Today I made a trip to the countryside to visit friends who have just purchased a parcel of 5 acres some 5 kms from the Arunachala girivalam roadway. After making sure that my own dogs would be well looked after in my own compound, I set off on my adventure.
The land is located at Periyarpalliyapattu, a small rural, unspoilt area with darshan of Arunachala. The purchasers a married couple (Philippe from France and Kiran from North India) are now busy overseeing the development of their land. A large crew spent a few weeks unearthing and breaking up large stones, more workers set up posts on the land boundaries which later will be fitted with barbed wire and another group of specialist workers have been busy digging an agricultural well. The well which is supposed to be 40 feet deep is already beginning to fill at only 10 feet, so the workers will have to be inventive in how they continue their dig. Only another 30 feet to go.
Next month work commences on a house, cottages and several other structures. All buildings will be made with local ecologically friendly material according to traditional South Indian designs and concepts.
Philippe and Kiran, who are devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba have already been given permission by local authorities to designate the area Sathya Sai Nagar. Their wish is to create a haven in the Arunachala countryside where pilgrims can concentrate on their sadhana in the shadow of the great Hill. I will be giving regular updates on progress on the development of their haven “Greenland”.
Arunachala from Land
Area surrounded by Hills
Beautiful Expansive Area
Vinayaka has Already Arrived
Nearby Pond
Babysitting my Friends' Dogs
The Well Crew
Hot Work on a Summer's Day
Well is Already Over 10 feet Deep
Checking out Workers' Hut
Their Ingenious Outside Cooker
Philippe with Doggies
Posts Marking Land Boundary
Kiran and Phillipe
with doggies Jodhaa and Akim
The land is located at Periyarpalliyapattu, a small rural, unspoilt area with darshan of Arunachala. The purchasers a married couple (Philippe from France and Kiran from North India) are now busy overseeing the development of their land. A large crew spent a few weeks unearthing and breaking up large stones, more workers set up posts on the land boundaries which later will be fitted with barbed wire and another group of specialist workers have been busy digging an agricultural well. The well which is supposed to be 40 feet deep is already beginning to fill at only 10 feet, so the workers will have to be inventive in how they continue their dig. Only another 30 feet to go.
Next month work commences on a house, cottages and several other structures. All buildings will be made with local ecologically friendly material according to traditional South Indian designs and concepts.
Philippe and Kiran, who are devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba have already been given permission by local authorities to designate the area Sathya Sai Nagar. Their wish is to create a haven in the Arunachala countryside where pilgrims can concentrate on their sadhana in the shadow of the great Hill. I will be giving regular updates on progress on the development of their haven “Greenland”.
with doggies Jodhaa and Akim
