Arunachalam Temple An independent guide to Tiruvannamalai

Seshadri Swamigal Ashram

Seshadri Swamigal Ashram is on Chengam Road, right next to Sri Ramanasramam at the southern foot of Arunachala. It holds the samadhi of Seshadri Swamigal, a saint of Tiruvannamalai remembered for his unconventional ways and his care for the young Ramana Maharshi.

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Granite boulders and green slopes of Arunachala hill looking down on Tiruvannamalai and its temple tank
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Who was Seshadri Swamigal?

Seshadri Swamigal was a renunciate who lived in Tiruvannamalai in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Devotees remember him as an unconventional saint who wandered the town and was often misunderstood by those who did not know him.

Devotional accounts of Ramana Maharshi’s early years describe Seshadri Swamigal as one of the first people to recognise the sixteen-year-old’s state. They say he helped protect the boy from people who disturbed him while he meditated in the temple. These are traditional accounts rather than documented history, and they are told in many devotional biographies.

Visiting the ashram

  • Location: Chengam Road, next to Sri Ramanasramam, on the Girivalam path. See it on the map of places.
  • What you’ll see: the samadhi shrine of Seshadri Swamigal and the ashram grounds.
  • Etiquette: as at the other ashrams, dress modestly, keep silent in the shrine, and switch off your phone.
  • Timings: not officially published online, so check at the gate.

Nearby

Common questions

Where is Seshadri Swamigal Ashram?

On Chengam Road at the southern foot of Arunachala, beside Sri Ramanasramam and on the Girivalam path.

What is the connection between Seshadri Swamigal and Ramana Maharshi?

Seshadri Swamigal was already living in Tiruvannamalai when the young Ramana arrived in 1896. Devotional accounts describe him as one of the first to recognise the boy's spiritual state and to protect him from people who disturbed his meditation.

Sources & references

  1. OpenStreetMap map dataOpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Open data · checked27 September 2026
  2. Ramana MaharshiWikipediaReference work · checked27 September 2026

Please verify important timings and festival dates with official sources before travelling.

This is an independent informational guide, not the official temple website. For darshan tickets, sevas and donations, use the official HR&CE temple website.