The Arunachalam temple, formally the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar (Annamalaiyar) Temple at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, enshrines Lord Shiva as the Agni Lingam, the fire among the five element shrines of South India. Daily abhishekam and the six-time pooja cycle are performed here, and the temple lies about 190 km from Tirupati, roughly a four to five hour drive. It is administered by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE department, not by TTD, so abhishekam booking is handled by the temple office (phone +91 4175 252438) rather than the TTD portal. This article covers the abhishekam, the pooja schedule, the famous Karthigai Deepam, and how to reach it from the Tirupati side.
The Agni Lingam and the temple
Arunachaleswarar is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, the five temples representing the elements; here Shiva is worshipped as Agni, fire. His consort is Unnamulai Amman (Parvati). The complex spreads over about 10 hectares, among the largest temple grounds in India, and its eastern gopuram, the Rajagopuram, rises to roughly 66 metres across eleven storeys. The hill behind it, Arunachala, is itself treated as a form of the Lord, which is why circumambulating it is a central practice.
Abhishekam and how to book
The temple offers a range of abhishekams to the lingam and the parivara (attendant) deities, including milk abhishekam, Rudrabhishekam and special poojas such as the 1008 Sangu (conch) pooja. Because this is a Tamil Nadu HR&CE temple, the ticketing differs from Tirumala.
- Abhishekam tickets are sold at the temple office or through the official temple booking channel, not the TTD system.
- Ticket prices for abhishekam services span a broad band depending on the deity and ritual; the temple counter confirms the current rate.
- Parivara Moorthi abhishekams are typically offered at more than one time in the day; the main lingam abhishekam has fixed slots.
- The temple office can be reached on +91 4175 252438 for the current schedule and rates.
Treat any price figure as indicative until confirmed, since HR&CE temples revise seva rates on their own cycle.
Daily darshan and pooja timings
The temple generally opens for morning darshan from about 5:30 AM to 12:00 noon and reopens in the evening from around 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, with shorter evening hours on Saturdays, Sundays, full-moon days and public holidays. Within these windows the temple observes six daily worship services, the traditional Shaiva sequence from the pre-dawn Kaalaippani through to the night Iravuppani. The abhishekam to the lingam is part of the morning ritual order.
Karthigai Deepam and Girivalam
The temple’s signature festival is Karthigai Deepam, on the full moon of the Tamil month of Karthigai (November-December), when a great beacon is lit atop the Arunachala hill and visible for miles. Pilgrims in their millions perform Girivalam, the barefoot circumambulation of the hill along a path of about 14 km, especially on full-moon nights through the year. The Deepam draws the single largest crowd, so accommodation in Tiruvannamalai is scarce around it.
Reaching Tiruvannamalai from Tirupati
Tiruvannamalai is roughly 190 km from Tirupati, about a four to five hour drive by road. APSRTC and TNSTC buses connect the two, and the route is commonly combined with a Tirupati-Tirumala pilgrimage into a wider Shiva-Vishnu circuit. There is no direct TTD link; you travel as you would between any two towns, by bus, train to a nearby junction, or hired car.
For what it’s worth, pairing Tiruvannamalai with Tirumala makes for a balanced two-shrine trip, the Vishnu hill temple and the Shiva fire temple, but the 190 km gap means you should treat them as two separate days rather than attempting both in one; the Girivalam alone, at 14 km on foot, needs a clear morning or a full-moon night.
Common questions
How do I book abhishekam at Arunachalam temple?
Abhishekam at the Arunachaleswarar temple is booked through the temple office or its official channel, since it is a Tamil Nadu HR&CE temple and not part of the TTD system. You can call the temple office on +91 4175 252438 for the current rituals, slots and rates, or buy at the counter on arrival. Prices vary by deity and ritual and are revised by the temple periodically.
What are the Arunachalam temple timings?
Morning darshan runs roughly 5:30 AM to 12:00 noon and evening darshan from about 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, with shorter evening hours on Saturdays, Sundays, full-moon days and public holidays. The temple observes six daily worship services in the Shaiva tradition. Timings can change for festivals and full-moon Girivalam days, so confirm with the temple office before visiting.
How far is Tiruvannamalai from Tirupati?
About 190 km by road, a four to five hour drive depending on traffic and route. APSRTC and TNSTC buses link the two towns, and many pilgrims combine the Shiva temple here with the Tirumala Venkateswara temple. There is no direct TTD transport; you travel between them like any two towns, by bus, hired car or train to a nearby junction.
What is special about the Agni Lingam here?
Arunachaleswarar is the fire (Agni) shrine among the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams of South India, where Shiva is worshipped as the element of fire. The Arunachala hill behind the temple is itself revered as a form of the Lord, and the annual Karthigai Deepam lights a great beacon on its summit. The 14 km Girivalam around the hill is the defining act of worship here.
A limitation worth noting
One limitation worth noting: the Arunachaleswarar temple is run by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE department, so its timings, abhishekam slots and seva prices are not published on TTD channels and are revised on the temple’s own schedule. The darshan windows and the temple phone number here reflect what is reported currently, but festivals and full-moon days change the timetable. Confirm with the temple office on +91 4175 252438 before planning an abhishekam or a Girivalam visit.
References: the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Arunachaleswarar temple page, Wikipedia: Annamalaiyar Temple, and the TTD official site for the Tirupati end of the route.
