Follow Me...I will show you...

First, i will give you a brief introduction about Sathuragiri,which is situated in South India,near Krishnan kovil and Vatrayiruppu.It's connected with major cities, all over from Tamilnadu by road.Here i will share my own experience ,that is 'how i reach that place ' from my home town Madurai. I (selvaganapathy) and my elder son Karthikeyan got up early in the morning at 2 A.M and reached the bus stand(name called 'Mattu thavani' - central & new bus stand).There i met with other two friends of mine,Kumar and Ganesh lal,as per the tour programe.We alll the four persons got into the bus,which is plying to Rajapalayam,also a near by town of Krishnan kovil.We got the tickets for the place called Krishnan kovil.The bus departed at 3.30 A.M leaving Madurai bus stand and reached Krishnan kovil by 5.00 A.M. There we had some hot tea and relaxed for say 20 minutes. We were waiting for the bus to "Thanipparai".A heavy rush was there,since it was "Amavaasai" -a no moon day, Normally, the people prefer "Pournami " - full moon day or other wise especially "Amavaasai" - no moon day for their holy walk to the siddhar's mountain.

We reached the base of the holy mountain, by around 6 A.M.That base is called Thanipparai".We had kept nothing with us except my camera Nkkon D3100, I bought the camera ,especially to shoot the holy mountain,but unfortunately i forgot to load the memory card. I was fed up.O.K ,no problem.i was having my mobile phone "Samsung-champ"which has the resolution of 1280 by 960.It's enough for taking better photographs.From there, we had started our spiritual search.

Gate way to Sathuragiri

Some plains at starting point

It's me at the starting point

on the way to...

Hiring peoples carries the food making materials to the top and hand-over the goods to the charitable trust ,which offers "Annathanam", that is free meals to the holy climbers.

Aathi moola porul - Lord Vinayaga moorthy

                                                      Pray Lord Vinayaka for the beside-walk.

Slopes gradually decreases and steep begins

Slope decreases as steep increases..

it's like spritual-treking

In front of me,my son Karthikeyan(in black pant and black T-shirt),my friend Ganesh lal are climbing.I am not in the scene,since i am taking the photographs.

The lovely Hill view following beside us

Sweating makes us like taking bath.

                                                                  it's me , in full of sweating

people climbing the slipping rock

The step-like cuts are there! you can see this here.

                                              MY son Karthikeyan and my friend are there in the picture

                                             It's me in the white shirt with the camera bag around my shoulder

Ater the slipping rock...here comes...

                                                                     The way after the slipping rock

                      The hiring people take the food materials to the top, for this they have charged Rs.150 - 200/-.

                                                                     shops are there all along the way to the top.

Sangilipaarai- "chain - attached rock"

The stream crossing the sangilipaarai.People are crossing the stream.some body was washing their hands and      refresh them for a while.

The clean stream is passing through...You can see the long iron chain tied with the rock.Wit this,we can cross the stream safely.

After crossing the Sangilipaarai...here we see...

After crossing the chain-rock, we have to climb a big steep,For aged people,care should be taken.

                                                       A very steep is there - hard to climb and hard to breathe

                                                                         The marvelous view of the mountain

Siddhar Korakar cave

In between the way to the top,there is a down-way path,leading to the Siddhar Korakker cave,where Siddhar Korekker worshipped a Lingam in a cave like appearance. It's a very beautiful place,it's covered by the mountains on four side,and it is well situated among them.Here a chilled stream is running and also some stagnated ponds of water are there.Here the climbers stay a while and take rest.Some people are taking bath in the stream.It's a best place for meditation.We can see the people who are in meditation there.A special linga pooja has been taken place by the devotees.We can stay a while there and enjoy the spritual phenomena. After this we can continue our journey to the top.

                                      Siddhar Korekker's cave,people are taking rest and some body are in meditation.

                                                   Crystal clear stream in Siddhar Korekker's cave.it's vey chill and clear.

                          people are taking bath and refresh them in the herb ally staturated water.This is good for health.

                                        This is the view of the Siddhar Korekker's cave taken at the top of hill above it's place.

After worshipping the Siddhar Korekker's cave...Here we are...

After making meditation,bathing and worshiping at the Korekker's cave, we are getting ready to proceed our way to the top. On the way to the top,there is another mile stone called "Irattai Lingam".when we reach here,we are passing half way to the top.

