Yesterday (Saturday) I went to visit a friend at V.O.C. Nagar, which is a small colony at the side of Seshadri Ashram on Chengam Road. A couple of years ago this street was very rustic, with potholes on the road and surrounded by old fashioned, modest dwellings. As is the case throughout Tiruvannamalai, increased prosperity has improved the lot of ordinary people living in the community and many of the homes have been updated and enlarged.
At the other end of the street is a lovely Shakti Shrine dedicated to Adi Para-Shakti. Particulary like the beautiful tree at the back of the Shrine.
Below is a statue of the Goddess on top of the Shrine.
In front a small shrine with a representation of Ganesha.
The smiling lady below helps maintain the Shrines and also daily draws rangoli designs on the ground.
Below is her husband who is surrounded by a crowd of local kids who are eager to make sure they also get their photograph taken - a popular past-time of most of the kids in the area!
The girl in orange is putting henna on her friend's hand from a prepackaged metal funnel available at most local stores.
Lots of kids crowding below to get into the photo.
Outside the Shrine there is an iconic representation of Adi Para Shakti which the day before was taken around Arunachala in procession (in the back of a Jeep).
And in close-up.
Inside the Shrine is a statue of Adi Para Shakti which is permanently fixed to a platform. The Shrine statue is much older than that used in processions and reflects the rustic time of yesteryear when the street and community was only able to afford a simple statue. Compare this to the very beautiful (and expensive) statue of the recently made Adi Para Shakti statue used in processions - which reflects the increased prosperity of the area.
However, I rather like the one of yesteryear and particularly like the charming plastic parrots attached to three flower cones which were also part of the recent procession around the Hill.
