Trails
Siddhachalam has 11 nature and meditation trails spread over about 3 miles. These were rededicated on August 10, 2008.
All trails are fair-weather trails. Please enquire at the office from on-site staff regarding length, steepness, and other features of each trail before starting a yatra.
Subject to weather conditions, the trails are open from Mahavira Janm Kalyanak Diwas (middle of April) through Thanksgiving (third weekend of November).
Several trails lead to the lake. Some devotees have favorite meditation spots in the trails.
One of the trails leads to Guruji’s tapasya sthal where a pratima of Guruji in placed in lotus position. The pratima is wrapped for protection against snow and ice before Thanksgiving. It’s unveiled again each year at the end of April.
Keshi said to Gautam: “Whom do you call foes?” Hearing these words of Keshi, Gautam replied: “O sage! The first foe is one’s unconquered soul. Add to this the four passions of anger, conceit, deceit and greed, and the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. Vanquishing all these ten, I move about righteously.” Kumar-shraman Keshi said: “Gautam, you are endowed with excellent wisdom. You have removed my doubt…” Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 23:3- 39. The conversation between Sharman Keshi, follower of Bhagwaan Parsvanath, and Gautam Swami, the ganadhara of Bhagwaan Mahavira.