                                                               The sun is shining through the hills of Sathuragiri.

                                                       i am in the hiding scene,my hands seen focusing the hill view

                                                   my son is walking on his way to the top,also road side shop is there.

Irattai Lingam - Half way passed to the hill top

                                     The Irattai Lingam temple is here as the mile stone of the half way passing to the top.

                                                                       The front of the "Irattai Lingam".

After passing the Irattai Lingam...Here we see..

After this point,the steep begins to slightly slope,and we continued our journey.In between the journey, we were relaxing by drinking "Sukku coffee" and water.With paining foot,we continued our way to the top,but that pain will be vanished,when seeking the dharshan (worshiping) of Lord Sundaramahalingam.

                                                                                  panaroma view of the mountain.

                                                             on the way to the next mile stone called "Naaval oothu".

                                                                           way to the "Naaval oothu"

Now we are going to reach the very important place called "Naaval oothu"

We are nearing to the "naaval oothu",very important milestone of our spiritual search of Sathuragiri.Here a natural spring,full of herbal-mixed,crystal clear water is spontaneously filling the small pond.But apparently the water seems to be brownish colored;when filling in the pet-bottle, it seems a crystal clear. We,all the four drank the water and it tastes like a sweetened mineral water.If you have a bottle with you,please fill it with this herbal water and bring it to your home.It's very valuable,not to describe in words,you feel it.

 

 

                                                        My son is filling the herbal --water in the pet bottle

                                            My son is taking the herbal water in the bottle.I bring it to my home.

After passiing the "Naaval oothu"...Here we see...

After taking the water with us, we proceed our way to the top.Our next holy destination is "Pilavadi Karuppu".It's colloquially spelled in Tamil language.This means "The Guard Deity Karuppasamy under the Jack fruit tree".Before entering into the shrine of Lord Sundaramahalingam, we get the permission from him,through him only, we can pray to the god,that will be taken into the account. And again,after returning from the shrine of Lord Sundaramahalingam, we should inform about our prayers.He is the person who determine whether to set it o.k or not.

 

                                                                            way to the shrine of "pilavadi karuppu"

                                         The way from varusanadu,Theni,Bodi meets with the Thanippaarai route,here.

                                                        we are nearing the shrine of pilaavadi karuppu very soon.

The Shrine of "Pilaavadi Karuppu"- The guard deity Lord Karuppasamy under the Jack fruit tree.

                                         The shrine of Pilaavadi Karuppu surrounded with stream of herbal rich water.

                                                               Side view of shrine of Pilaavadi karuppu.

                                              You can see the jack fruit tree under which the shrine is there.

On the way to the shrine of Lord Sundaramahalingam... Here we see...

On the way to the shrine,we can able to see the road-side shops,having the flowers,coconuts,Ghee lamps,ghee,the pictures of the gods of Sathuragiri. Again here also ,we can see a very big water tanks constructed on the ground level,for the purpose of solving the bathing problems,when there is heavy rush.

 

                                                                     Passing to the final goal.

People are refreshing themselves by taking bath before entering the shrine of Lord Sundaramahalingam - "Maha siddhar of all siddhars"

The road side shops selling coconuts,flowers,vilvam leafs near the shrine,before entering the gate way to the Almighty.

                          I bought some Pink Arali flowers and ghee sand lamps for the dharsan of the Maha-siddhar.

Now we are going to enter the Shrine of Lord Sundaramahalingam - our body pain vanishes on seeing the dharshan of Lord Sundaramahalingam

Now ,we are going to enter shrine of the Lord,and for this we have to stand a little line,and slowly we enter the entrance and got our lives flourished on seeing the Lord Sundaramahalingam.

                                                               on the way to the entrance of the shrine. 

                                                                         The gate way ...to enter

                                                                    Behind the gate way entrance .inside

                                                                       The big bell inside the shrine.

                                                                            Here my friends walking..

This is the point at which all our body pain vanished and ecstasy raised allover our body and soul...

                                                                           we are at the meeting point...

This is the back portion of the Shrine

Here the people were sitting and put their hands on the floor and pray to the Lord Sundaramahalingam and in meditation.

Here,inside the shrine,charitable trust are doing "Anna thanam" to the holy - climbers .

                               Here we ate Vegetable rice of fine quality by the service rendering charitable trust.

Lord Sandhanamahalingam shrine...

These are the Photographs taken while getting down