Maha Deepam Calendar 2012-2022

This year, as is well know, Mahadeepam will take place on Tuesday November 27, 2012. But for those wanting to keep a record for upcoming dates of Mahadeepam at Arunachala, below is a list of the Mahadeepam dates for the next 10 years.

Lighting of the Mahadeepam, 2011

Arunachala Maha Deepam 2013-2022

17th November 2013 (Sunday)
5th December 2014 (Friday)
25th November 2015 (Wednesday)
12th December 2016 (Monday)
2nd December 2017 (Saturday)
23rd November 2018 (Friday)
10th December 2019 (Tuesday)
29th November 2020 (Sunday)
19th November 2021 (Friday)
6th December 2022 (Tuesday)

The days preceding the lighting on the Mahadeepam are also well visited by pilgrims. The schedule of the Deepam Festival Calendar generally follows the same format each year, to view last year's programme, with photographs of each day go visit my website at this link here

 

Lights of Arunachaleswarar Temple 2011

As soon as the schedule for the 2012 programme is released by the Arunachalaleswarar Temple, I will post it on this site.

Arunachaleswarar Temple Tour

Nowadays there are lots of great videos on such sites as You Tube, connected with Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai, Girivalam and both famous and not so famous saints and teachers.

The below is a nice video taking one on a tour of the Arunachaleswarar Temple. Very soothing and inspirational background music to enjoy while taking the tour. 

Panthakkal Preceding 2012 Deepam

An invitation from Arunachaleswarar Temple for Panthakkal preceding the 2012 Arunachala Deepam, was recently released. 

For those who do not read Tamil, an English translation follows further down this posting:- 

The Government of Tamil Nadu, Hindu Charitable Temple Department of Arulmigu Arunachaleshwarar Temple, Good Morning. 

In the Agni Sthalam (Tiruvannamalai) on 15-11-2012 to 01-12-2012 the Deepam Festival is going to be commenced in regard to that Thiruvalluvar 2043 Nandana Year, Month Purattasi 10, (English date 26-09-2012) on Wednesday Morning between 6.00 a.m. to 7.15 a.m., Panthakkal is to be organised. 

Panthakkal Murutham is to be organised with the blessings of Arulmigu Sambandha Vinayaka. 

At this Shrine in the Temple; Abhishekam and Aarti will be organised. At that time everyone is invited. Come and get blessings from Arunachala. 

Ganesha Going For Immersion

Was in town yesterday on errands, and while there was fortunate to be able to see some very nice Ganesha statues and floats on their way to various tanks and tirthams for immersion. The most popular spot for Ganesha immersion is at the Tamari Nagar tank. To read an earlier posting on Arunachala Grace about the Ganesha Festival and immersion, go to this link here. 

Ganesha on a Bullock Cart near Thiruvoodal Street

Big Temple Gopurams in the background

The lads seem to be having a grand time

Very stately looking Vinayakas

 Vinayaka waiting to be picked up and taken for his immersion

Vinayaka at Ramana Nagar giving darshan to passer-bys

Asian Elephants in Kerala

For those interested is supporting the work of strenthening legal protection for Kerala’s Asian Elephants, please read the following notice of an upcoming ecological conference scheduled in Kerala for Mid December. Contact details and relevant website for more details are posted below. 

CALL FOR PAPERS: Announcing Major Kerala, India Ecology Conference 

Dr. Glen Barry of Ecological Internet to serve as Academic Convener, and present on the global biodiversity, ecosystem and biosphere imperatives for biocentric land planning and strengthened legal protections for Kerala's Asian elephants - and their corridors, particularly the Sigur plateau - as an umbrella species for other ecological values. 

September 19, 2012 

By Forests,org, a Project of Ecological Internet 

Dear Forest Protection Colleagues: 

I am pleased to announce a major international conference on conservation of India's forests, wild life, and ecology; and to issue a call for academic papers and attendance. The conference will occur in mid-December, 2012, in Kerala, India, located in the Western Ghats, which is known for its lush ecosystems, tremendous biodiversity - including viable Asian elephant populations - and high levels of human development, as well as human encroachment upon these vital ecosystems. Noted ecologist Dr. Madhav Gadgil, author of the important and controversial Kerala ecological land sensitivity designations, as well as Dr. V. S. Vijayan, Chairman of Salim Ali Foundation and Former Chairman of Kerala Bio-Diversity, have indicated they will be participating in the conference. 

