Travelling to Shirdi Sai Baba

What started for me as just an ordinary day, became quite an adventure after someone casually mentioned that a large Shirdi Sai Baba statue had been delivered and was waiting installation at the side of the girivalam roadway. Even though Shirdi Sai Baba, as far as I know, has not been recorded as ever mentioning Arunachala, or in anyway connected to it, still I've always missed there being a Shirdi Sai Baba Temple here at the Hill.

It was about 7.30 a.m. and immediately on hearing the news, decided to go and find the statue myself. So, off I go. It was a pretty day and the sun was already high up in the sky. Normal life going on all around. By the time I reached the Parvati Hill (which is the only spot on the 14 km circumference of the Hill that you cannot see the Deepam light on top of Arunachala during the yearly Karthigai Festival) it was beginning to get nice and toasty. Below a young lad is ploughing his fields for his rice crop.

In a roadside cafe, a lady is making idlis and customers in the background are eating their tiffin breakfast.

A young stone worker is hewing out holy carvings for temples, shrines or independent sales.

By the time I have reached this spot, it is later in the morning and all the school kids are off on their way. Below a very cheerful young 'un smiling at the camera, with his proud Mum looking on.

The birds are scouting around for their breakfast and below an Indian Roller (Blue Jay) is skimming the top of the pond for some nice succulent insects.

Surprisingly some of the roadside lamps have now become solar - see just how modern Tiruvannamalai is becoming! Well there is certainly plenty of sun to make solar the intelligent energy system of choice. In Pondicherry, solar appliances are hugely popular.

A small Hindu cemetry right by the side of the hillround roadway and close by to Adiannamalai Village.

Lots more kids on their way to school. Took lots of snaps of them - and they were so happy. Great to have started their day off so well.

Finally I reach the Shirdi Sai Baba site. On the right side there is rather an ornate statue of the great saint - but this is not what I have come to see.

I've been told that the special statue is lying in a packaging crate close by. So, off I go again! And Finally I find him!

And the huge crate.

Luckily the top of the crate is open, so I pop my camera in and voila! A very, very nice statue of Shirdi Sai, sitting peacefully in his roomy crate, awaiting his installation on the Arunachala Hillround Roadway.

This is definitely going to be a favourite spot of mine!