Controversial Site

Below is a series of photgraphs I took earlier this week at the three acre controversial building site on Arunachala Hill at Pavala Kunru hillock. The current status of the site is that all work has been halted pending a Court ruling.

Many homes (admittedly most of which were also illegally built some years back) are in jeopardy due to the ashram construction work. There are many houses like the yellow one at the right of the bottom photograph whose occupants have been put into life threatening situations due to possible mud or rock slides.

The Gopurams in the distance in the next photograph are of the Arunachaleswarar Temple at the base of Arunachala.

The last photograph of this sequence is of Pavala Kunru Temple situated at the top of Pavala Kunru hillock, a spur of Arunachala.

Rock at Arunachala

Below in the words of Nithyananda, his realisation experience at Pavala Kunru (what is now the controversial site)on Arunachala.

“I had my first spiritual experience at the age of twelve. Let me describe the incident to you. I was sitting on a rock, locally called Pavazha Kundru (the Holy Rock) on the Arunachala Hill and meditating. I was meditating for a long time that day. I was looking into myself to see where thoughts were coming from. I was actually playing with this technique, when a strange experience happened. It was on the Buddha Purnima day (full moon day) in the month of Vaikasi (May-June as per the Tamil calendar), and evening sunset period.

In the midst of his meditation, I felt something opening up within me, something was getting crushed, something else was getting created. It was like a vessel inside getting broken and a door opening, both together at the same time. It was a feeling of creation and destruction at the same time; and a very pleasurable feeling.

Even with my eyes closed, I could see all around. I did not need my eyes to be open to see. Not just that, I had a 360-degree vision with my eyes closed. With equal clarity, I could see the hill in front, the temple behind, the rock below, the stars above, the trees to the left, part of the hill to the right, all these were in my visionary field, without having to open my eyes!

At that moment, I awakened to the realization that I was one with the whole of Existence and everything was I! It was like this tree in front of me became my bone and this thatch above became my nerves!

How did this happen? What made me have such a strong experience of samadhi? There are many others who are also doing the same meditation, of seeing where the thoughts arise from, but why don't they have such experiences? The reason is, I was so inspired by the masters, that I was living like them! Because of that, my consciousness was ripe and ready for such an experience.”

Excavation

I stopped by this evening at the site of the controversial land grab at Pavala Kunru, a small hillock spur of Arunachala. I took lots of photographs, which I hope to post over the next few days, but for the meantime a few to get started. The below photograph is of the rock on which Paramahamsa Nithyananda reports to have experienced his realisation while still a young boy. This is the site which is the centre piece of the envisaged 3 acre ashram infrastructure that some hope to develop but which is currently causing alot of local controversy.

The below is taken from the 3 acre site and shows part of the adjacent unspoilt Hill.

The last photograph is of part of the current exacuvation of the proposed 3 acre ashram site.

Apart from the overriding spiritual and aesthetic senstivities of the opponents of the proposed ashram at Pavala Kunru, Arunachala, there is also the serious consideration of soil erosion and mud slides during monsoon because of the disruption of boulders and rooted trees. Some years back, before the current Arunachala reforestation programmes, parts of southwest Tiruvannamalai was endangered by falling rocks from the Hill resulting from soil degradation.

Land Grab

I suspect that nowadays even Sri Ramana Maharshi's devotees wouldn't be allowed to construct Skandashram on Arunachala Hill. So its not really surprising that a certain controversy is currently underway at Tiruvannamalai regarding the development of new Swami Nithyananda facilities in the township of Tiruvannamalai. I reproduce below the following narrative which appeared in New India Press this day:

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Godman’s attempt to grab land foiled
Friday August 31 2007 11:03 IST

By A.D. Balasubramaniyan

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Bangalore-based Godman Nithyanandha Swamigal’s attempt to grab vast tracts of land on the hill slopes of Tiruvannamalai was foiled by the public here on Wednesday.

According to sources, huge earth movers had suddenly appeared from nowhere and started removing boulders on the hill slopes for the construction of an ashram for Nithyanandha Swamigal.

