Holistic Centre

Today I visited at a Holistic Retreat Centre currently being built southwest of Arunachala near the existing Arunai Anantha Hotel. The administration building is finished and work is currently underway on the guest accommodation block.

You can see from the below photograph the beautiful view and darshan of Arunachala. The young banana trees at the left of the administration building are currently occupying the spot where a meeting hall and treatment centre will be built amongst a garden setting.

Below is a photograph of Ashok Kumar and his wife Malathi, the founders of the Holistic Retreat Centre. They have relocated from Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, where the family's, Ranganthan Trust run a large English medium matriculation school. Ashok Kumar's recent history and experience is in the development of a herbal cosmetics line, which is marketed in Malaysia, Australia and Sri Lanka. Simultaneously to further developing his herbal cosmetics and health care products, Ashok Kumar will also concentrate on the establishment of the Holistic Retreat Centre here at Tiruvannamalai.

As well as operating as a venue for residental retreats and seminars, the Centre will also host training programmes of the Yoga Master, Arun Kumar, of the Infinite Dimension Charitable Trust. The programmes will include teachers training courses, yoga therapist courses and also yoga vacations for visiting guests.

The next photograph shows construction progress on the accommodation block which will house a total of 16 rooms, all with full a/c, double bedrooms with ensuite western style bathroom and small kitchenette with fridge. Construction of the accommodation block is expected to be completed in approximately two months. A bamboo roof, with lights and fans, will be set up on the roof of the accommodation block. The bamboo structure will face Arunachala and supply a venue for satsangs, meetings, talks and yoga.

There are also later plans for the Centre to construct its own restaurant on land adjacent to the accommodation area. The restaurant will primarily serve Tamil South Indian food.

This Holistic Retreat Centre facility will be in operation this season. We will make regular posting on news and development of the Centre. If you have any particular questions regarding specifics of your own stay or questions about using the facility as a venue for your own Retreat, you can get in touch with this Blog using the email function on the left hand column.

Perception

A human being is a part of the whole called by by us "Universe", a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty.

St. Theresa's Prayer

Saint Theresa is known as the Saint of The Little WAYS. She is the patron Saint of flower growers and florists and represented by roses.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and
pass on the love that has been given to you
May you be content knowing you are a child of God
Let this presence settle into your bones, and
allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise

and Love.

It is here for each and every one of us.

Bird Sanctuary

Happily great emphasis is nowadays being placed on the reforestation of Arunachala, however attention also needs to be focused on the great swathes of agricultural land surrounding the sacred Hill. As Arunachala was denuded of its natural vegetation, so too surrounding land was stripped of natural plant life in order to support intensive farming with crop cultivation of up to four times a year. Some of these farms have already been sold to property developers for densely packed housing estates, and undoubtedly this trend will escalate over the coming years.

In this respect there is a need to create and maintain sanctuaries around Arunachala providing safe haven for migratory birdlife and other wildlife, thereby adding to the rich diversity of life around the sacred Hill. During the rainy season, several natural reservoirs around Arunachala fill with water and attract a profusion of different types of migratory birds. Including; Cormorants, Egrets, Herons, Ibises, Spoonbills, Grebes, Pintails, Stilts, Teals, White Storks and Painted Storks. Further to this matter at a recent meeting of the Tiruvannamalai Development Board, presided over by the Honourable Justice Venkattasami, and District Collector Sathyabratha Sahoo, ideas were put forward in connection with creating a bird sanctuary at Samudram Erie.

In conjunction with other animal welfare programmes, Arunachala Grace Network is working to raise funding to purchase pristine agricultural land adjacent to Samudram Lake, and return it to its natural state providing sanctuary for migratory water birds in the rainy season, and in the rest of the year offer protected glades and nesting areas for such local birds as; Koels, Mynas, Barbets, Green Parrots and also other wildlife.

By the end of the year's rainy season, the 550 acre Samudram is completely submerged under water and has effectively been transformed into a lake. But over the months and coinciding with the beginning of summer, the water table dramatically recedes, until most of the Samudram area converts into nice, peaceful, undeveloped wasteland. It is during this period that goat and cow herders daily bring their flocks to graze on the rich shrubland.

It seems that groups dedicated to protecting migratory birds are also being set up in other places around Tamil Nadu. And one such group is working to restore Pallikaranai Marshland at Chennai. In this respect, it was announced yesterday that 3 male poachers are being held for killing birds in Pallikaranai Marshland

The men, belonging to the 'narikurava' (gypsy) community, apparently shot down the birds for a celebration in their community. A total of 57 birds, some of them rare and protected species, were allegedly shot before officials were able to apprehend the poachers who have now been remanded in custody.

