A Full Moon Offering: Feeding the Sannyasis of Sacred Thiruvannamalai
On the night of the full moon, thousands of pilgrims gather at the foot of Arunachala hill in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, and begin walking. Barefoot, in near silence, they circle the sacred mountain for 14 kilometres (about 9 miles), a practice believed to lighten the weight of lifetimes of karma.
It is on these same nights, under the same full moon, that our team quietly carries out an offering of a different kind: distributing food to the sannyasis, the wandering ascetics who call this sacred land home.
Why Thiruvannamalai Is Considered So Sacred
Thiruvannamalai is home to the ancient Arunachaleswarar Temple, one of the five elemental temples of Lord Shiva found across South India. Here, Shiva is worshipped as the Agni Lingam, the embodiment of fire. Arunachala, the hill above the temple, is regarded by many not simply as a mountain, but as Shiva himself in physical form.
Around its base runs the Girivalam Pathai, the path pilgrims walk in a slow circle around the hill. It can be walked on any day of the year, but it is on Purnima, the full moon, that the path fills with the most devotees. Walking it barefoot, it is said, can help cleanse the karma of many lifetimes and bring deep spiritual merit.
Who Are the Sannyasis, and Why Feed Them?
Sannyasis are renunciates: men and women who, at some point in their lives, let go of home, possessions, and family ties to live simply and devote themselves entirely to their spiritual path. Thiruvannamalai, drawn by the presence of Arunachala, is home to many.
In Indian spiritual tradition, offering food to a sannyasi is known as annadanam, and it is considered one of the highest forms of giving. Because a renunciate owns nothing and depends entirely on what others provide, to feed one is to directly support a life given over to spiritual growth. Offering food, and sometimes clothing, on this sacred land, especially on a full moon day, is considered highly auspicious. It is believed to invoke the blessings of Lord Shiva, bringing purification, peace, and protection, not only to the one who gives, but to their ancestors as well.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Now, on almost every full moon, our team travels to Thiruvannamalai to carry out this offering in person, distributing food to nine sannyasis by hand.
This isn’t a service we offer to the general public. However, if this is prescribed as a remedy in your reading, we will gladly assist you in getting it organised on your behalf.
We, the Institute, make our own offerings quietly, out of respect for the land and the tradition that Nadi Astrology comes from. A number of our seekers have asked, unprompted, to be part of it in some way. That response has meant a great deal to us, and we would like to thank you for it. We are only able to organise this for you if it was part of the Poojas in your reading.
Why We Wanted to Share This
Most people come to know the Indian Palm Leaf Reading® Institute through the search for a palm leaf, the reading itself, or the karma it reveals. But the tradition behind all of that has never only been about prediction. It is also about what you do once you understand your karma, and giving to those who have given up everything is one of the oldest responses to that question.
We will share photos and short videos from these full moon offerings on our social media channels, so make sure to give us a follow so you can see this work for yourself.
To read more about how karma, giving, and the Nadi tradition connect, our book Nadi Astrology – Decoding Your Ancient Indian Palm Leaf explores these ideas in depth.