The Importance of Peace

Sri Nannagaru is expected to visit Arunachala this coming week. He will be staying at his Ashram in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, a mile west of Ramana Ashram. You can find out more about him by visiting his website at this link.

Sri Nannagaru who hails from Jinnuru, West Godvari District, Andhra Pradesh, attributes his realisation to the grace of Arunachala-Ramana when many years ago whilst staying at Arunachala he attained realisation.

Nowadays, Swamiji visits Arunachala about four times a year and is generally accompanied by many of his devotees from Andhra. This visit he is expected on the 11th and will stay approximately 7 days.

During his visits, he invariably spends time at Ramana Ashram and the below photograph is of a previous visit and depicts Swamiji with devotees in the Ramana Ashram meditation room (which is the room that Ramana lived in for many years).

The Importance of Peace

"Peace is essential. Peace is above power, peace is above money – peace is above anything related to the world. All the luxuries and advantages that can be acquired in the world are not equal to the grace of peace.

It is essential, not only to everybody, to every religion, to every part of the world – but to all humanity. Without peace one is not able to progress in any aspect of life. For the ease of the body, one requires comfort, but the mind’s requirement for ease – is peace. If an individual doesn’t have peace, he will experience unrest and disturbance.

Peace and happiness of the individual also contributes to a peaceful society. Without peace there is waste of money and energy. If you wish to progress in any field whether; spiritual, educational, or commercial you must have peace as the basis. Without peace one is not able to grow in one’s spiritual life – peace is above all that can be acquired in the material world.

If you want peace you have to come out of ignorance. If you want peace you have to come out of wrong identification. If you want peace you have to come out of wrong thinking. If you want peace you have to come out of wrong habits. If you want peace you have to come out of wrong behaviour. One cannot buy peace in the market, one has to grow peace in the heart and to experience it in the mind."

[Sri Nannagaru]

Cow Puja at Sri Nannagaru Ashram

As is his custom Sri Nannagaru, who hails from Jinnuru, Andhra Pradesh, visits Tiruvannamalai each year to celebrate Arunachala Deepam. Hundreds of his Andhra devotees follow him to Tiruvannamalai and while staying at his Ashram, organize various pujas and functions to be held the Deepam week. This visit Sri Nannagaru arrived at Tiruvannamalai December 10th and will be leaving in the morning of December 15th.

The below sequence of photographs are from a very nice cow puja celebrated yesterday at Sri Nannagaru Ashram.

The puja was particularly interesting for me as I count dear Iswari -- the grey and white cow -- as an old chum as I used to daily feed and pet her while she was a calf. Now she herself has her own beautiful calves.

And in the below photograph Sri Nannagaru surrounded by some of his Andhra devotees, look to Arunachala.

The view of Arunachala from Sri Nannagaru Ashram.

Deepam 2008 Lighting

Click on photos to enlarge

Its late afternoon and I am at Sri Nannagaru Ashram to watch and celebrate the lighting of the Deepam flame on top of Arunachala, with my Guru and his devotees. As is the custom at this Ashram, a ghee lamp is waiting in the courtyard, to be lit after the Deepam on the Hill.

In the below photograph, my guruji -- Sri Nannagaru.

And we all sit waiting for the Deepam on top of Arunachala to be lit. And there it is.

Its dusk and it gets dark quickly.

As soon as the light appeared on top of Arunachala, the jyothi at the Ashram was lit by Sri Nannagaru. In the below he is circumbulating the light.

Its my preference to enjoy Deepam at the Ashram, but all over Tiruvannamalai there are celebrations, fireworks, ceremonies, functions and masses of people enjoying the evening in their own special way. Many homes like the one below have lighted ghee lamps stationed on their balconies and by their front doors.

The girivalam road is packed with pilgrims performing circumbulation of the Hill -- it will be like that through the night and well into tomorrow morning.

