A Spiritual Exploration and Cultural Journey in Tamil Nadu

By Jovi (Li Jiajia), China

When I decided to travel to Tamil Nadu, I did not expect that this journey would touch something so deep within me. I joined a cultural and spiritual trail curated by Be Spiritual Tamil Nadu—not to follow a religion, but to explore new cultures and to understand how spirituality lives in the everyday life of people in South India. I do not belong to any religion, and I was simply curious. But in the end, this journey became something more than travel… something  transformational.

Walking Through Time – Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram is a coastal town — where history meets the roaring sound of the ocean. Ancient temples carved from stone stand here like silent storytellers. The moment I saw the Shore Temple, I felt as though I had stepped into a different time. Its stones have stood for more than a thousand years, facing winds and waves without losing their dignity.

Among all the carvings, the one that struck me the most was Arjuna’s Penance, a huge stone canvas telling stories from the epic Mahabharata. Our guide explained that Arjuna was shown performing deep penance to  Lord Shiva for a divine weapon. Nearby were the Panch Rathas (Five Chariots) and the playful Krishna’s Butter Ball — a mysterious giant rock resting on a slope, symbolizing Lord Krishna’s love for butter.

I didn’t know all these stories. But as I stood there, tracing the carvings with my eyes, I felt something familiar: the human desire to tell stories, to create, to leave something behind  for the future. Art, carvings, temples — these were not just stones. They were memories.

The Temple of Devotion – Thiruvannamalai

The next significant destination was Thiruvannamalai, home to the massive temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The towering gateways, called Gopuram , are filled with brightly colored sculptures of gods, sages, and mythical beings.

The temple smelled of incense. Bells rang. Pilgrims chanted prayers. Suddenly, I remembered my childhood — my grandmother taking me to a temple in China to pray to the Dragon King God. Different countries. Different languages. Yet the same devotion.

We watched the sunset at Arunachala Hill, believed to be the physical form of Shiva. The hill glowed under the fading sun, and a deep silence filled everything around us.

In that silence, I experienced peace.

It was here that I realized: Spirituality doesn’t always need rituals. Sometimes, being present in the moment is the greatest prayer.

The Cosmic Dance – Chidambaram

In Chidambaram, we visited the temple of Nataraja – The Lord of Dance. Inside the chamber, priests performed rituals while we viewed the iconic statue of Nataraja — Shiva dancing in a circle of flames.

Our guide explained that this dance symbolizes the cycle of creation, preservation, and dissolution. As I stared at the sculpture, something clicked:

Everything in life moves in cycles — beginnings and endings, gains and losses.

I suddenly felt free. Free from the fear of change. Free from holding on too tightly.

Spirituality in the Everyday

Throughout this journey, what touched me most was how spirituality here is not separate from life. It is not limited to temples or prayers.

It is present in:

• The rhythms of temple bells
• The artistry of stone and sculpture
• The reverence of pilgrims
• The silence of a sunset

Spirituality here feels  alive — in art, architecture, tradition, and nature.

This journey helped me understand that spirituality isn’t something we look for outside. It is something we uncover within ourselves.

For me, Tamil Nadu was not about finding a god… It was about finding a deeper part of myself.

And as I left Tamil Nadu, a thought stayed with me —

“Sacredness is not always in temples. Sometimes, it is in the quiet realization that we belong to this universe.”