Jawadhu Hills

An extension of the Eastern Ghats, the Jawadhu Hills are a beautiful range of bluish gray granite that have peaks averaging 3800 feet in height. The hills are known for their breathtaking verdant beauty.

Jawadhu Hills

During the British colonisation of India, the Jawadhu Hills appeared occasionally in government gazetteers and manuals, ethnographies and travellers’ accounts. It is said that the hills were discovered by Henri Le Fanu, a French citizen in 1883, who loved these hills. The range separates Tiruvannamalai from Vellore and are about 80km wide and 32km long. The Cheyyar and Agaram rivers – both tributaries of the Palar river – flow through the hills bisecting them into eastern and western sections. With peaks ranging from 3600-3800 ft, the hills barely have any inhabitants, except for a few tribes. The Jawadhu hills have a range of attractions and are a haven for trekkers. One visiting these hills can enjoy sights like the famous Beema falls, Komutteri Lake, Amirthi Forest, and the Kavalur Observatory.

Beema Falls : Located 5Km from Jamunamarathur, water is flows in these falls for almost 8 months in a year.

Komutteri lake : This is the biggest lake on the Javadhu hills and also called as Kolappan Lake. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely boating session on this lake. A manmade island in the centre of the lake is also a major tourist attraction here.

Kavalur Observatory :  The largest observatory in Asia, it sees scientists from all over the country and abroad visiting for their studies. 11km from Jamunamarathur, the big telescopes and facilities here draw a lot of tourists.

Melpattu Village: Melpattu village, is located on the highest peak of Javadhu hills. Cave like stone Age Houses that are more than 5000 years old are found here, and are a very interesting attraction for all visitors. There is also a Herbal Farm, set up and maintained by the Forest Department here.

Good to Know:

Location: 79km from Arunai Anantha

Best time to visit: Oct – Mar

Time Required: 3 hours – 2days

Other Attractions

Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple

Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple

2 hrs

The most famous temple in Tiruvannamalai is this shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, at the base of the holy Arunachala Hill, in the heart of Tiruvannamalai.

Arunachala Hill

Arunachala Hill

3 hrs

One of the 5 main Shaivite holy places in South India, the Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai is the most popular tourist site in the area.

Sri Ramana Ashramam

Sri Ramana Ashramam

2 hrs

This is the ashram which was the home to the modern sage Sri Ramana Maharishi, who was popularly regarded as an avatar and enlightened being by many devotees. His shrine attracts devotees from across the world.

Gingee Fort

Gingee Fort

3 hrs

Gingee Fort is also known as the “Troy of the East”. One of the surviving forts in Tamil Nadu, it was ranked as the “most impregnable fortress in India” by Chhatrapati Sivaji.

Tirumalai Jain Temple

Tirumalai Jain Temple

2 hrs

A Jain site with over 2000 years of history, Tirumalai – literally, “the holy mountain” - is situated 51km from Tiruvannamalai. Dating back to at least the 9th Century, Tirumalai has been an important Jain center since ancient times.

Paravathamalai

Paravathamalai

5 hrs

Around 4500 ft above sea level, Paravathamalai Hill is supposed to be one of the most sacred sites in India.

Sathanur Dam

Sathanur Dam

2 hrs

Sathanur Dam is one of Tamil Nadu’s most important dams. An engineering marvel, it has been built over the River Thenpennai, 30km from the town of Tiruvannamalai.

Sri Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple

Sri Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple

3 hrs

This incredible star-shaped temple dedicated to the Goddess Maha Lakshmi, was constructed by the Vellore based charitable trust – Sri Narayani Peedam. Over 1500kg of gold has been used in the intricate work done by the artisans on this temple.