The small hillock, where these fraudulent activities were being carried out, actually belonged to the State Revenue Department. Local residents tried to prevent the work.

Meanwhile, CPM cadres stepped in and informed the police, who in turn, informed the revenue department. CPM cadres joined local residents in their agitation against the land grabbers.

The workmen of the Godman initially defended their actions saying that they had patta for that land. Revenue officials, who reached the spot shortly after the agitation, negated their claim and stalled the work.

Rayar Krishnamurthy, a devotee of Nithyanandha Swamigal, who carried out the works, gave a letter to Revenue Department officials stating that he was constructing an ashram for Dhiyana Peetam of Nithyanandha and would not engage in such activities any more.

Police then seized the earth movers. The Godman’s workmen had also felled many trees, planted three years ago under an afforestation drive.

The CPM demanded that the police book a case against them and remove another ashram, set up by Nithayanandha on the hill slopes."

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Its certainly interesting times. I will continue with updates on this situation as it unfolds.

Arunachala Webcam

ZeitCam is a unique destination featuring time-lapse movies of outdoor webcams from around the world! And includes webcam shots of such places as: St. Martin, Cancun, Cayman Islands and Jerusalem etc.

The Outdoor Webcam Directory has now also included a live webcam link for Arunachala, which you can view here.

Newsletter Information

Due to computer problems, I have been unable to make up-to-date postings on this blog, but hopefully these difficulties will be resolved over the next few days, at which time I hope to recontinue with regular Blog postings.

The September issue of Arunachala Grace Newsletter is due to be sent out this week, so if you are not yet a free subscriber to the monthly Newsletter, please become so by clicking on the subscriber facility at the left hand margin of this Blog.

This month's Newsletter contains Arunachala tid-bits, the second part of information on the beautiful Rajarajeshwari Temple, information of developing resources at Swami Nithyananda's Arunachala Ashram, information on Lord Ganesha; his upcoming Chaturthi and a link to information about the sad ecological results of his grand festival. As usual in the Newsletter we give information about a plant locally produced in this area, this month we focus on the homely 'garlic' with news about its medicinal properties and also Sri Ramana Maharshi's talk on the history of garlic. The Arunachala animal focussed this month is the quaint and quirky white crested water hen.

As well as the above, there is also the usual narratives, inspirational quotes and poems.

Ramana's Creatures

I discovered a very sweet Blog today called 'Sri Ramana's Meditator Creatures'. It has lots of stories about animals, Arunachala and Ramana. Not too sure whether the intended audience is children or not - but I rather enjoyed reading some of the posts and also looking at the great animal photographs. I have added this Blog to the link list at the left of the page under 'Ramana's Creatures'. Check it out, its really fun.

Dasa Mahavidyas

In previous posts I mentioned the beautiful Rajarajeshwari Temple, which is located on the Hillround at Parvati Hill about a kilometre before Adi Annamalai Village. In addition to the peculiar facts of the Temple's location, information of which you will find in the Parvati Hill link, the Rajarajeshwari Temple is also unique (at Arunachala) because of the presence of a Sri Meru Yantra in the Temple's Sanctum Sanctorum. One other unique facet of this fascinating Temple is the presence of statue representations of the Dasa Mahavidyas which are worshipped independently and also in conjunction with the Goddess in the Temple's Shrineroom.

The feminine aspect of the Divine represents knowledge (wisdom) and also what is hidden, secret, subtle and sensitive, what has to be searched out and discovered. The Goddess who represents both the teaching and its comprehension, is thus the inner guiding power. She represents creation on all levels, expressed through her Ten Wisdom Forms (Dasa Mahavidyas) and their different functions.

