New Statues

Below are some photographs of new and in some cases, rebuilt, statues at Pachaiamman Temple.

I actually liked the Temple better before the 'modernization' but suppose after a few years of sun and weathering, the statues will lose that 'bright lick of paint,' look and become more interesting.

Probably because the Temple is off the beaten track, lots of pilgrims and visitors miss out on the experience of visiting the Pachaiamman Koil. But its definitely one of the most interesting Temples at Arunachala.


Besides the magnificent statues, this is the Temple that Sri Ramana Maharshi moved to from the caves on the Southside, after that area was evacuated because of a smallpox epidemic. After the epidemic ceased, Sri Ramana returned to his home at Virupaksha Cave. However some time later, he returned to Pachaiamman Temple for a further six months to live with Ganapati Sastri and devotees.



Another interesting thing about this Temple is that other than arguably Guhai Namashivaya Temple, Pachaiamman is the Temple at the highest elevation on Arunachala.

There is an elite group of artisans well known throughout the Temple circuit who travel from one Temple to another throughout Indian working renovating and repainting statues.

If you have the chance, try to check out Pachaiamman Temple, its fascinating and so very peaceful.

Lord Venkateshwara Temple

Have been following construction progress at the Lord Venkateshwara Temple compound, located just off the girivalam pathway near the Kubera Lingam. Glad to see that since last visiting the compound, lots of progress has been made.

Started off outside the Temple at a small shrine dedicated to Vinayaka and Kamadhenu (the wish fulfilling cow)

Part of the Temple complex, is a hospital, which is currently under construction.

The front of the Lord Venkateshwara Temple at Arunachala.

Some of the land belonging to the Temple Trust, which will be utilised to house a 4-storey structure of 108 apartments available for pilgrims and visitors.

From the angle of the below photograph, it is easier to notice that the Temple is built on an elevation. The elevation is artifically created in order to make it more prominent from the roadway and also to facilitate a better darshan of Arunachala from its precincts.

Another view of the Temple, with one of its Gopruams (towers).

There is a small dairy at the Temple compound. Sitting nearby are a couple of working bullocks, who are taking a rest from hauling carts being used at the hospital construction site.

And below an aspect of the Mother. In Tamil Nadu, its common to have representations of the Goddess (such as Karumariamman) portrayed in this bodiless way - and it signifies that the whole world is the body of the Mother.


The next photograph shows landscaping at the front of the Temple, which is still under construction. The huge idol of Lord Venkateshwara was installed and consecrated a couple of years ago and many pujas occur daily at the Temple.

If you are visiting Arunachala, recommend visiting this beautiful and powerful Temple. As mentioned in an earlier post, the idol of Lord Venkateshwara, is exactly based on the hugely famous Tirupati Balaji.

To Anonymous

The short narrative on the life of Nome that appears on Arunachala Grace, had a strong, vigorous response. In a couple of cases, I have answered directly but could not reply to anonymous comment, as there was no accompanying email address. Thus:

In Reply To Anonymous: Thanks for your response and I was interested to read about your opinion on Nome. Sri Sathya Sai Baba is my Sadguru and it was he that sent me to Arunachala and gave me instructions to take guidance from Sri Nannagaru while here. As you know currently there are huge scandals surrounding Sathya Sai Baba, Osho, and even nowadays stirring reports of Amritanandamayi. When I write about Osho or Sathya Sai Baba, I often receive negative comments and am asked not to talk about them or be involved in popularising their names, because of scandals associated with them both.

In this respect my own association with Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been one of great suffering, joy, inspiration and blessings. So I look to that to form my opinion about him. I have nothing but reverence, love and gratitude to the Sadguru. In the same way current Masters have both positive and negative associations - but in the case of Nome, I have decided to give information about him because of his service of helping publish and popularize great spiritual truths - in the form of Vedantic literature. I have never met Nome or know of him, but one thing is certain he has made the RIBHU GITA available to English speaking people and for that alone, he has performed a great service.

