Girivalam dates 2026–2027 and how to walk the Pournami path

Girivalam dates for 2026 and 2027 follow the full moon, Pournami. On each Pournami night lakhs of pilgrims walk the 14 km path around Arunachala, barefoot and clockwise, keeping the hill on their right. This post gives the next dates with the hours the tithi runs, explains how the walk is done, and tells you what the ashram at Adi Annamalai offers along the way.

The next Girivalam dates

• Tuesday 24 November 2026: Kartika Purnima, the same night as Karthigai Deepam. The tithi runs from 11:42 PM on 23 November to 8:23 PM on 24 November.
• Wednesday 23 December 2026: Margashirsha Purnima. The tithi runs from 10:47 AM on 23 December to 6:57 AM on 24 December. Thiruvadhirai, Arudra Darshan, follows on Thursday 24 December.
• Saturday 6 March 2027: Maha Shivaratri, when the path is walked through the night even though it is not a Pournami.

The complete month-by-month table for 2027, with the tithi start and end for each Pournami, is kept on the Tiruvannamalai guide page and updated as the panchangam for the year is confirmed. Pilgrims generally begin walking once the tithi has started and finish before it ends.

How the walk is done

Girivalam starts and ends at the Arunachaleswarar temple, and the path is a tarred road that circles the hill. The eight Ashta Lingams mark the eight directions along the way: Indra Lingam, Agni Lingam, Yama Lingam, Niruthi Lingam, Varuna Lingam, Vayu Lingam, Kubera Lingam and Esanya Lingam. Walkers pause at each one. Adi Annamalai, with its own ancient temple, lies on the western stretch between the Varuna and Vayu Lingams, and the ashram is just off the path here.

• Walk barefoot if you can; the path is paved and most pilgrims do.
• Keep the hill on your right and walk at an unhurried pace. Three to four hours is usual.
• Pournami nights are crowded from evening until the small hours. Early morning on an ordinary day is the quietest walk.
• Carry water. Shops and resting places line the road, and annadhanam is offered at many points.

What the ashram does on Pournami

The ashram states that it holds a pooja on every Pournami night and serves annadhanam to the walkers who pass Adi Annamalai, continuing the daily meal for sadhus that it has kept for more than twenty-five years. Darshan of Mounasamy Siddhar is open as usual. A sankalpa for the Pournami pooja can be requested through the pooja booking page.

For the full calendar, temple timings and a map of the route, see the Tiruvannamalai guide. For the ashram's own festival year, see the Events page. And if you plan to rest at Adi Annamalai during your walk, the Mounasamy darshan page tells you exactly where to turn off the road.