"The Ten Forms of the Goddess function not merely to teach us superficially or intellectually but to challenge us to look deeper. As great cosmic forces their energies can be difficult to bear and their extremes of appearance and expression may jolt us. Their forms are often disturbing, and they are not meant to be merely pleasant. They are meant, like mysteries, to entrance or shock the mind into awakening. They are not meant to merely console or inspire but to promote within us the deepest search. Their forms are ambiguous, contradictory and paradoxical. They are provocative energies designed to take hold of our minds and through their enigmatic nature neutralize the thought process which keeps us in bondage." [by David Frawley]

The Dasa Mahavidyas - The Ten Wisdom Goddesses

Kali

Kali: The Goddess of Yogic Transformation. She is thought to be the most mysterious and difficult to understand of the Goddesses. She is dark, destructive, terrible in form, and unpredictable and is allied with the forces of death. She appears alien to ordinary esthetic intepretations of beauty.

Tara

Tara: The Saving Word. Tara is not only an important Hindu Goddess, she is also the most important of the Buddhist Goddesses. The word Tara, means the deliverer or saviour and this Goddess is called upon in emergencies or at crossroads where we require guidance.

Tripurasundari

Tripurasundari: The Beauty of Pure Perception. Sundari literally means beauty. To worship this Goddess is to follow the path of beauty and delight through the world of nature into the Absolute.

Bhuvaneshwari

Bhuvaneshwari: The Queen of the Universe. Bhuvaneshwari means the Queen or ruler of the Universe. She is the Divine Mother as the Queen of all the worlds. All the Universe is her body and all beings are ornaments on her infinite being. She carries all the worlds as a flowering of her own Self-nature. She is thus related to Sundari and to Rajarajeshwari, the supreme Lady of the Universe.

Bala Bhairavi

Bhairavi: The Warrior Goddess. "Bhairavi specifically means "terrifying" and is the powerful, awesome, or energetic form of the Goddess. She represents transforming heat or radiance, Tejas, which is the primal power or Divine energy. This we experience as a frightening thing because it burns away and destroys all the limitations and illusions of egocentric existence." [David Frawley]

Chhinnamasta

Chhinnamasta: The Consciousness Beyond the Mind. The name Chhinnamasta, literally means "a severed head" - is the most frightening form of the Goddess. She has cut off her own head and, holding it in her right hand, with it drinks the blood flowing from her own severed neck. Yet her face is not frightening but happy, even blissful. What she presents is the joy of transcending the body, not the pain of losing it. She is also the most energetic form of the Goddess and shows the power of transformation in action.

Dhumavati

Dhumavati: The Grandmother Spirit. Dhumavati is the eldest among the Goddesses, the Grandmother Spirit. She stands behind the other Goddesses as their ancestral guide. As the Grandmother Spirit she is the great teacher who bestows the ultimate lessons of birth and death. She is the knowledge that comes through experience.

Bagalamukhi

Bagalamukhi: The Hypnotic Power of the Goddess. Bagalamukhi is the Goddess of speech, and as such is related to Tara and regarded as a form of her. When sound becomes manifest as light, Tara, becomes Bagala. "When the brilliant light of speech comes forth, then Tara gains the effulgence of Bagala and causes all things to become still. Bagala is thus the stunning radiance that comes forth from the Divine Word and puts the human or egoistic word to rest." [David Frawley]

Mantangi

Mantangi: The Utterance of the Divine Word. Mata literally means "a thought" or "an opinion". Matangi is thus the Goddess power which has entered into thought or the mind. She is the word as the embodiment of thought. She bestows knowledge, talent and expertise.

Kamalatmika

Kamalatmika: The Lotus Goddess of Delight. Kamalatmika is one whose nature is of the lotus. The lotus Goddess is Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Universe. Kamala is Lakshmi among the Ten Wisom Goddesses (Dasa Mahavidyas) and is the goddess of wealth, beauty, fertility, love and devotion.

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To find out more about the Dasa Mahavidyas please refer to "Tantric Yoga, And the Wisdom Goddesses" by Dr. David Frawley

Hill Round

Whenever Sri Nannagaru visits Arunachala he will take the opportunity of going around the Hill and stopping at a few of his favoured shrines and holy places. Many of Sri Nannagaru's devotees follow him on his girivalam, thereby making the hill round a festive occasion.

The first stop of this Sri Nannagaru hillround is a Ganesha Shrine. In the below photograph devotees of Swamiji are crowding around (thereby hiding him from view) at the front of the Ganesha shrine.

