire and the divine messenger between humans and gods. Agni is considered the mouth of the gods and witness to all sacred ceremonies, purifying everything it touches.
🔥 Spiritual Significance
Lighting deepam here purifies negative karmas, transforms obstacles into opportunities, and carries your prayers directly to the divine realm through sacred fire.
📍 Location
Positioned along the southeastern path of Girivalam. Third shrine representing the transformative power of sacred fire.
🙏 Ritual & Mantra
Offer prayers for purification of body, mind, and soul. Agni accepts all offerings and carries them to the celestial realm, ensuring your intentions reach the divine.
"Om Agnaye Namaha"
Sacred Fire, Purify My Soul
✨ Benefits of Worship
- • Purification of negative karmas and sins
- • Transformation of difficulties into blessings
- • Digestive health and metabolic balance
- • Success in all sacred rituals and ceremonies
🔥 About Agni
Lord Agni is one of the most important Vedic deities, mentioned in the very first hymn of the Rigveda. He is the intermediary between gods and humans, consuming offerings in yajnas (fire rituals) and carrying them to heaven. Agni has seven tongues of flame and rides a ram, symbolizing his dynamic and transformative nature.
🕉️ Deeper Spiritual Meaning
Agni represents the fire of consciousness within you. Just as physical fire transforms and purifies, the inner fire of awareness burns away ignorance and illusion, leading to spiritual enlightenment.
- • Inner fire of spiritual aspiration (tapas)
- • Digestive fire (jatharagni) for physical health
- • Knowledge fire that burns ignorance
📜 Connection to Arunachala
Arunachala itself is a manifestation of the fire element (Agni Tattva) among the Pancha Bhoota Stalams. Worshipping Agni Lingam here connects you deeply with the primordial fire energy of Mount Arunachala, amplifying the purification and transformation process.
🌟 Vedic Importance
"Agnimeele purohitam" - "I praise Agni, the household priest" are the opening words of the Rigveda, establishing Agni as the foundation of all Vedic rituals. He is present in all three worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld) and is invoked at the beginning of every sacred ceremony.
4. Sri Dakshanamurthy
The Supreme Teacher - Lord of Wisdom and Knowledge
Sri Dakshanamurthy is the form of Lord Shiva as Adi Guru (the first teacher), imparting supreme knowledge in silence. Depicted sitting under a banyan tree facing south, he teaches the highest spiritual wisdom through the language of silence.
📚 Spiritual Significance
Lighting deepam here awakens inner wisdom, removes ignorance, bestows clarity of thought, and opens the path to self-realization through divine grace.
📍 Location
Located along the southern path of Girivalam. Fourth shrine representing divine wisdom and the guru principle.
🙏 Ritual & Mantra
Offer prayers for knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding. Dakshanamurthy blesses seekers with the highest knowledge that liberates from the cycle of birth and death.
"Om Dakshinamurthaye Namaha"
Guru of Knowledge, Grant Me Wisdom
🌟 Benefits of Worship
- • Success in education and academic pursuits
- • Clarity of mind and intellectual sharpness
- • Removal of confusion and ignorance
- • Awakening of spiritual wisdom and self-knowledge
👨🏫 About Dakshanamurthy
In this form, Lord Shiva sits in yogic posture facing south (dakshina direction), one hand in chin mudra (symbol of knowledge), other hand holding a drum and fire. His right foot rests on the demon of ignorance (Apasmara). The four sages - Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara - sit at his feet as elderly students learning the highest wisdom through silence.
🕉️ Teaching Through Silence
Dakshanamurthy's teaching method is unique - he imparts the highest knowledge without words (Mouna Vyakhya). This signifies that ultimate truth cannot be expressed through language but must be realized in the silence of the heart.
- • Knowledge beyond words and concepts
- • Direct transmission of spiritual truth
- • Guru's grace as the key to enlightenment
🎓 For Students and Seekers
Students preparing for examinations, researchers seeking clarity, and spiritual seekers on the path of self-inquiry especially benefit from worshipping at this shrine. The energy here enhances memory, concentration, and the ability to grasp complex concepts with ease.
