Tiruvannamalai, India - Travel Diary

This video is about a group of Russian pilgrims (male and female) arriving at Tiruvannamalai in a coach, which documents their experiences over the course of a couple of days.

The video is about 55 minutes long. Below I have listed a guide to specific parts of the video, and depending on how much time you have, you might want to directly access your preferred interests.

Video Sequence

Beginning: Coach to Tiruvannamalai. Stopping at village for visit with Swami Velliananda Swami. Journey continues. Looking at Kolams.

Minute 13: Visit to Ramana Ashram, including VERY beautiful coverage of puja at the Ramana Samadhi 

Minute 16: Group walks to Skanda ashram, sitting there

Minute 23: Shopping in Ramana Nagar and walking about streets

Minute 25: Visit to Pachaiamman Temple, footage taken inside the Sanctum Sanctorum

Minute 26: At water tank, having bath with nearby housewife washing clothes

Minute 28: Visit to Virupaksha Cave

Minute 29.30: Sadhus on street. Walking on roadway.

Minute 30: Agreeing rickshaw price. Visit to x-ray clinic. Visit to Doctor

Minute 38.30: Evening at Car Street at Big Temple. Procession passes by.

Minute 40: Lunch at Ramana Ashram

Minute 42: Walking on Chengam Road in Ramana Nagar, stone cutter lingam order.

Minute 43: Evening Puja at Ramana Ashram Samadhi. Spending time in Samadhi Hill

Minute 46: Ironing Man

Minute 47: Taking food

Minute 50: Evening Ramana Ashram—chanting in Samadhi Hall

Minute 53: Coach on girivalam roadway. Stop for tea. Leaving.

Words about this Video from the Russian Video Producer

“Without words, without explanation, without voice-over this is a spotless actual flood of reality that takes you instantly to this place. Using a live documentary camera, I tried to just watch and as much as possible not interfere. I did not make any specific movie to necessarily fit into the expectations of a clean, bright sacred place. 

Tiruvannamalai is a city which is located around one of the most sacred and revered places in India - Arunachala hill. There are Temples of Shiva, an ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi, and a multitude of Shrines, Temples and sacred place—it is a Holy city with life around it.

India is a very photogenic country and while shooting the video, one slowly seizes this Indian stream and watching this you begin to disappear and you're not here, you're back there somewhere at Arunachala. 

It does not seem abnormal that the local folk work in their shops and in the evening go to Puja at the Arunachaleswarar Temple. Waking up early in the morning with a cotton dhoti wrapped around the waist, dressed appropriately for the unbearably hot day ahead, and yet wearing a shawl over the shoulders because it is early morning and still cold. Performing giripradakshina around Arunachala and in the evening visiting Ramana Ashram to listen to the chanting in the Samadhi Hill, seems just like a day in a normal life.”