Sri Nannagaru at the Ganesha Shrine

Even though Sri Nannagaru performs his hillround as a private affair, he is also courteous and friendly with many of the people following him on his girivalam. Sometimes Swamiji will take the time to stop and bless various followers.

Another favourite Swamiji stop over is Ramana's Bridge (passed Adi Annamalai Village) which is an area reputed to have been greatly favoured by Sri Ramana Maharshi when he used to perform pradakshina around Arunachala. (Sadly due to road modernization, the actual bridge where Ramana used to sit, has now disappeared).





The view of Arunachala from Ramana's bridge.

Sri Nannagaru actually performs his hillround by car. A whole convey of autorickshaws, trucks, vans and two wheelers, hotly pursue the lead car of Sri Nannagaru, vying with one another to get first in line after Swamiji's car.

Sri Nannagaru leaving Ramana Bridge and heading for Kubera Lingam.

The below photograph is particularly interesting because in it, one can see the new pavement meant for pilgrims performing pradakshina. Sadly many people believe that the material used on the pavement is not suitable because it actually makes barefoot walking quite painful. Whoops!

At the Kubera Lingam, a sannyasin sits quietly at the gateway of the Shrine.

It is Sri Nannagaru's practice to stop at Kubera Lingam and enjoy silent sitting for up to an hour. Some of his devotees, aware of this preference, go straight to Kubera Lingam for a good seat and await the arrival of Swamiji. He often gives a discourse or a spiritual talk while at this Lingam stopover.

This particular day Swami did not give a discourse and his devotees were able to enjoy a period of quite sitting at one of the famous asta lingams of Arunachala.

Performing hillround with Sri Nannagaru is a great experience and if you have the opportunity, definitely take it. Its certainly a unique and blessed way to perform Arunachala girivalam.

On August 15th, Sri Nannagaru left Arunachala for his native place Jinnuru, Andhra Pradesh. He will be returning to Arunachala around November 20th, in time for Bharani Deepam which takes place on November 24th. Swamiji is expected to remain at Arunachala at that time for up to 10 days.

For more information about this realised Master, please visit his website here.

Swami meets Quo Vadis

During Sri Nannagaru’s recent visit to Arunachala, he kindly agreed to Quo Vadis' request of a meeting, at which he answered the following questions:

1.Could you explain the core elements in your teachings?

2.How do you think that we can contribute to bring peace and reconciliations between people of different religions?

3.At Quo Vadis we like to help and facilitate people find “the right way” in their life. Do you have any suggestions on how to do that?

4.What is for you the most important teaching of Jesus Christ?

About 15 members of the Quo Vadis Forum met with Sri Nannagaru in his room at his Ashram last week and were grateful for the opportunity to listen to the words of this realised Advaitic Master.

Sri Nannagaru stated that his teachings were all based upon those of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Self Enquiry. Sri Nannagaru hails from Jinnuru, Andhra Pradesh but it was here at Arunachala (after Sri Ramana's samadhi) that Swamiji attained self-realisation.

He stated that the most important parts of Jesus Christ's teachings were his example of tolerance and love and "do unto others as they would do unto you".

Sri Nannagaru also stated that all religions have the same aim; that being the search for Truth. Probably one of the most surprising and controversial statements made by Sri Nannagaru at the meeting, was when he sternly stated that; "90% of educated people are self-centred (i.e. selfish)".

To find out more about this spiritual Master, you can go to his website at here.

History of ALC

The first Protestant missionaries to India were German Lutherans sent by the King of Denmark and who landed in Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu on 9th July, 1706. The Tranquebar missionaries and Protestant Christians in Tamil Nadu were influential in many areas. They translated the Bible into Tamil and Telugu languages, were grammarians and lexicographers and studied the religious, social and cultural customs of the people. They translated Indian literature into European languages, established indigenous churches and public schools and set up a theological seminary.