In a recent posting I mentioned that a local Tiruvannamalai woman faced down a group of similar tribal hunters and confiscated their stash. The birds were later identified to be Siberian Cranes; a rare bird that had made a long and perilous journey from Siberia to spend warmer days here at Tiruvannamalai.

In previous times authorities would have ignored tribal and village poachers thereby allowing the hunting to continue. The important thing now, is that a start has been made and an increasingly larger number of people are focusing on the fact that its time to ‘PROTECT WILDLIFE’.

We have now introduced a PayPal facility on this Blog for the support of Arunachala Grace Network and its dedication to many aspects of animal welfare. In this respect we welcome help and support from friends of Arunachala and from friends of Nature so that together we may provide a safe haven for migratory birds and other wildlife and also address on every level the subject of animal welfare. For more information and details on how to help please use the email facility at the left hand side column of this Blog.

Archaka Centres

Six 'Archaka' training centres were recently inaugurated in Tamil Nadu, which would offer a one-year certificate course in 'Agama Sastras'.

The centres were set up at Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane, and Sri Ranganathar Temple, Srirangam, for giving training in Vaishnavite (Vishnu) customs. For training in Saivite (Shiva) customs, the centres have been established at Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Sri Subramania Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur and Sri Dandayuthapani Temple, Palani.

Apart from a monthly stipend, students are to be given free board and lodging. Those who complete the course will then be eligible to perform regular pujas in Temples. As well as opening six more centres, it is also planned to start three-year degree courses in the 'Agama Sastras*', thereby making students eligible to perform Temple Kumbhabishekam.

40 students are to be given training at each centre with selected students coming from various communities.


* Agama - The Scriptures

A sacred text used as source of spiritual ritual. The Agamas are an enormous collection of Sanskrit scriptures which, along with the Vedas, are revered as revealed scripture. The Agamas (i.e. "that which came down") are part of an oral tradition believed to be 7,000-8,000 years old.

The Agamas are the primary source and authority for ritual, yoga and temple construction. In the South Indian Saivite tradition, there are 28 Saiva Agamas.

Arunachala Power

Even though the same consciousness pervades the Universe, in Sri Arunachala Ashtakam [by Sri Ramana Maharshi Bhagavan] explains the Power of Arunachala and how the Hill acts upon the 'individual'.

"Thou art Thyself the One Being, ever aware as the self-luminous Heart! In Thee there is a mysterious Power (Sakti). From it proceeds, the phantom of the mind emitting its latent subtle dark mists, which, illumined by Thy Light (of Consciousness) reflected on them, appear within as though whirling in the vortices of prarabdha, later developing into the psychic worlds and are projected without as the material world and transformed into concrete objects which are magnified by the outgoing senses and move about like pictures in a cinema show. Visible or invisible, O Hill of Grace, without Thee they are nothing!"

Sri Arunachala Ashtakam (Verse 6)
[Ramana Maharshi]

"Though it is the only One, yet by its wonderful power it gets reflected on the tiny dot 'I' (the ego) otherwise known as ignorance or the aggregate of latent tendencies; this reflected light is relative knowledge. This, according to one's past karma now fructifying (prarabdha), manifests the inner latent tendencies as the outer gross world and withdraws the gross external world as the subtle internal tendencies; such power is called mind in the subtle plane and brain in the physical plane.

This mind or brain acts as the magnifier to that Eternal One Being and shows It forth as the expanded universe. In the waking and dream states the mind is outward bent and in sleep it is inward bent; with the mind as the medium, the one Supreme Being seems diversified in the waking and dream states and remains withdrawn in the sleep state. Therefore you are only That and cannot be otherwise. Whatever the changes, the same one Being remains as yourself; there is nothing besides yourself."

[#323; Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi]

Our Real Size

This video is a heady and at the same time a humbling experience, because it shows how very 'small' we are, but also sublimely inspirational to realise that we are no different to that which pervades the Universe. All is I.

If you cannot see the video, please enable 'cookies' on your browser at tools>internet options:

I AM THAT I AM
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Surrender

Surrender to the Source.

Surrender to Awareness,

This is the only place of protection.

Surrender your heart and you will know all.

Surrender to Consciousness and Bliss.

Surrender means to surrender your bondage
and simply Be Freedom.
Surrender is the ego bowing down to its Source.
No more demands or commands,
but just putting all in the hands of the Source.
Surrender is to submit your stupidness, your wickedness,
To the will of Existence, to Consciousness and Bliss
And being happy.

