Where to stay in Thiruvannamalai

I'd like to go to Thiruvannamalai for the Deepam this year, but I'm afraid the Ramana Ashram is fully booked for 11-24 to 11-27.

I read that there are lots of guesthouses around the ashram, but I don't find any information online about them.

Since there are supposed to be tons of people in town, I'd like to confirm a reservation rather than just arrive in town without one, especially since I might be traveling solo.

I'd like to pay 500 Rs or less for a single room.

Thanks!

I would call (not just e-mail) Hill View if I were you.

Thanks, Atala!

They actually replied to me today that they don't have anything available for my nights.

I've seen the list of hotels on the Arunachala website, but many of them have no photos or else are really, really expensive.

What are my chances of finding a place there? I mean, I'm going to be walking all night from 10pm until morning, right? That was a joke...kind of.

It's funny, now I feel I should have collected the phone numbers of the places when I was there, so I would not have to let people like you down. The other day I was googling for half an hour for the phone nr of the Pumpernickel German Bakery, a cool place in the midst of Agni Lingam right behind the ashram; I could not find anything, but maps of its location and yellow page kind of links.

Agni Lingam, where Hill View is, has a small -village-feel, simple but also helpful people live there, so I would expect they would go out of their way to help you get a booking if you called them.

I found this for you on IM




This might be helpful too

Don't just rely on e-mail. You are desperate, talk to them directly; take the extra expense and you will find something. Indians are always very impressed when they get phone calls from abroad. A call is cheap from Germany, if you don't have a skype account.

A number I would call is this man's
http://arunachalaiway.com/index.php?...id=1&Itemid=76

His shop is opposite the Ramana ashram in the residential area there. Give him an incentive if he does not get anything for you; tell him you'll pay him an extra amount (like Rs 500 or a 1000) if he finds something for you
Good luck

Wow, great tips! Thanks so much!

I too try googling the German bakery, since I thought that they must have a bulletin board or something. No avail...

I DID call just now but maybe it's really late there?

Anyways, I am indeed trying to go to the deepam, so I guess I MUST have a booking unless I can stay at that internet cafe emailing all night.

Are these festivals worth it?!

Well, depends what they are worth to you. If you choose to believe into the mythology told, then you give them importance. Otherwise they are just what they are, stories that serve some purpose to certain people.

If you ask me, and you apparently do: It is superstition. But if you think doing this thing will light up your day back in the West when you think of it, well then, it might be worth it for you. It might just become a nightmare too.

2 million people supposedly visited last year, according to this.

Okay, probably it is massively exaggerated, but still. If I were you I would go there at a quieter time.

I'm usually averse to massive crowds, but I've also never been to a religious festival.

Even though I'll be going to tons of temples in Tamil Nadu, I was thinking of mostly avoiding the pujas since I'm more interested in architecture/murals/sculptures.

But a huge fire! And doing the walk around the mountain at night with people (I wouldn't walk around at night alone as a solo lady) sounds like fun.

I'm specifically wanting to hear from people who've been there during the deepam.

Plus, I found a room at the Danish lady's! Her website is http://www.cosmicairport.com/cosmic_coming2_ashram.html

It's about 6km from the ashram, which means I wouldn't walk it. Too bad...but hopefully I could 'carpool' with other guests there.

Since the Deepam festivities are centred round the MAIN temple, not the ashram and take place over 10 days, it makes no sense to stay outside the main town, some events, silver cow going round the temple start at 4am, about 8/9th day.

The town has many hotels, and on Deepam day itself the town fills to capacity, busses come from all over, now even by train as the line is now working. Not everyone can afford hotel rates

People come to see the fire lit, do pujas, then do Girivalam, and go home.

Check out google for hotels in the town, according to your budget.

BTW it is one of the few temples that you are allowed into the inner sanctum, to you might have to queue for a few or more hours.

There is more to the town than the ashram, the temple is more of a draw to devotees..

If you can bother to check the web you should be able to find the full programme of events starting from the flag raising on the 1st day, mind you the timing is at the behest of the gods

Re carpool, forget it, at Deepam time the autos are rip off merchants par excellence, and few cars ply these routes.
Stay in the centre

Hey Fsg,
wow, thanks for the good tips!
I'm beginning to doubt how much I want to see the ceremonies, frankly.
I saw some photos and remembered how much I hate crowds! As well as waiting...
I'm still working on my itinerary (in another thread)--if I can be there for the Deepam, great. If it doesn't make sense for my itinerary, so be it.
Thanks again!

Don't want to put you off, but if you hate crowds, India in general might not be for you, and Deepam in Tiruvannamalai is definitely not. It is VERY crowded. You would be walking around the mountain (for hours) in a massive crowd, and inside the temple it is extremely crowded, with people pushing each other etc.

Deepam is a very special, spiritual experience for people (like myself) who believe in what others would refer to as 'mythology'. I do not know if you celebrate Christmas, but if you do, would you ask yourself the question whether paying extra for travel, tolerating crowds and bad weather etc. is 'worth it' for you to be with your family on Christmas eve? I don't know if you get my point, but basically people tolerate inconveniences and pay extra because it is obviously 'worth it' for them. If Deepam is not special for you, than it's probably not 'worth it' for you.

I booked and paid for Deepam rooms for my friends (who are coming from Malaysia) nearly three months ago. Nearly two million people are expected over the 24 hour period of the lighting of the Deepam on top of Arunachala. During that 24 hour period the road around the Hill will be jam packed -- no possibility of changing your mind and going back.

Understand people like to be near the Temple, to enjoy the festivities -- BUT you can live out of town, and bicycle in everyday -- except for the 24 hour period of Deepam (November 27th). You probably can find something in town till around November 25th -- at which time you will probably have to leave as the rooms will already be pre-booked.

Prices are high. With even simple rooms charging an extra Rs.1,000/- plus per day (room rate separate) over the 3-5 days during the busiest part of Deepam.

There are two nice little ashrams about 8 kms from the Hill in a very quiet spot. Very nice darshan of the Hill. If you get in touch now, you will almost certainly be able to make a Deepam reservation. The first spot was mentioned earlier and is:
http://www.cosmicairport.com/cosmic_coming2_ashram.html

The second ashram is right next door to Cosmic Airport and is called Ananda Niketan and run by an Indian couple. Food is very tasty. To make arrangements you can email them at:
gopi.chitra@yahoo.com

I don't know what wither of the Ashrams expect -- as they don't actually stipulate, but if you are taking food, it will probably be around Rs.500/- per day per person working on single occupancy.

If you don't like crowds, stay in a countryside Ashram (about 8 kms away) and that way you get the blessings and atmosphere of being at Arunachala during Deepam -- but without the chaos.