[Tranquebar, about 1600]

Arcot is a City and a Municipality in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu. It is located on Palar River, and straddles a strategic trade route between Chennai and Bangalore, between Mysore Ghat and the Javadi Hills. The people who lived in the Arcot region especially in and near Tiruvannamalai, belonged to a clan called the Arcots. These were warriors and landowners, some of them were descended from ancient Dravidians and Hindu Marathas. The Arcot region was one of the quickest areas in Tamil Nadu to develop, perhaps in part, due to the influence of Danish missionaries.

The first missionary of the Danish Missionary Society (DMS) was a German Rev. C.C.E. Ochs. He started his first Mission station, Bethanien, at Melpattambakkam in South Arcot in 1861. Now all its activities have been transferred to the nearby town Nellikuppam. The second mission station of DMS was opened at Tirukkoyilur in 1869 and was called "Siloam". Saron, a third mission station of DMS, was opened in the year 1882 and situated just outside Tiruvannamalai. In 1898 a mission station was built in the town. From 1905 it was called "Carmel." The fourth mission station in the Arcot District, "Bethesda," in Kallakurichi was built in 1893. Later DMS started mission stations at Panruti, Vriddhachalam, Devanampatnam, Darisanapuram, and Servaroj Hills.

In the late 1950s the Church was handed over to Indian hands with Bishop D. Peter being the first Indian Bishop. The church was renamed the Arcot Lutheran Church and is still known by that name. Education and health were given to all people. The Church is serving Tamil-speaking population in the Districts of South and North Arcot, Tamil Nadu. [Other work of the Danish Missionary Society is now undertaken under the name of Danmission].

Arcot Lutheran Church has about 30,000 members and works in several Districts of Tamil Nadu. It is a Church, committed to service to society through schools, orphanages, homes for women, hostels for students and working women, hospitals and community service centres in villages and towns. Currently the Arcot Lutheran Church educates nearly 40,000 students in 90 schools. The current Bishop of Arcot Lutheran Church is the Rt. Rev. Gideon Devanesan. The Arcot Lutheran Church headquarters are based at Cuddalore but much school and social work of the Organisation is undertaken here at Tiruvannamalai.

Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry became associated with the Arcot Lutheran Church in 1996 when it began to support children in three boarding homes; Melpattambakkam, Siloam and Saron.

Perception

The truism that everything is a matter of perception is well illustrated by these remarkable photographs taken by Norwegian Scientist-Photographer Bjorn Roslett, in his presentation of a series of flowers in both natural and ultra-violet light, revealing an insect's eye-view.

A garden in bloom is a riot of colours, but it is not our attention that flowers are eager to attract - it is that of insects, their pollinating agents.

The first photograph is of the Spring Crocus as we would see it.

And then as represented by ultra violet light, the crocus in the next photograph makes it easy for the insect to land by creating three bands of colour - to make it easy for the insect to land on the flower and thereby facilitate pollination.

Ultra violet light, invisible to us, uncovers patterns and colours in flowers that draws insects to the source of pollen and nectar. Because we cannot see UV light, the colours in these photographs are representational.

As in the above photograph of a Dandelion, these photographs show that there is more to flowers than meets the human eye! In this respect, many species (including bees) can see a broader spectrum of light than we can. In so many ways there is much in the world invisible to us.

Shakti Fire Walking

[The photographs are of the firewalking ceremony of a previous year in front of the Unnamulai Shrine, Arunachalaeswarar Temple].

Fire walking is still a regular event in Tiruvannamalai and other South Indian towns. Usually wood or charcoal is burnt and the smouldering embers laid out onto the ground. The ceremony is usually held under the auspices of a Temple, and in the case of Arunachaleswarar Temple held once a year during this the month of Adi. In this respect the fire walking ceremony will actually take place this week at different Shaktis Temples at Tiruvannamalai and in respect of the Arunachaleswarar Temple, the fire walking ceremony will occur in front of the Unnamulai Shrine in the Arunachaleswarar Compound.




