On the hill
What you will find here
What is available on the hill, and the handful of things first-time visitors consistently wish they had known.
Annadana hall
Free meals served 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM every day, to everyone, without exception.
Footwear stand
Free, beside the eastern entrance. Please carry socks — the stone gets very hot.
Drinking water
Filtered water at the annadana hall and near the kalyani steps.
Wheelchair access
A ramp reaches the outer prakara. The sanctum itself is up a short flight of steps; ask a volunteer for help.
Accommodation
A small number of rooms for pilgrims, allotted by the office. Telephone well ahead during festival weeks.
Cloakroom
Beside the office, for bags. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed in the sanctum.
Before you come
- Dress traditionally — dhoti or pyjama for men, saree or salwar for women. Shorts are not permitted inside.
- Photography is not allowed inside the sanctum. The prakara, the kalyani and the hill are all fine.
- The hill is exposed and the stone is hot from about 10 AM. Morning darshana is far kinder in summer.
- During Vairamudi the queue can take several hours. Elders and small children are better brought on another day.
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