There are some moments in life that cannot be described only felt.
One such moment came to me the day I touched the sacred Arunachala Hill.
For years I had walked the girivalam pathai, circling the mountain with thousands of other pilgrims. The path is always alive full of devotion, full of energy, but also full of noise: honking vehicles, the calls of vendors, the hum of crowds moving endlessly under the night sky. Yet even within this noise, Arunachala holds every seeker gently, guiding us closer, step by step.
But nothing prepared me for what happened when I went near the mountain itself.
The Moment I Touched the Mountain
With proper permission, I was given a rare opportunity to walk inside the forested zone of Arunachala an area that is not open to the public. These inner regions are protected land, rich with wildlife, fragile ecology, and sacred energy that must remain undisturbed.
This is not a tourist trail. No one should enter without the forest department’s approval.
As I stepped inside the forest, the transformation began instantly. The sounds of traffic and the restless movements of the crowd faded away. What replaced it was a deep, ancient silence the kind of silence that feels like a presence, not an absence.
The moment my hand touched the bare rock of Arunachala, everything within me went still.
No thoughts.
No desires.
No separation.
Just one overwhelming force terrific energy, powerful yet peaceful, intense yet compassionate. It was as if the mountain itself had reached out and touched me back.
A Silence That Speaks
Unlike the noise and movement of the girivalam path, the inner part of the mountain feels like the heart of a cosmic temple. Every stone, every leaf, every breath of wind carries a vibration impossible to describe in words.
The silence there sinks into you.
The mind stops.
The heart opens.
A strange peace takes over one that feels like coming home.
In that moment, I understood why sages spent their lives here. I understood why Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi called Arunachala the ultimate Guru.
This mountain is not just a geographical form it is a living presence.
A Necessary Warning to Fellow Seekers
Because of my experience, I must share this clearly:
The inner region of Arunachala is strictly restricted. It lies inside the protected forest reserve.
It is not meant for trekking, not meant for tourism, and not meant for casual visitors.
People often feel attracted to the idea of “touching the hill,” but going inside without permission is dangerous—for both the individual and the fragile ecosystem.
Wildlife roams there.
The terrain is rough and unpredictable.
And spiritually, it is not a space for adventure it is a space for surrender.
My visit happened only because I received official permission and was accompanied in a safe, respectful manner.
Every seeker must honor the rules of the forest, for protection is also devotion.
Arunachala does not need us to conquer Him He only needs us to approach with humility.
What I Carried Back
When I walked out of the forest and back toward the familiar girivalam path, the world felt different.
Cars still honked.
People still rushed.
Shops still rang with noise.
But inside me, something had changed forever.
The silence of Arunachala had become part of me.
The energy I felt on that bare stone remains like a subtle flame in my chest steady, powerful, always guiding.
Not everyone may be able to touch the mountain physically.
But through devotion, meditation, and simple sincerity, Arunachala touches every seeker who calls Him from the heart.
Some places we visit.
Some places transform us.
Arunachala belongs to the second kind.