Always in my service to Arunachala I try to be upbeat and if I have only negative things to say about a person or situation, try to avoid doing so. There are some great Guru-Busters that perform the service very well. In fact you might have noticed I even have a link for Jody's very controversial Blog, 'Guruphiliac'. I think its important that information should be freely available on the pros and cons and that people should make up their own minds.

People get through life as best they can, and if there is any point of light or inspiration that can help or inspire a soul, that surely is a good thing. Currently on Arunachala Grace Blog there is an article about Nome, and in the upcoming there will be a narrative on the Ribhu Gita. I appreciate your comments and suggestions and invite hearing from you whenever you wish. With Light and Grace from Arunachala.

Nome

In our upcoming Arunachala Grace Newsletter, we have a narrative about The Ribhu Gita, a spiritual text extensively used by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was one of the first books he read after self-realization after he came to Arunachala, with a message that clearly accorded with what he had realized within himself. During his life it was recited at Ramanasramam. It is still read at Ramanasramam today.

HWL Poonja studyingThe Ribhu Gita

Both the Sanskrit and Tamil versions have been translated into English in complete translations. This was done by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy, a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, and Nome, a Self-Realized sage in the United States of America, who in 1974 realized the Truth revealed by Sri Ramana Maharshi and the Ribhu Gita. Both translations, The Ribhu Gita and The Song of Ribhu (the Sanskrit and Tamil versions of the text) have been printed by the Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT) and are available from their website.

Nome

Nome was born on January 23, 1955 in Long Island, New York and spent most of his childhood in New Jersey. Though not from a religiously oriented family, Nome as a child had memories and a vivid familiarity with places, images, and words that he came to know later as associated with Sri Ramana Maharshi and Advaita Vedanta. His first spiritual experience came at age 16 — without previous spiritual questing (in this life), one day in a park. It was nirvikalpa samadhi. Sri Ramana Maharshi refers to nirvikalpa samadhi as complete absorption in the Self with resultant oblivion to the manifested world, as a state of blissful trance but not permanent, like a bucket of water lowered into a well

After Nome’s 17th birthday, before completing high school, he left his family without telling them he was going. When asked by a friend why he was going, he said, “To attain Self-Realization.” He got an airplane ticket and flew to San Francisco. In San Francisco he met Swami Swanandashram, who introduced him to Sanatana Dharma (the Eternal Teaching). Nome kept the focus of his life within. He found wisdom in such books as Talks with Ramana Maharshi, the Avadhuta Gita, the Astavakra Gita and Sankara works such as Atma Bodha.

He lived in a renounced fashion, meditating, intensely practicing Atma Vichara (Self inquiry). During this period of practice, Nome saw that “Whoever we are, Bliss is within, and can no more be apart from us than we can be separated from our own existence.” Now, how to turn the mind inward, and to turn it inward steadily? The answer was the Maharshi’s steady inquiry, revealing the Bliss of the Self. The search for happiness is really the search for the Self, which is Reality. He placed himself in Sri Bhagavan’s hands, feeling that when the heart’s consecration is made, Grace is always present.

In 1974, at 19 years of age, waiting in the office of an oral surgeon, meditating on a small Ramana pamphlet Self Realization, Nome realized finally and completely that the notion of “I” does not refer to any actually existent ego entity, and is itself unreal. This “I” does not come from the real Self, does not come from “anything else,” and is not self-generated. This was the revelation of Truth, without these words or ideas. Everything objective disappeared, never to return. This is what Ramana referred to as Sahaja Samadhi.

In 1978, after four years spent mostly in silence, Nome started answering questions of sincere aspirants, first in a house in San Bruno, CA, then Boulder Creek, and finally Santa Cruz. Around Nome a group of spiritual seekers formed, and was first called “The Avadhut Ashram.” Satsang was held in Santa Cruz and San Francisco.

Since that time, In addition to giving satsang at SAT, Nome continues to write, translate and publish spiritual texts that support the practitioner of Self-inquiry and Advaita Vedanta. Nome started collaborating in 1988 with Dr. H Ramamoorthy, a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, to translate original Advaita Vedanta scriptures into English. Together they translated more than 20 Advaita Vedanta texts. Of these, more than half have been published to date. The translation work proceeded from 1988 to the 2001 passing of Dr. Ramamoorthy. Nome now continues to translate and publish Sanskrit texts, including the completion of manuscripts which were started in collaboration with Dr. Ramamoorthy.