📖 Dakshinamurthy Stotram
Adi Shankaracharya composed the beautiful Dakshinamurthy Stotram, which describes how the young Guru teaches ancient disciples. "He who teaches through silence, whose disciples are old, who himself is ever young" - this paradox points to the eternal nature of wisdom and the timeless guru-disciple relationship.
🌳 The Banyan Tree Symbol
Dakshanamurthy sits under the banyan tree (vata vriksha), which symbolizes immortality and eternal knowledge. The banyan's aerial roots reaching down represent the descent of divine knowledge from the infinite to the finite world.
Continue Your Sacred Journey
Complete your Girivalam by visiting the remaining 14 sacred shrines along the path
5. Yama Lingam
God of death and dharma
6. Jyothi Vinayaka Temple
Lord Ganesha, remover of obstacles
7. Niruthi Lingam
Sacred to Niruthi, goddess of the southwest direction
8. Thiru Neer Annamalayar
Sacred temple of Arunachala, the water element
9. Palani Subramanya Temple
Lord Muruga, divine son of Shiva
10. Surya Lingam
Second Surya Lingam on the path
11. Varuna Lingam
Sacred to Varuna, god of water and oceans
12. Vayu Lingam
Sacred to Vayu, god of wind and air
13. Chandra Lingam
Sacred to Chandra, the moon god
14. Kubera Lingam
Sacred to Kubera, god of wealth and prosperity
15. Panchamugam
Five-faced form of Lord Shiva
16. Esanya Lingam
Sacred to Esanya, the northeast direction
17. Bootha Narayana Swami Temple
Lord Vishnu in his cosmic form
18. RajaGopuram
Returning to the main tower, completing the sacred journey
Why Light Deepam at All 18 Places?
Each shrine represents a different aspect of consciousness and human experience. By lighting
deepam at all 18 shrines, devotees symbolically illuminate every aspect of their being,
offering complete surrender to the divine and preparing for spiritual awakening.
🕉️ The Kit Contents
This carefully curated kit contains everything you need to perform the sacred deepam lighting during Girivalam:
Deepam (Ghee Lamp)
Traditional brass lamp for lighting with ghee
Cotton Wicks
Pure cotton wicks for ghee deepam
Pure Ghee
Sacred clarified butter for deepam
📜 Included Guide
- ✓ Detailed map of the 14km Girivalam path
- ✓ Locations of all 18 sacred shrines
- ✓ Mantras to chant at each shrine
- ✓ Complete instructions for Girivalam
- ✓ Spiritual significance of each location
🛍️ Get Your Kit - ₹199
💡 Our Commitment to Transparency
- ✓ We are NOT selling this for profit
- ✓ This kit is priced at near-cost to make it accessible to all devotees
- ✓ ANY profit that arises (expected ~₹10 per kit) will be donated to GoSeva
- ✓ Full transparency with all financial details posted publicly on this page at all times
100% of profits donated to GoSeva
Updated transparently in real-time on this page
Every purchase helps support GoSeva 🙏
📊 Transparency Report
Every contribution matters. Here's how your purchase helps GoSeva.
| Item | Description | Amount | Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packing Cost | 100 pieces | ₹8,500 | |
| Units Sold | 92 units | ₹9,200 | |
| Amount for GoSeva | Used on 25th Oct | ₹200 | |
| Remaining Amount | Available for future GoSeva | ₹500 | - |
Packing Cost
₹8,500100 pieces
Units Sold
₹9,20092 units
Amount for GoSeva
₹200Used on 25th Oct
Remaining Amount
₹500Available for future GoSeva
📊 Financial Summary
• Total Revenue (92 kits sold): ₹9,200
• Total Expenses (Packaging, Materials): ₹8,700
• Net Profit: ₹500 (Expected ~₹10 per kit)
• GoSeva Contribution: ₹200 contributed so far
• Remaining for GoSeva: ₹300 (to be donated)
💚 100% of ALL profits from this kit are dedicated to GoSeva
This page is updated in real-time as donations are made
Embark on Your Sacred Journey
Experience the divine light of Arunachala with this sacred kit. Priced at near-cost with all profits going to GoSeva.
Get Your Girivalam Deepam Kit - ₹199100% Profit Transparency: Any profit (~₹10 per kit) goes directly to GoSeva. All financial details are publicly available on this page at all times. 🙏