Those who participate are ordinary householders and are largely non-Brahmins. In some cases the devotees are give a mantra to recite and may fast for some days before the ritual. In all temples where the fire-walking ceremony is practised it is a Goddess that is worshipped. In the case of the Arunachaleswarar Temple, it is the Goddess Unnamulai that is duly placated. The actually ceremony occurs on the paved courtyard in front of the Temple of Unnamulai, inside the compound of the Big Temple, on the full moon day of the month of Adi (mid-July to mid-August). At that time a fire of burning embers is spread out after midnight for people to walk upon.




There is a Tamil story that in a place in Singavaram, there is a temple to Sri Ranganadha. Here a king named Kandhan, after suffering a defeat, performed a fire walking ceremony in worship of Draupadi (from the Mahabharata). Draupadi, pleased with the worship, appeared before the king and promised that whoever should worship her as he had done would remain unscathed and also obtain whatever they prayed for. From that day onwards the fire-walking festival is observed with great enthusiasm in Tamil Nadu.

India Independence

India's Independence Day (Hindi: Swatantrata Divas) is celebrated on August 15th to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on August 15th, 1947. The day, which is a national holiday in India is celebrated all over the country through flag-hoisting ceremony and distribution of sweets. The main celebration takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister raises the national flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally televised speech from the ramparts of the Fort.

The National Flag of India, which symbolises Freedom is in tricolour (TIRANGA) of deep saffron (Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal propotions. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three.

In the centre of the white band, there is a wheel in navy blue to indicate the Dharma Chakra, the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion Capital. This center symbol or the 'Chakra', is a Buddhist symbol dating back to 200th century BC. Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes, which intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; the green for faith and fertility.

Mother Meera's Visit

Mother Meera will visit Tiruvannamalai and give Darshan on August 16th, 6 p.m., at the venue of Meenakshi Kalyana Mandapam. Reservations for this event are not required. All are welcome. Darshan is in silence. Devotees and visitors are requested to come to the Mandapam in time. There are additional Darshans in South India in Madanapalle.

Before and After

This is the local grocery store I would visit a couple of times a week to purchase rice and fresh vegetables. I would generally also have a nice chat with the family comprising: husband, wife, son and daughter who owned the shop and lived in a small attached house. The brown door on the right is the entrance to their home.

And peeping out of the door is the wife and mother of the family.

In the below photograph I've gone inside the door and am standing in a corridor which is also sort of their living room. Many a time I've sat in a chair next to the TV having a very nice cup of tea while chatting with this charming family. I've travelled a bit in my time and I believe that nobody does courtesy and graciousness as well as a traditional Indian family.

In the next photograph is the son (who is studying Computers at a local college) and the daughter (who is doing a College correspondence course). Both the kids help out at the store and are as sweet and courteous as their parents.

And here is the lovely daughter in the midst of her small garden at the back of the house. The flowers are called kannakambaram, which are sometimes known as 'paper flowers' because they feel like paper, have no scent and last a long time after picking, so are very favoured by ladies as hair garlands.

The next photograph is of the Dad of the family, also standing in the flower garden.

And in the below photograph, is Dad wearing white and standing at the right looking forlornly at the destruction of their home and life. They lived at this same place for 30 years. Unfortunately the land is owned by the Government which has decided to widen the Chengham Road running infront of their home. As well as a Tiruvannamalai arterial road, Chengham road is also part of the Girivalam roadway.

I find it very difficult to understand why anyone should want to widen Chengham Road which is notorious, dangerous and the site of constant road accidents which often prove fatal. From my observation the only value of widening the road will be that trucks will be able to overtake buses at 50 mph instead of at only 30 mph. With of course hand on horn throughout the maneouvre!

Their home, their house and at the back their little garden.

As well as their home, several other shops and small restaurants also got demolished in this road widening at this particular location, and the only thing left to show for 30 years plus . . . is lots of rubble.

I have heard that the road widening process might even require 15 feet of the Ramana Ashram parking lot. I certainly hope thats not true because if so, it will mean many, beautiful, mature trees will be chopped down - so a truck will be able to overtake a bus at 50 mph instead of 30 mph! Watch out pedestrians we are going to have a race circuit in town!