PARVATHAMALAI GIRIVALAM

Parvathamalai Girivalam is one of the scared things that a devotee can perform to get the grace of Lord Shiva. It is considered as the southern Kashi and one has to get the grace of the lord to perform Girivalam or to visit the temple on the top of the hill Parvathamalai.

Parvathamalai is a sacred mountain in the Jawadhu hill range of the eastern ghats section in Tamil Nadu India. It is located closer to Polur in Thiruvannamalai district.

The presiding deity here is Lord Shiva in the form of Lord Mallikarjuna, and goddess Parvathi Devi as Sri Bhramarambika. Many of the devotees get to know about the temple here but only a few of them get to reach Paravathamalai and seek the blessings of the Lord Mallikarjuna.

Girivalam history

The Girivalam was initiated in the year 1944 by the Kanchi Sri Sankaracharya Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Swamiji popularly called by devotees as Mahaperiyava. Once when Mahaperiyava was on a pilgrimage by foot from Rameshwaram in south India to Benaras in north India. Mahaperiyava had to rest in Parvathamalai for a while, it is then he looked upon the holy hill and told that the hill itself is in the form of Linga. He then did not climb the hill and started circumambulating the hill praying to the almighty god Mallikarjuna.

The Girivalam distance is approximately 25 km in distance and usually, it starts at the village called Thenmaadimaggalam that is the base of the hill and is located closer to Polur.

Thereafter on the first day in the Tamil month of Margazhi (that Falls in the month December in the English calendar) several people from across India and all over the world throng here for the holy walk called the Parvathamalai Girivalam.

Food is available in the Mouna guru Swamy ashram in Thenmadimalgalam.On this day many of the devotees come here to perform Girivalam and it happens like a big festival. Many of the devotees offer Annadhanam(free food) to the poor and needy. Devotees and the people around the village come here to get this Prasadam that is offered.

There is a story behind this Annadhanam, it is said that the Mahaperiyava used to complete Girivalam in a steady quick speed, while the ashramites and the other devotees used to struggle to complete the Girivalam. Kanchi periyava appeared in dreams a few of the ashramites and suggested that the poor people in the surroundings should get good food on the day of Girivalam.

On the next morning, the cook started preparing food for the crowd and the items seemed sufficient to feed such a huge crowd.

All of a sudden one of the devotees. who was on his way to Kanchi Ashram came to Parvathamalai, by knowing the presence of Mahaperiyava. He donated a few bags of rice, dals, sugar, and other necessary things for cooking and went away.

Mahaperiyava came after a few hours and told the number of groceries that was donated was sufficient to feed the needy. And the ashramites were in shock since no one had told him about the quantity of groceries that were provided by the devotee.

And thereafter the pilgrimages and the people in the surrounding villages are provided with good food and sweets.

Nowadays, the Girivalam also happens on all full moon days throughout the year. Several devotees come here every month to seek the blessing of Lord Mallikarjuna.

It takes approximately 8-10 hours to go around the hill in the path that is approximately twenty-five km. The path to walk includes highways, small roads, and uneven hills and reserve areas where one has to be careful. 

People are advised to carry plenty of water and use it properly since there are few houses and it might be difficult to get water and refreshments while walking and one might get exhausted.

Since the path that you are walking is mostly deserted and scarcely populated, it is advised to walk in groups and avoid carrying valuables.

Only two-wheelers can go in the girivalam path since it is combined paths and not the main road throughout. however, all vehicles can reach till the ashram.

most of the devotees prefer to start the Girivalam in the Thenmaadimangalam path where there are other temples on the path.