HAPPY DEEPAM TO ONE AND ALL

Sri Nannagaru and Devotees

So, tomorrow morning, Thursday, 26th June, Sri Nannagaru leaves Arunachala after a 10 day visit. As is usual, many of his devotees from Andhra Pradesh travelled with him. While here, Swami gave daily spiritual discourses in Telegu (his native language) to his devotees and visitors. It is expected that Sri Nannagaru will return to Arunachala this upcoming August for a short stay.

"I first came across Sri Nannagaru in Ramanashramam at Tiruvannamalai, in the last days of 1993. A friend had told me that a guru was giving darshan near the library that evening. Arunachala and Sri Ramana's cave were sufficient for me, I thought; I felt no particular attraction for the darshan of yet another guru. It happened that the library was next to my room, however, and as I returned from the cave that evening I saw a crowd of westerners outside sitting in silence before a man who was sitting in a chair. At his feet were a bevy of well-dressed Indian women. They were all gazing at the man intently. The man's eyes were drifting slowly from one person to another. I couldn't help feeling that he looked like the cornershop grocer. Every now and then he let out a prolonged belch, and rubbed his stomach.

I sat down, intending to stay until the first mosquito arrived. In moments I was aware of the depth of the silence in the group around me. Sri Nannagaru kept gazing at one individual after another, sometimes resting his eyes on a person for minutes on end. At the same time he would raise his right hand in an open palm blessing. My body became as still as stone. All thought of going anywhere vanished. All thoughts of any kind vanished. His look was one of the most tender commpasion, of a lover to his beloved; yet there was not sense of anybody doing anything wanting anything, trying to creat some effect; just the innocent and empty gaze of love, available to all, and yet intensely personal, it seemed, with each individual. His body seemed to carry no tension at all: his whole being flowed unobstructed out of his eyes. After half an hour or so, he silently bowed, and got up to go to his room. Nobody moved, and the silence continued for several more minutes."

[From Travels through Sacred India

By Roger Housden]

Walking Home

Walking back after early morning darshan at Sri Nannagaru Ashram, decided to take a shortcut through the fields to get back to my place. Passed by brick makers who have set up in an area that will eventually be developed into housing plots. Brick makers are never popular because of the smoke and smell of the burning brick kilns. In the below photograph a big brick kiln (under white wraps) is waiting for the time that it will be fired up.

The below photograph is of the remains of a brick kiln which has already been fired up. The fired bricks are being gradually transported by lorry to nearby building sites.

Labourers at brick kilns work very hard because they get paid by the brick. Generally a family, or group work together to produce the bricks. First the red clay is made into the right consistency.

And then with the use of moulds, is pressed into brick shapes and laid out to dry.

The moulds have identifying initials of the brick merchant, so each brick can be identified as to where it was made.

I leave the brick making venture and turn back onto Perumbakkam Road, where I notice an earth mover and truck parked by the side of the road. As there is so much construction activity at Tiruvannamalai, there is a lot of sand quarrying going on, generally by stealth late at night.




After I pass the lorries, I see the quarry located on a hill spur of Arunachala. I recently heard that the quarry has been given notice by the State Pollution Control Board that they have to close within a year. In this respect will post fuller information in this upcoming Arunachala Grace Newsletter which will be sent direct to email inboxes at the end of the month. (For your free subscription please go to the facility at the left hand margin of this page).

The cute kids below belong to a family that work at the quarry. Their hut is located opposite the quarry and when not at school, the kids are always hanging around eager to have a quick chat with folk passing by.

Nearby a neighbour is making a new cow house with lots of sturdy bamboo for their two cows.

And then after all the noise and confusion of the trucks, brick kilns and quarry, nearby a farmer has planted marigolds in his field.

Sri Nannagaru Visit

Yesterday, 16th June, Sri Nannagaru arrived at his Ashram, Sri Nannagaru Ashram, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Tiruvannamalai for a ten-day visit. While here he will be available to devotees and pilgrims. Early morning is a favourite time for some of Swami's devotees, and he generally gives a long darshan in the early mornings around 6 a.m.

I hadn't visited Sri Nannagaru Ashram since Swamiji's last visit, so the new structure covering the roof came as a very nice surprise - definitely feel nervous about bamboo roofs since my own flew off during gale force winds a couple of months ago!

