Annamalaiyar Temple – Unknown Sadhu of Thiruvannamalai
In the history of Thiruvannamalai at any point of time,
atleast one great Sadhu will lead his life there. The recent past is an
excellent example, The Seshadri Swamigal, Ramana Maharishi then the Sadhu Ram
Surat Kumar and now an unnamed (name not correctly available) Sadhu living on
top of hill of Annamalai. Though the exact details relating to birth, place of
birth weren't available about the hill Sadhu, we have some details of this
Sadhu which was collected from the people of Thiruvannamalai.
It seems that this Sadhu was wandering in the streets of
Thiruvannamalai some nine years back. He used to give astrological predictions
to people at a cost of Re.1/-. Not a single paisa extra or short. He does not
do this service for all. He selects the person. And also had been offering very
valuable advices, it was not just prediction. And all these predictions were done
by him simply by face-reading and not by seeing the horoscope. Some people also
say that he is an expert in Palmistry.
Due to the spurt in his popularity and that many people
wanting to meet him gave big disturbances for his penance. So, he left the city
and decided to go and board in the mountains.
The Sadhu eats only fruits and vegetables. Every day he
selects the shop, for taking his food. It was told that the Sadhu picks his
food from the shop and simply goes away without paying anything. Though he does
not pay directly, The Shop records the maximum sales on that day. All of a
sudden this became a big event and every vendor approached the Sadhu to ensure
that the Sadhu takes something from the concerned shop owner, so that he is
also bestowed with the grace of the Lord of Lords, Annamalai.
This Sadhu has been doing penance for a period of 8 to 9
years from now, in the mountain of the Annamalai. He resides inside a small
rock which is barely 3 to 4 feet in height & width. He does not consume
regular food. He rarely drinks milk. He has a stick and a cleaned coconut cup.
Everyday people carry milk for him all the way to the top of the mountain and
pour the milk in that coconut cup.
It seems that the rock in which he resides is fenced
with bushes and thorn plants to cover him from miscreants. It is also believed
that this Girivalam became very popular, only after the Sadhu touched his
seventh chakra (the last one) the Sahasraaram through his penance, though
Girivalam was in existence for a very long time.