Surrender.
Let Silence have You.

[By Sri HWL Poonja]

Mortgaged Property

Chairperson of the Debts Appellate Tribunal recently said (at a Chennai meeting), that Banks should be required to take steps to register mortgaged properties. At present equitable mortgage is not reflected in encumbrance certificates issued by registration offices. Thus, people buying mortgaged properties come to know of an encumbrance only when the property is put up for sale.

If such a regulation was put into effect, it would go some way in ensuring potential property purchasers (throughout Tamil Nadu, and in particular Tiruvannamalai District) would know right at the beginning of negotiations the extent of all existing mortgage encumbrances on the property they wished to purchase.

Mountain of Medicine

I previously made a posting about the Mountain of Medicine, a reforestation programme at Arunachala which is located on the South Side of the Hill and near to Sri Ramana Maharshi Ashram. Anyhow, I revisited this reforestation programme a few weeks ago to see their progress, and was delighted to see great improvements.

To find out more about the name Mountain of Medicine, and Sri Ramana Maharshi's explanation of the herbal properties of Arunachala, please refer to this posting.

The Mountain of Medicine has a nice quiet, contemplative, seating area with this pretty water feature.

Below another water feature in the quiet section of the Mountain of Medicine.

A local artist is currently painting granite slabs, which will be placed at the sides of various walkways at the Mountain of Medicine. Most of the paintings are depictions of local water birds and indigenous animals.

The below looks like a kingfisher and at the back of the granite slab, you can identify packets of seedlings that will later be transferred to various spots on Arunachala Hill.

The below is a favourite of mine and depicts the very commonly found Bonnet Macaque monkey; one sees these mischievous monkeys on the Hill, off the pradakshina road and also in town. The Bonnet Macaque is highly intelligent and very adaptive, and can quickly acclimate to new situations. If you want to find out more about this adorable, roguish monkey check out: Bonnet Macaque and monkey games.





The below shows part of the Children's Park at the Mountain of Medicine, which was recently opened and which is quickly proving a BIG success with local kids.

Another shot of the Children's Park at the Mountain of Medicine.

Rows of seedlings and plants, some of which will be later transferred and planted on the Hill, the rest of the seedlings will be sold to visitors, for their own gardens or driveways.

One very interesting feature of the Mountain of Medicine is that the organisation has built a rocky lane starting from their compound, which leads directly to the inner pradakshina path around the Hill. Most pilgrims prefer performing circumbulation of Arunachala by going around the outer pathway because they enjoy visiting outlying Temples and the Asta Lingams, however the inner path is particularly peaceful and favoured by those that want to perform silent and undisturbed girivalam.

A view of Arunachala and the local countryside from a vantage point at the Mountain of Medicine.

The below is the view of Arunachala from the gateway leading to the Mountain of Medicine. In a few years the planted trees will have grown and the pathway will be a veritable leafy avenue of trees.





You may like to refer to an earlier posting on this Blog written by Govinda Bowley, the founder of the Mountain of Medicine, in which he talks about the current greening situation of Arunachala.

Bird Sanctuary

Over the last few years there has definitely been a shift in consciousness in the area regarding our animal brethren. Many good people have taken up the mantle of promoting animal welfare and are participating in improving the quality of animals' lives in Tiruvannamalai. An example of this is the great courage shown by the young woman, of the previous posting, when facing down a group of very angry hunters. Also such people as Lesley from the U.S. have greatly benefited the quality of life of cats and dogs of the area, by their excellent work in setting up the newly opened, very successful Animal Shelter and aligning it to the Karuna Society of Puttaparthi.

Arunachala Grace Network is also very active with its work dedicated to animal welfare. And in this respect we have been engaged over the last few years in both feeding numerous homeless dogs in the Lake area and also in ensuring all plastic, trash and other animal hazards around the Lake is regularly picked up. Its been our dream for many years to participate in the development of a Bird Sanctuary around the Lake and now that the Municipality is beginning to express an interest in this venture, we hope that only sincere animal lovers will be selected to undertake work on behalf of the Municipality.

So, I have talked alot about Samudram Lake, and here is a spectacular view of the lake from the embankment with its magnificent view of Arunachala.

These photographs are also taken from the Lake embankment and show the proximity of Arunachala and gives one an idea of what a blessing it would be to maintain and ensure a pristine area dedicated to the joyful simplicity of the welfare of birds, both migratory and local.

Lots more news on all aspects of animal welfare to come.

No Fishing!