Very nice job too, and also much more comfortable in times of rain and inclement weather.

The below photographs is of Sri Nannagaru with a photograph of his Guru, Sri Ramana Maharshi, in the background.



After a long time sitting, Swami wandered about the roof looking at Arunachala.

To find out more about this Advaitic Master, please check out his website at this link. I have also made many earlier postings on Swamiji, which you can access through the new 'search box' at the top left hand column of this page.

More information on Swami's visit to come.

Sri Nannagaru at Andhra Ashram

Sri Nannagaru arrived at Arunachala on March 15 for an eleven day visit. He generally visits Arunachala three to four times a year, staying from anywhere to one to two weeks a time. You can find out more about this Advaitic Master, at an earlier post here.

Swamiji's primary Arunachala Ashram (Sri Nannagaru Ashram) is about one kilometre west of Ramana Ashram, just off the Chengam Road. While staying there, Sri Nannagaru has been giving darshan in the early mornings and evenings, and as is his general routine, performed girivalam (hillround) one day, visited the homes of some devotees, and also visited Ramana Ashram. He also travelled to Pondicherry one afternoon and returned in the evening of the same day.

In this series of photographs taken this afternoon, Sri Nannagaru is giving darshan at Andhra Ashram (which is his original and smaller Ashram here at Arunachala).

In the above photograph Sri Nannagaru sitting in front of a picture of Sri Ramana Maharshi, who he considers as his Guru, and through whom he attributes his own self realisation.

To find out more about Sri Nannagaru, you can visit his site at this link.

Holy Company, Satsang
“If you do not see the company of holy men, and do not have darshan of great souls, your egoism gets bloated. When we feel thirsty, we can quench it by drinking water. When we feel hungry, we can eat and satisfy our hunger. Similarly, because of our ignorance, we do not have peace.

By satsang (holy company) we can know God and get peace. When the person who speaks does not have clarity, we can conclude that the person doesn’t know anything. When a person is asleep, to wake him up you call him by his name. You need not touch him. He or she wakes up and asks: “Who woke me up?” The sound of your words woke him up. In the same way, when a jnani teaches you, the very sound of his words, one day or the other, takes you to self-realization.

Even if you are not able to have darshan of a jnani, if you cultivate the company of those who have made some spiritual progress, you are bound to be benefited. In this case, you invest a small amount, but you gain a huge profit. If you are performing japa, meditation etc., that is artificial air. Getting the company of an enlightened one, or seekers is like a natural breeze.

Fasting and such things you should do according to your abilities. But in the company of holy people, always be alert, awake. If you cannot remain in the awareness of the Self, cultivate the company of holy people. As a result of the influence of their company, you will reap benefits in the future. Their habits, their words are cooling in their effect. You naturally protect your life extremely carefully, similarly, if you want to free yourself from innate negative tendencies, you should protect your friendship with holy people with the same alertness.”

[Sadhana For Taming The Mind
By Sadguru Sri Nannagaru]

Sri Nannagaru Visit

Sri Nannagaru will be arriving at his Ashram at Arunachala on Saturday, March 15, and will be staying for 11 days. While here he will be available to devotees and visitors several times a day. Sri Nannagaru Ashram is located off the Chengam Road, about one kilometre west of Ramana Ashram, in an area called Rajiv Gandhi Nagar.

Sri Nannagaru visits Arunachala about four times a year and stays for between 7-12 days each visit. As he is in fact my own Guru, without a doubt I will post lots of photos and news in the upcoming days.

Swamiji was born on September 23, 1934 and made his first visit to Arunachala in 1957 to visit Ramana Ashram and the samadhi of Sri Ramana Maharshi. Sri Nannagaru returned to his native place, Jinnuru, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, and continued with his duties as an agriculturalist, husband and father. Without turning his back on his duties, going on pilgrim, or engaging in any sort of extreme sadhana, Sri Nannagaru attained realisation within a short time of his 1957 visit. He says that the occasion of his realisation occurred during a later short visit to Arunachala and happened through the Grace of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Although Sri Nannagaru's own teachings are based on Self Enquiry, he guides devotees in whatever path is personally most suited to them.