Nome has journeyed to India several times, staying at Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai and The Ramana Centre for Learning in Bangalore, India. Nome gives satsang at SAT (Society of Abidance in Truth, Santa Cruz, CA). He reveals the non-dual Advaita Vedanta of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and Adi Sankara and the practice of Self-inquiry (Atma Vichara).

To find out more about the Society of Abidance of Truth and to order their books please go to their website.

[With thanks to Richard Clarke, Sarasvati and others]

Sand Quarrying

Last week there was an interesting article entitled ‘Sand quarrying a cause for concern,’ in the Tiruvannamalai District section of The Hindu newspaper. I had no idea, until I read the article, that sand quarrying had such negative consequences. The newspaper article which was discussing sand quarrying at Kulthigal Village raised points that apply to similar quarrying occurring at Tiruvannamalai. The articles reads:

Photo of sand quarrying before the rains at Samudram

“A visit to the quarry revealed . . . several deep and large stagnant pools of water, nearly 15 feet to 20 feet deep, formed by the act of quarrying sand using excavators. While on the one hand, the deep pools of water pose hazards to those, especially youngsters who venture into the water, additionally, the huge pits that would remain after the drying or evaporation of the water during the summer would prevent water from reaching the irrigation tanks and other water bodies during rain by sucking the water. Besides, locals fear that the continuous and unchecked quarrying of sand, using excavators, would result in the depletion of sand wealth thereby undermining the retention of groundwater at a higher level.

Excavators at Samudram

. . . Government rules state that sand should be quarried only up to a depth of three feet. Besides which the use of excavators is also illegal . . . indiscriminate quarrying of sand, would not only deplete sand wealth but also result in the fast dwindling of the groundwater table.”

Samudram, Arunachala

The above photograph is of four of my dogs (there are two more). It certainly is an unpleasant thought that after the rains, somebody could be wading in ankle deep water and all of a sudden, 'Whoops,' falls into a ten foot hole!

Sparsa Hotel Update

Stopped by Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai, the luxury hotel of the area, to see whether the Hotel is fully finished. Well, no it isn't but its getting there.

The theme of the hotel is eco-heritage and throughout the complex both granite and thatched has been used extensively.

In the next photograph are the accommodation cottages - 2 rooms upstairs and 2 downstairs of each cottage with all rooms facing Arunachala.

The Kashmiri gift shop is already open for business.

On the right are reception, ayurveda centre, and health club. The shops on the left; a flower shop and a tea/coffee bar. The big building at the end is the restaurant with conference room upstairs.

The standard room, the theme of which is repeated in all accommodation units.

The entrance to the bathroom - with a very nice sink, which I think would look very nice in my own home - hmmm!

The swimming pool, with Arunachala in the background obscured by a young tree. The upstairs will be used for out-of-door functions.

A better view of the swimming pool. The logo in the centre is a 'fingerprint' and is repeated throughout the Hotel. The word 'Sparsa', is Sanksrit for 'touch' of which the fingerprint represents.

The next photograph is of the health club, which is still being equipped and organised. But nearly there.

The restaurant, will be open 24 hours a day with seating capacity for 48. I ate there on Christmas Eve and very nice it was too.

A view of Arunachala from the Hotel compound.

The accommodation units are distinctively two storey, with red facade. Most of the other buildings encompassing shops, administration etc., are single storey structures.

The landscaping is going very well and I noticed that the grass was laid in long, wide strips like carpet - the painless gardening method. Wonder what everything is going to look like after 3-4 months of the scorching summer heat - probably green will turn to brown!

These nifty old fashioned motor scooters are available for rent to Hotel guests.

There are several areas that need to be completed, the ayurveda centre and health club are not yet open and more landscaping work waits. But so far, so good, and everything looks fine. If you want more information about this Hotel you can get in touch at: arunachalana dot fastmail dot com

That Electric Supply!

