South India 2008

Photos by Adam Jones

These photos were taken during two-and-a-half months in South India
(states of Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala) from June to August 2008.

Gallery 21: Tiruvannamalai

We begin here a tour of several major temple towns and religious centres in Tamil Nadu
state -- few more important than Tiruvannamalai ("Tiru" for short), which sits at the foot of Arunachala,
"Red Mountain," an extinct volcano that offers some extraordinary views over the town. The main temple complex,
Arunchaleshvara, is quite mind-boggling, and the town itself one of the most vibrant and enjoyable of the
journey so far.

I.

The gopuras of the Arunchaleshvara temple, viewed from the roof of my hotel.

II.

Inside the temple.

III.

This photo and following: pilgrims within and outside the gates of Arunchaleshvara.

IV.

V.

VI.

It wouldn't be a temple gallery without a monkey shot, now would it?

VII.

This photo and following: views and details of Arunchaleshvara, here with the Red Mountain
towering behind.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

This photo and the next: the Arunchaleshvara complex viewed from a pilgrims' path that
winds across the Red Mountain. From this vantage point, I had a sense of how the Spanish conquistadores
must have felt when they first entered the valley of Mexico and set eyes on the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán.
Fortunately, I resisted the temptation to conquer and pillage.

XII.

Continue to the
next gallery