Samudram Land

Occasionally I will post news of land for sale, in the hope that the land will be acquired by a single owner (or independent group) who intends using the land for his/their own purpose, and thereby prevent it from being cut up and sold as individual housing plots which will eventually become densely packed urban areas. LAND AT ARUNACHALA IS SACRED AND DEVOTEES NEED TO HELP PROTECT AND REVERE IT.

The below land is approximately 7 acres and is currently owned by a private individual who wishes to sell. In the course of a year this is the fourth person who has owned the land. It started off in the hands of a Jeweller, who owned and maintained it for some years, from there it went to a local Guru who surprisingly let it go into other hands and from there to the current owner.

As one would expect in the last year the land has increased in cost fourfold and doubtedlessly with the vertical increase in land prices, this same land will be double its current cost within one year.

Over the last years I have often visited this particular land on my way through the Samudram area. It is a VERY special, sacred place.

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The first photograph is inside the land compound facing the gate. My dogs are having a good root around.

In the second photograph we are facing north towards Arunachala and are in a central part of the land.

The third photograph is a view of the land facing west. The concrete posts in all the pictures are the perimeter boundary of the 7 acre enclosure.

The below is from the land facing north.

The trees have been planted around a nice open agricultural tank and the small house on the left is the pumphouse for the tank.





Below, the well maintained tank with a high water table; so no question of having to make borewells 400'+ deep like other areas in Tiruvannamalai. Water shortage can be a serious problem in some areas around Tiruvannamalai.

The next picture is facing east and towards the Samudram Lake, of which this land is adjacent and has direct access.

Below the view to the south.

In the last photograph; west the front and north the right.

This land is adjacent and with direct access, to the 600 acre Samudram Lake. The lake is a natural water reservoir for this area so it cannot be converted or used for housing development. It is also hoped that Samudram Lake may soon be turned into a protected area for migratory birds. So this land is ideal for an ashram, retreat centre, spa, or animal sanctuary.

To find out more about Samudram, the current position and the hopes for the future, check here, here and here.

If you wish to find out more about this land please get in touch with:
arunachalameenakshi@rediffmail.com

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.