The below is a photograph of something I never hope to see by the side of Samudram Lake after this year. It is a hut for fishing folk that are trawling the gradually receding Lake for fish. Currently there are three such huts around the Lake. Last year the Municipality issued fishing permits giving rights to fishermen to stock and thereafter fish the lake. Sadly what was a lucrative business for them, was chaos and madness for the many visiting birds. Because the lake had many fish and freshwater shrimps and crabs, many hitherto unseen birds were attracted to visit and stay at Samudram Lake.

As is usually the case in man versus animal in food competition; man won and many birds were hunted, killed and frightened to prevent them eating the fish stock of Samudram Lake. This year the Lake was not stocked as before, but there is still a residual harvest left over from the previous year, hence several fishing huts have appeared around Samudram Lake.

While I was visiting at the Animal Shelter this afternoon, a young lady brought in a bag filled of 'dead' endangered migratory waterbirds that she had taken from some hunters who where loitering near her home. Wishing to bring the extent of the hunting of endangered birds to the notice of officials, she brought the bag filled with the 'dead' birds to the Animal Shelter for their advice and support. It was very brave of her to face down several hunters in order to confiscate the evidence of the dead birds. Hopefully the protection of birds and wildlife in this area can now start on an 'official level'.

What was particularly distressing to learn is that it is the fisherman and local agriculturalists who are calling in hunters in order to destroy the competition to the food chain.

Samudram Lake is about 550 acres and gets fully flooded and filled during the rainy season. For about 3 months the lake is filled to overflowing and then after the rainy season is over, increasingly the hot, sunny days and demands on the Muncipal water table, slowly lower the Lake. Eventually it dries out to just a watery puddle.

The Collector (the person in charge of the Local Municipality and its major decision maker) was recently approached regarding turning Samudram Lake into a protected bird sanctuary. He is currently considering proposals, but seems to be quite interested. Eventually all the farms around the lake will be sold to developers and adjacent lands will get built up with houses and flats; at that time having the Samudram Lake, well maintained and protected for migratory and local water-birds will be like New York with its park right in the middle. [Central Park in New York is 843 acres, and Hyde Park in London 608 acres].

However as Indians are generally not as 'health conscious' as Westerners, Samudram Lake won't need bicycle or jogging tracks around the perimeter! That's a relief!

The below picture is taken last year from high up, when the water of the Lake had receded from the trees skirting the perimeter of Municipal land. As Samudram Lake is a natural water catchment for water during the rainy season, it cannot be developed; or at least not in our life-time, maybe later when land will be HUGELY EXPENSIVE, all of a sudden like Bangalore, things will change and some bright spark will decide to try converting some of the lake land into building tracts!

The below is of a nice sunny day at the lakeside.

Lots and lots more information and posting about Samudram Lake to come. So keep checking back.

Fix that auto!

A few days ago I posted an entry about a brand new state-of-the-art Rs.180,000/- (U.S.$4,500) autorickshaw. Well, the man in the below photograph is working on his old, beaten up and weathered auto and is probably even happier with his lot; at least he didn't have to take out a bank loan to finance the purchase!

So, I was walking home on my way back from my appointment at the dental clinic at Rangammal Hospital and was enchanted by the sight of this friendly mechanic working on his auto with Arunachala in the background and his adoring puppy at his feet.

But will that adoring pooch leave his master alone for long enough for him to do his work? Well pooch didn't give Dad a chance during the time I was chatting. But after all its a long day!

Indian Trends

In the years 1972-73, in India, food items accounted for about 75% and 66% of household expenditure in rural and urban areas respectively. Nowadays household expenditure money (designated for food items) has fallen to 55% and 53% in urban and rural areas. With thebalance of monies being used to pay for manufactured items and services.

[The above is taken from The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) which recently released their report on employment and expenditure in India].

Mercury Platform

The crafting of an affordable platform, named Mercury, to deliver medical services in regions that might be otherwise difficult to reach and service is now being deployed in Tamil Nadu. The platform, which works on an "always-on" connection, harnesses the Internet as the communication backbone to link patients to hospitals and to experts who might even be on another continent.

When the Tamil Nadu Telemedicine Project has been completed, it will link the Government Royapettah Hospital, Chennai with six Government Headquarter Hospitals at Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Krishnagiri, Udhagamandalam (Ooty), and Rameswaram.

Eucalyptus

Insect threatens Eucalyptus

An insect, new to India, which is believed to have migrated from Australia, has started to damage large swathes of Eucalyptus plantations in South India. The insect is feared to pose a threat to an estimated 8,000,000 hectares (a hectare is 2.47 acres) of plantations. Eucalyptus is an important pulpwood species, which is widely used in paper and rayon industries. First reported in Malakampadin area in Tamil Nadu, the damage has now spread to neighbouring States of Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The Eucalyptus tree was introduced to Tiruvannamalai District in recent times and is now commonly found in the immediate surrounds of the town of Tiruvannamalai.

