Skandashram: Ramana’s Cave

Proceeding to the back entrance of Ramana ashram, past the peacocks and monkeys playing in the trees. There is stone filled path leading up to the two places where Ramana did much of his sadhana for over three decades, Skandashram, a small cave about 800 feet about the city, where he spent 6 years, and Virupaksha cave, where he meditated for over 18 years. Virupaksha cave is named after a great yogi and saint of Thiru who preceeed Ramana. He had a large following and one day, he told his students that he wanted to be alone in the cave for some time. After a while, the students started to wonder and when they entered the cave, all they found was a pile of ashes. Ramana subsequently took over the cave and formed the ashes into a tall pile. Virupaksha cave is about 200 feet below Skandashram.

Just before reaching the first cave, known as Skandashram, the vista opens up to the entire town of Thiruvannamalai. The huge Arunachleswar temple stands majestically just below you, near the base of the mountain, its nine towers of various heights overshadowing the rest of the town.

Arriving at Skandashram, it is really a small building built into the side of the mountain, with a small courtyard and two inner chambers. After taking off one’s shoes, one can sit in the outer chamber and look into the small 5 foot square inner chamber, which can hold at most two or three meditators.Some places are so imbued with spiritual force that it can be felt as a pressure on the body, and this place is certainly one of them.