There has been very little in the way of information and/or updates on Arunachala Grace for a while due to the combined circumstances of suspect electric supply, improvements to my house and the introduction of a new dog into the family that we have adopted from our local Animal Shelter. The dog is a very nice German Shepherd (Alastian) we have named Victor (much more about him in later posts).

On the electric front, the problem has been a dangerous and highly erratic electricity supply - so much so, that having the computer on was a nerve wracking experience. Well, everything came to a head one evening last week when in this area for the whole evening 440 current was passed through lines meant for 220 – consequently LOTS of blown T.V.s, lights, fridges etc. in the neighbourhood. On the night it happened, I fortunately had my computer off, but lots of other electric items in my home got 'fried'.

Happily the Electricity Board seems to have recitied the problem, so hopefully from now on computer access in this area will be simpler and safer.

Explore Vodpod

You may enjoy looking at the new 'Vodpod' at the bottom left margin of this site. The Pod, which is entitled 'Explore' invites you to explore both the inner and outer Universe. To begin with there is a very nice Shiva (who is representative of consciousness) montage. Which is rather appropriate as Mahashivaratri, the major Shiva festival celebrated both at Arunachala and throughout India, occurs (this year) at the beginning of March. The second video is a short compilation of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings with photographs of the sage and Arunachala. In the third video, Robert Anton Wilson, the brilliant and witty scientist, talks about perception. He explains how perception is a gamble and how we believe what we see and our interpretation of it without even realising that most of the time, we have even made an interpretation. And finally the fourth video of the 'Vodpod' is of ten extraordinary photographs of the Universe taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

AKSP needs support

We have written many times on Arunachala Grace about the Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation and about their excellent reforestation work. One of the most unique aspects of their work is that the structure of their organisation is such that it empowers the forest worker with a voice in decision making. Sadly, as is often true in the case of the worthiest of organisations, AKSP is in a precarious financial position and urgently needs the support of Arunachala devotees to help fund their work. Otherwise their organisation might have to fold - which will be sad day for Arunachala reforestation.

To understand exactly what it is they do, please check an earlier posting here. And also to meet some of the friendly, hardworking decent forest workers, please read about a recent Saraswati Puja at this link.

Funny House

This funny little house is a real head turner. It is located at the back of Kubera Lingam, and seems wonderfully bizarre. What happened? Is it some kind of strange joke? How is it possible that the construction has advanced to this point, without anybody seemingly to notice that it definitely is not safe or in anyway fit for habitation?

Such tiny little columns to bear the weight of such a chunky house - how is it possible?

Now would you feel safe walking up this flight of stairs?

The below photograph shows the funny house in all its strange glory. But the scariest thing of all is that the reed bars on the top of the house, indicate that the builders intend going up another floor. Tell me it isn't true?

Arunachala Grace News, February 2008

This day, the February issue of Arunachala Grace News was sent direct to subscribers email inboxes. The issue includes a narrative and explanation of the Thiruvoodal Festival, an important Festival at Arunachala but hitherto mostly unknown to non-Tamil speakers as a result of lack of availability of information in English. There are also interesting narratives on Dakshinamurti, the relevance of 'colour' in our daily lives, a delightful short story entitled, 'A priest who worshipped luck,' which explores the adage; 'A fool's curse can be a wise man's blessing!' and an essay on 'Life Purpose'. Our indigenous bird and plant/fruit of the month; are the Brahminy Kite and the ayurvedic and health properties of the versatile Coconut. As usual we have a section on 'Arunachala Tidbits', inspiration and poems.

For a free subscription to this monthly Newsletter, please go to the facility at the lefthand margin of this website frontpage.

Balaji at Tiruvannamalai

Visited the beautiful new Temple of Lord Venkateshwara currently being constructed southeast of Arunchala near to the Kubera Lingam.

click to enlarge

The above is a photograph of the beautiful statue in the inner shrine, which is identical in all aspects to the famous Lord at Seven Hills, Tirupati. In front of Balaji are his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi. More soon.