Thiruvannaamalai

Thiruvannamalai (திருவண்ணாமலை)
—  metro municipality  —
Annamalaiyar temple at Thiruvannamalai
Thiruvannamalai (திருவண்ணாமலை) Location of Thiruvannamalai (திருவண்ணாமலை) in Tamil Nadu and India
Coordinates	12°13′N 79°04′E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District(s)	Tiruvannamalai
Municipal special mayor	Balachandran (ADMK)
Parliamentary constituency	thiruvannamlai
Assembly constituency	thiruvannamalai city
Population • Density	3,27,909 (2001) • 17,890 /km2 (46,335 /sq mi)
Sex ratio	998 ♂/♀
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	6.0 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi) • 171 metres (561 ft)
Climate Temperature • Summer • Winter	moderate (Köppen) •      41 °C (106 °F) •      18 °C (64 °F)
Codes • Pincode • 606 (601, 602, 603, 604-609&611,613) • Telephone • +91-4175 • Vehicle • TN 25
Website	en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tiruvannamlai

Thiruvannamalai (Tamil: திருவண்ணாமலை, same as English pronunciation) is a pilgrimage Temple city and special grade municipality in Thiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai district. Thiruvannamalai is home to the Annamalaiyar Temple located at the foot of the Annamalai hill and amongst one of the great Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu. Thiruvannamalai has long been associated with many yogis and siddhars, and more recently the 20th century guru Ramana Maharshi, who lived in Mount Annamalai, now a popular spiritual tourism destination.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Thiruvannamalai had a population of 327,601. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Thiruvannamalai has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 91%, and female literacy is 78%. In Thiruvannamalai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Pilgrimage

Devotees inside the temple

Thiruvannamalai is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalangal representing the fire element along with Chidambaram, Sri Kalahasti, Thiruvanaikoil and Kanchipuram representing space, wind, water and earth respectively.

Four Brahmotsavams are celebrated every year, the most famous of which is the one celebrated during the Tamil month of Karthikai (November/December). The ten day event culminates on the day of Karthigai Deepam. On that evening, a huge lamp is lit in a cauldron with three tons of ghee at the top of the Annamalai hill.

Every full moon night, tens of thousands of pilgrims worship Shiva by circumambulating the Annamalai hill barefoot. The circumambulation covers a distance of about 14 km. On the yearly Chitra Powrnami (full moon) night in the Tamil calendar year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world visit the sacred town.

Advaita Vedanta guru Ramana Maharshi lived in Thiruvannamalai for fifty three years until his death in 1950. His ashram, Sri Ramanasramam, is located at the foot of the Annamalai hill, to the west of the town. Seshadri Swamigal and Yogi RamSurat Kumar are examples of two other gurus who lived in this city.

Geography

Annamalai Hill

Thiruvannamalai is situated 185 km from Chennai and 175 km from Bangalore. Saathanoor Dam across Thenpennai River is a tourist place near Thiruvannamalai. The height of the Annamalai hill is approximately 2,669 feet. Gingee Fort is another popular tourist destination located on the Tindivanam-Thiruvannaamalai road, 40 km from Thiruvannamalai.

shopping

shopping is the best way of relax in large cities like wise thiruvannamalai also have a large shopping street it is open for 24 hours.many international shops opened their branch here....it is a busiest street of thiruvannamalai named as "new shopping street".

Tourism

Annamalaiyar Temple gopurams

Annamalaiyar Temple

The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built between the 9th and the 10th centuries by the Chola kings of the Tamil empire. The temple is famous for its massive gopurams. This has been determined from an inscription in the structure that was made during the reign of Chola kings who ruled in the ninth century A.D

The 11 tiered East Rajagopuram towers to a height of 217 feet, while the fortified walls pierced with 4 gopura entrances offer a formidable look to this vast temple complex . The Pei Gopuram, Tirumanjana Gopuram and Ammanaiammal gopuram are the other three. The 1000 pillared hall and the temple tank were built by Krishna Deva Rayarar of Vijayanagar. Each of the prakarams(outer courtyard) has a huge Nandi and several towers such as the Vallala Maharaja Gopuram and Kili Gopuram

It is one of the panchabhoota sthalam - representing five basic elements. This is the Tejo Sthalam among the Pancha Bootha Sthalams representing Fire. The others are - Thiruvanaikaval (Appu sthalam - Water) Kanchipuram (Prithvi sthalam - Earth) Kalahasti (Vayu sthalam - Air) Chidambaram (Akasa sthalam - Space).