A local plantation of young Eucalyptus trees

Authorities first noticed the menace when they found parts of Eucalyptus trees in Andhra Pradesh forests damaged due to the insect. The insect is of a group which lays eggs inside tree leaves and stems and blocks the sap flow to the tip of the plants, causing shoots to droop and thereby affecting normal growth.

In 2000, the infection was first reported in the Middle East and thereafter subsequently spread to Mediterranean countries and northern and eastern Africa. Though no specific pesticides are available to kill the tree insect, research suggests early treatment can halt damage. It is recommended that as soon as the insect problem is located, one should prune or cut off the parts that are affected and apply systemic pesticides, which will go inside the plant and kill the insect.

I AM

O, raise up thine eyes to eternal sky

In thy bondage strike out to be free

Hush the whispering voice of the infinite why

With "I am and I was and I ever will be."

[Anonymous]

Ramana Pradakshina

"What is there superior to pradakshina? That alone is sufficient. Even if you sit and do japa, the mind will wander, but if you do pradakshina that mind will remain one-pointed even though the limbs and the body are moving. Doing japa or meditation with a one-pointed mind, while moving about, without having any thought other than the japa, is known as absorption while moving (sanchara samadhi). That is why in the olden days pilgrimage on foot, without using any other conveyance, had so much importance.

Giri pradakshina is unique. As there are many types of herbs on the hill, the breeze that blows over them is good for the body. Even today there are many siddhas and great souls on the hill. They too go around the hill, but we cannot see them. Because of this, when we do pradakshina we should keep to the left of the road. If we do this, we do pradakshina without causing any inconvenience to them. We also get the merit of walking round these great souls, thereby receiving their blessings. As we do pradakshina, the body becomes healthy and the mind attains the peace of the Self. Because of all these things, pradakshina is an extraordinary sadhana."

[Ramana Maharshi]

Taurus Moon

Girivalam
Taurus Moon

As expected thousands of devotees thronged Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday night (May 1st) to perform circumbulation of Arunachala and have darshan of Lord Annamalaiyar at the Big Temple (Arunachaleswarar Koil).

The period of this month's Poornima began at 2 p.m., Tuesday and continued until 3.57 p.m., Wednesday. However due to the heat and bright sunlight, a large number of devotees waited until after 5 pm Tuesday to start their Hill giripradakshina.

As mentioned in a previous posting Poornima during the month of Taurus signals the birth of the Buddha, and after Karthigai Deepam festival attracts the largest annual gathering of pilgrims and visitors to Tiruvannamalai.

Some new arrangements designed to make giripradakshina easier for devotees were unveiled for the first time this month. These arrangements include the opening of a newly laid tiled pathway on part of the girivalam roadway from Anna Arch to Abhaya Mandapam. Also fire service personnel took measures inside Arunachaleswarar Temple to mitigate the distress of bare footed devotees walking on the scorching stone flooring inside the Temple premises.

Blue Moon

The month of May, 2007, in India has two full moons. A Blue Moon is commonly the name given to the second full moon in a month.

A more traditional explanation of 'Blue Moon' refers to the 4th full moon in a season. That is, each of the 4 seasons of the year has 3 months, and will usually have 3 full moons. Each of these 12 moons has a name like "Harvest Moon", or "Hunter's Moon" etc. However, when a season occurs that contains 4 full moons, there is no name for this occasional moon and it was given the name, "Blue Moon".

Although the expression Blue Moon nowadays is taken to mean the second Full Moon in a single calendar month, the Moon doesn't actually change colour, despite the name! However, there have been occasions when the Moon has appeared to be blue in hue. The phenomenon is caused by dust or smoke high in the Earth's atmosphere which is thrown up by a major volcanic eruption or smoke from a large forest fire. Tiny particles have a strange effect on moonlight passing through them. They scatter the light in every direction, but red light is scattered more strongly than blue light, so that less red light passes directly through the dust or smoke. Thus the Moon has a blue tinge.

The expression 'Blue Moon' as a way of saying 'not very often' was first used about 150 years ago. By that time it was clear that visibly blue Moons, though rare, did happen from time to time. So the phrase "once in a blue Moon", originated to mean 'an infrequent event'.

To view the calendar of all upcoming full moons at Arunachala until December, 2009, check link.