The below photograph is the view of Arunachala from the gates of Sri Nannagaru Ashram.

Ancedote from

“Sadhana for Taming the Mind”

By Sadguru Sri Nannagaru

“Once, moved by the prayers of a devotee, the Gods came and asked him for any boon he wished. The devotee replied;

“I have not prayed for wealth or gifts,”
The Gods persisted, “We will give you wealth,”
“I cannot hoard or protect it,” he answered.
“We will give you the boon of knowing the future and give you the power to know other peoples’ minds,”
The devotee replied, “Why should I bother myself with the minds of others?”
The Gods said, “We will give you the power to cure diseases.”
“The power of God’s name alone is enough to cure,” answered the devotee.

The Gods realised that the man would not accept any boon and without his knowledge, they gave the boon that on whosoever the shadow of this man fell, that person would have all desires fulfilled.

If you realize and own the vastness and depth of your heart, great benefit will accrue to the world.”

10th Day - Arunachala Deepam

This afternoon left my home and headed for Sri Nannagaru Ashram to attend the festivities associated with the 10th day of the Deepam Festival. Decided to walk the back way through the hills and met up with a nice group of local farmers who were dressed in clothes for their upcoming pilgrimage to Lord Iyyapan at Sabrimala.

The other day when visiting the Arunachaleswarar Temple I bumped into a group of men dressed in light beige clothes. I asked them where they were going - and they told me that they were in fact 'coming' on pilgrimage from Palani (famous for Lord Murugan) to Tiruvannamalai.

In the same way traditions associated with Deepam are beginning to become entrenched in association with the Big Temple at Arunachala, so too, it seems like Tiruvannamalai is fast becoming the 'pilgrimage' destination of choice for many groups of sadhakas.

Beautiful pathway with Arunachala peeking behind the small hillock on the right. One of the neighbours dogs has decided to accompany me on my walk.

The Cattle Fair is so crowded, that some vendors have brought their cattle into the Hills.

The below is part of a shrine to Lord Munishwara, which has been recently built in this spot. Rather a fascinating looking idol!


After a pleasant walk in the afternoon's sun, I arrive at Sri Nannagaru Ashram. In the distance Chengam Road (which is part of the giripradakshina hillround roadway) is already packed with pilgrims performing their circumbulation of Arunachala.



The view of Arunachala from Sri Nannagaru Ashram.



And below Sri Nannagaru giving a spiritual discourse to his devotees. If you want to learn more about this Advaitic Master please check this link.

Sri Nannagaru hails from Andhra Pradesh and only visits us here at Arunachala about 4 times a year. When he comes he generally stays from between 7-10 days. His programme is not made a long time in advance but he traditionally visits Arunachala (which he regards as his Guru) over the Deepam period.

His speech is over and now some of his devotees are preparing a 'Deepam' inside the Ashram Compound, which will be kept alight while the light remains on top of Arunachala Hill.

Devotees sitting and waiting for the upcoming dusk and the lighting of Deepam.

It is now dusk and suddenly the light on top of Arunachala appears and you can hear the cheers and noise of crackers and fireworks resounding from all over Tiruvannamalai.

Later I go up on the roof of the Ashram and take a photograph of Arunachala outlined in the night sky. Through the haze one can see the glimmer of the Deepam light on top of the Hill.

And at Sri Nannagaru Ashram, devotees (left of photograph) are lighting little deepam lamps in front of a small Shrine and at the right the Ashram's own 'Deepam' is attracting the loving attention of devotees.

Wonderful afternoon enjoying Swamiji's presence and speech and later watching the Deepam festivities at Sri Nannagaru Ashram along with his devotees. After enjoying some very delicious prasad, I wandered up to Chengham Road to check out how crowded it is --- wall-to-wall people!

HAPPY AND JOYOUS DEEPAM TO ONE AND ALL AND MAY YOU ONE DAY COME AND EXPERIENCE THE JOYOUS DELIGHT OF DEEPAM AT THIS SACRED PLACE.