The Kerala Eco Conference will emphasize global aspects of Kerala's ecological sustainability issues, placing issues of Western Ghats' broad environmental challenges within the larger international perspective of climate change, mass extinction, loss of ecosystem services, international environment law, landscape planning, and land use laws and policy. It is desired that various countries' practices as to protection of their hills and mountains' terrestrial ecology, and protecting watershed functionality and wildlife corridors in their countries, can provide an essential global view to the proceedings. An emphasis will be upon biocentric planning and law for India's ecology, people, elephants and other biodiversity, and their future together. 

Ecological Internet has been active in campaigning to protect critical elephant corridors in Kerala since 2006, achieving stunning success, including the relocation of a proposed Neutrino laboratory from prime elephant corridor habitat. On this basis, I have been asked to act as academic convener and coordinator for the conference, and will be presenting a paper which examines the importance of ecological conservation in the Western Ghats to global climate and ecological sustainability. I will highlight the importance of biocentric landscape planning to ensure adequate elephant habitat and corridors – particularly in the Sigur Plateau – using elephants as an umbrella species to secure ecosystems, biodiversity, water and future sustainable development potential. 

I ask that you please circulate the conference announcement (below) widely – particularly to your environmental law and academic ecology colleagues and departments around the world – as this will truly be an international affair. I would love to make your acquaintance there personally, as we work together to protect one of the most special natural ecosystems on Earth. 

Please contact the conference organizer Nagaraj Narayanan at nagaraj@keralalawacademy.org or myself Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org with any questions. I hope to see you soon in India's special evergreen city! 

Warm regards, for Earth, 

Dr. Glen Barry 

Political Ecological and President, Ecological Internet 

P.S. Within the next few days additional conference materials will be made available at http://KeralaEcoConference.org/ 

Ramana Ashram New Library

One of the current building projects undertaken at Ramana Ashram is now finished and the new Ashram Library is open. The new Library, which is circular in shape and comprises the upstairs of the building, has a much larger shelf capacity than the old Library. The new Library is known as the Sri Ramana Granthalaya. 

Front View of the Library

Upstairs contains the Library books

Access to the Library

Better view of ramp

The Plastic Menace

One can understand the reasoning behind the rapid development of Tiruvannamalai and surrounding countryside, however sometimes it seems that that development has completely unnecessary environmental consequences. One such issue is the proliferation of plastic waste throughout the area. 

Happily our Tiruvannamalai Administration is now throwing its full weight behind the drive AGAINST plastic in this area. 

A recent newspaper report states: “Facebook may not have ‘dislike’ button but you can express your dislike towards any plastic garbage pollution, violation of ban on plastics in Tiruvannamalai on a specially created Facebook page ‘plastic free Tiruvannamalai’ and get the attention of authorities. 

Plastics carry bags, sachets, water glasses etc of less than 40 micron have been banned in Tiruvannamalai. Even those above permissible 40 micron should bear the name of the manufacturer. The ban came into effect from August 15. 

District Collector Vijay Pingale is showing keen interest in realising the goal of plastic free Tiruvannamalai and on his insistence every Municipality and Town Panchayat in Tiruvannamalai District is organising rallies against usage of disposable plastics. 

Meanwhile Mr. Pingale has asked people to post their complaints against violation of this ban in the Facebook fan page created by supporters of the mission. While addressing a rally in Kilpennathur on Thursday Tiruvannamalai District Collector announced that:- 

“If you come across any case of disposable plastics being sold or used violating the ban in Tiruvannamalai you just can capture it on your mobile phone and share the picture with details such as time and place on the Facebook page ‘plastic free Tiruvannamalai’, created by supporters of our mission. Authorities will observe the postings in the page and take action.” 

The Facebook page, link here, is not officially managed by the Tiruvannamalai Administration, however the Administration has given their assurances that follow up action would also be posted on that Facebook page. 

Tiruvannamalai Train Information

To those interested in checking the 'live status' online for Tiruvannamalai trains, you should go to this Indian Railways link here and register as a member. Once you are a member you can get excellent 'live status' updates of the schedule for Tiruvannamalai trains. 

The below is a 'live status' update for Tiruvannamalai Railway train departures from a few moments ago. 

Right click on below snapshot for enlargement.