Tiruvannamalai, at the foot of Arunachala

Why come here for yoga

Tiruvannamalai is the destination of yogis who have put down the mat. Its teaching is silence and one question, "Who am I?". Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950), whom his ashram calls the Sage of Arunachala, came to this hill in 1896 and never left it. According to Sri Ramanasramam, he lived in Virupaksha Cave on the slope from 1899 to 1916, then at Skandasramam, higher up, from 1916 to 1922; the ashram now stands at the foot of the hill, around his tomb and his mother's.

What you will find is not a course but a place to sit. In the ashram's words, it trusts that devotees "come for a period of quiet study, reflection, and meditation only". Ramana's path is often called ātma-vicāra, self-enquiry; the ashram's own site describes his teaching as pointing to a single peak, "self-enquiry", with the dropping of the idea "I am the body".

What happens at the ashram

The published daily timetable (subject to change on festival days):

The Sri Chakra Puja is held in the Mother's shrine every Friday evening, on full moon days and on the first day of each Tamil month. Meals in the dining hall are for guests and invitees only.

Sacred places

• The Old Hall, where Ramana sat for most of his life; the ashram calls it a favourite place for meditation for visitors and residents alike.
• The Samadhi Hall, a marble-floored meditation hall around his tomb, and the Matrubhuteswara shrine over his mother's.
• The Nirvana Room, kept as it was when he died there.
• Virupaksha Cave and Skandasramam, on the hill, preserved by the ashram and open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm (a climb of about 1.5 km). The ashram warns that climbing the hill beyond these points is an offence under Indian law and that spending the night on the hill or in the caves is strictly prohibited; ask the office for guidance before going.
• The great Annamalaiyar temple, about 2 km north-east of the ashram.
• The hill itself. Giri pradakṣiṇa, walking round Arunachala, is about 14 km, done clockwise with the hill on your right. The ashram quotes Ramana encouraging it, and adding that whatever else you get, "you will at least have the benefit of the physical exercise". Start before dawn, carry water and keep to the road.

When to go

The ashram describes the climate: hot and dry most of the year; April and May are the hottest months, with temperatures in the mid-forties not uncommon; Tamil Nadu lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats in June; the true rainy season is the northeast monsoon, October–November; winter, December–January, is brief and pleasant, with a light woollen layer for early mornings. The IMD confirms that October to December is the chief rainy season of Tamil Nadu, with 48 % of the annual rainfall.

The ashram also asks visitors to avoid full moon and festival days, when the town fills with pilgrims walking round the hill. The big festivals it lists are Maha Shivaratri (February–March), when Shiva is said to have manifested as Arunachala, and Karthigai Deepam (November–December), the ten-day festival ending with the beacon lit on the summit.

Getting there

According to the ashram:

• The town is about 200 km south-west of Chennai by road (about 160 km as the crow flies), 100 km west of Puducherry and about 200 km south-east of Bengaluru.
• By air: Chennai airport is about 172 km away; taxis are available from the airport.
• By train: Tiruvannamalai has its own station, on the Villupuram–Katpadi branch line, with links to Chennai, Madurai, Tirupati, Pondicherry and Vellore.
• By road: Tamil Nadu state buses or taxi; the ashram is about 3 km from the railway and bus stations.

Pair your stay with Pondicherry and Auroville, a short road journey east. Before you fly, read our page on the India e-Visa.

Budget

The ashram writes that no charges are levied for boarding and lodging for the guests it accepts; voluntary donations are welcome. Everyone else pays for a room in town, at prices that rise sharply on full moon and festival days: ask for the rate in writing and book early around Karthigai Deepam.

Etiquette

The ashram's rules are clear:

• Shoes stay at the free shoe stall outside; never carry them in your bag inside, which it calls as offensive as wearing them.
• Dress: for women, loose, sleeved, non-transparent clothing covering chest, shoulders and legs; for men, a sleeved shirt over long trousers. No shorts, lungis or beachwear.
• Phones off, or at least silent, at all times.
• Silence in the temple, shrines and meditation halls; avoid social chatter.
• In temples: do not enter the sanctum or take pictures of the deities without a priest's permission, and never point the soles of your feet at anyone.

Health and safety

• The ashram strongly advises women not to walk unaccompanied on or around the hill, and asks newcomers to India to be cautious with outside vendors and contractors.
• Heat: in April–May, walk at dawn, drink a lot and cover your head.
• Cyclones: the FCDO lists south India from June to November and the east coast from September to December among the areas at risk.
• The hill after the 2024 landslide: on 1 December 2024, during cyclone Fengal, a landslide in Tiruvannamalai killed seven people, and the state government then barred devotees from climbing Arunachala for Karthigai Deepam 2024 after an expert committee inspected the slopes (The News Minute, 11 December 2024). Check with the district administration whether any climb is allowed before you go.
• Emergencies: dial 112 (FCDO).

Choosing a retreat or a training here

Tiruvannamalai attracts many teachers holding satsangs in their own names. The ashram is direct about it: those who come to attend satsangs with other gurus or teachers, rather than solely for Ramana's teaching, are asked to find accommodation elsewhere. Before committing to anyone:

• Who is the teacher, what lineage do they claim, and can you check it independently?
• Is it free, on donation, or paid? Ask for any fee in writing.
• If you also want a yoga qualification, read our page on the 200-hour teacher training and what Yoga Alliance does and does not certify.

Red flag: anyone presenting their retreat as "the ashram's" programme. Sri Ramanasramam runs no paid courses that we could find on its site.

Questions people ask

Sources

1. Ashram at a Glance — Sri Ramanasramam (official site): timetable, dress, accommodation, location checked October 16, 2026
2. Visiting Us — Sri Ramanasramam (official site): access, climate, the ashram buildings checked October 16, 2026
3. Accommodation — Sri Ramanasramam (official site) checked October 16, 2026
4. Activities and festivals — Sri Ramanasramam (official site) checked October 16, 2026
5. Walking Around the Hill — Sri Ramanasramam (official site) checked October 16, 2026
6. Etiquette around Arunachala — Sri Ramanasramam (official site) checked October 16, 2026
7. Report on Northeast Monsoon 2025 — India Meteorological Department, Regional Meteorological Centre Chennai (April 2026) checked October 16, 2026
8. India travel advice: safety and security — UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office checked October 16, 2026
9. Tiruvannamalai landslide: Arunachala hills closed to devotees for Karthigai Deepam — The News Minute, 11 December 2024 checked October 17, 2026
10. Karthigai Deepam 2026 — Drik Panchang (Tuesday 24 November 2026) checked October 17, 2026

Want to go and practise yoga there?

Tell us where, when and how you practise. Clément, who lives in Rishikesh, reads every request and answers you personally. No automated email, no commission, no promise of a price or a partner.

Destination

When (month, season or dates)

Your levelBeginnerSome practiceRegular practiceTeacher

What you are looking forA retreatA 200-hour teacher trainingAn ashram stayA yoga tripI am not sure yet

First name (optional)

Your email

Your message (optional)

I agree that Yogide (LACANGEL GROUP) keeps this request and my email to answer me about my trip, for up to 3 years. I can ask for deletion at any time. How we use this data

Website

Send my request

Read next