Map routes

National Highways

NH 66pondicherry, chennai road in thiruvannamalai City

NH 234vellore Road in thiruvannamalai City

Three important National Highways passing through Thiruvannamalai are:

• NH66
• NH234
• NH289

Thiruvannamalai is well connected to many cities and towns in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh by road. This town lies on the junction of thethe Pondicherry–Krishnagiri-Bangalore national highway (NH 66), Mangalore–Villupuram national highway NH 234 . The TNSTC operates many bus services to different towns and cities in Tamil Nadu, such as Chennai, Vellore, Salem, Tirupati, Villupuram, Bangaluru, Tiruchi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Pattukottai, Chidambaram, kallakurichi and to Pondicherry.

Rail

There is abundant of train facility at tiruvannamalai. 1.thambaram-thiruvannamlai train, 2.krishnarajapuram-thiruvannamlai train,3.thiruvannamalai-thiruchirapalli train,4.k.r.puram-pondichery train,5.MEENAKSHI EXPRESS from tirupathi to madurai biweekly train(16779 and16780)connects it to major places (katpadi-vellore,tirukovilur,villupuram,cuddalore,kumbakonam,tanjore,trichy). A railway line between Vellore and Villupuram passes through Thiruvannamalai, where passengers can board a passenger train to Vellore (up) or Villupuram (down). The nearest major railway station is at jolarpet (81 km). eventhough there are 5 major trains are there, vellore-cuddalore local passengares train servicing daily.and also all major good trains from south Tamil Nadu to chennai are using this way.

Air

The nearest international airports are at Chennai (170 km)and Bangalore. There is no domestic airport in Tiruvannamalai.

Economy

In spite of being fairly close to the city of Bengaluru & Chennai, there are no major industries in and around Thiruvannamalai. As a result, a large number of people of this district have traditionally been looking for opportunities either in Bangalore or in Chennai.

Amirthi Forest

Amirthi zoological park is situated under the Javvadu/Javadi Hills of Tellai across Amirthi river which is 65 km away from thiruvannamalai. This zoological park was started in October 1967 and has an area of 25 hectares. The inflow of tourists is mostly during the holidays. This zoological park has been recognized recently and so the state government has taken initiative to develop the area. There is a range office at Amirthi headed by the forest ranger. There is also a hill tribe society at Nimmiyambattu near Amirthi whose main aim is to provide employment opportunities to the hill tribes in the area.

Climate

Climate data for thiruvannamlai (1951–1980)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	35.3 (95.5)	39.8 (103.6)	42.8 (109.0)	44.4 (111.9)	45.0 (113.0)	44.3 (111.7)	40.9 (105.6)	39.4 (102.9)	39.6 (103.3)	39.2 (102.6)	35.8 (96.4)	35.0 (95.0)	45.0 (113.0)
Average high °C (°F)	29.2 (84.6)	32.0 (89.6)	35.0 (95.0)	37.1 (98.8)	38.5 (101.3)	36.3 (97.3)	34.6 (94.3)	34.0 (93.2)	34.0 (93.2)	33.0 (91.4)	29.5 (85.1)	28.3 (82.9)	33.46 (92.22)
Average low °C (°F)	18.2 (64.8)	19.2 (66.6)	21.3 (70.3)	24.8 (76.6)	26.3 (79.3)	26.0 (78.8)	25.1 (77.2)	24.6 (76.3)	24.1 (75.4)	22.9 (73.2)	20.8 (69.4)	19.2 (66.6)	22.71 (72.87)
Record low °C (°F)	10.2 (50.4)	12.0 (53.6)	12.1 (53.8)	13.8 (56.8)	18.1 (64.6)	19.6 (67.3)	18.8 (65.8)	18.7 (65.7)	18.7 (65.7)	15.6 (60.1)	12.1 (53.8)	9.3 (48.7)	9.3 (48.7)
Precipitation mm (inches)	9.0 (0.354)	7.1 (0.28)	5.9 (0.232)	21.8 (0.858)	83.9 (3.303)	71.0 (2.795)	117.0 (4.606)	124.9 (4.917)	149.6 (5.89)	176.9 (6.965)	155.2 (6.11)	78.6 (3.094)	1,000.9 (39.406)
Avg. precipitation days	0.8	0.5	0.4	1.3	4.7	5.3	6.6	7.8	7.6	9.4	7.7	3.9	56
Source: India Meteorological Department,

thiruvannamalai has an tropical wet and dry climate, reaching high temperatures during summer. The city experiences wet winters and dry summers and has an elevation of about 224 meters with the north-east monsoon the highest contributor to rainfall. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures during summer and winter varies between 38.5°C and 18.95°C. Highest temperature ever recorded is 45C and lowest is 10 °C.

The humidity ranges are 40% – 63% during summer and 89% – 96% during winter. The average annual rainfall is 1987.7mm. The maximum rainfall occurs during October and November through the North-east monsoon. The area experiences rainfall during the South-west monsoon as well.

Administration and Politics

Thiruvannamalai is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai District. Thiruvannamalai assembly constituency is part of Tiruvannamalai (Lok Sabha constituency).