A Forest Glade

Some nice snaps taken on the usual evening walk with my doggies.

And near the Hill a perfect forest glade that is a particular favourite of all my six doggies.

The glade is inhabited by a variety of birds and such indigenous wildlife as; macaque monkeys, mongoose, grey rabbit and foxes.

After our walk in the forest glade we head towards the Samudram embankment.

And watch the sun go down on yet another Arunachala day.

Arunachala Trees

Even though this season has not been rainy, the green cover of Arunachala is very apparent from wherever the Hill is viewed. I took the below photographs while seating on the roof of the Tasty Cafe, a very nice restaurant at the back of Seshadri Ashram.

The number of woody species found on Arunachala is between 150-200. The most plentiful are Satin-wood, Vepaalai, Indian Laburnum, Vengai, Udupai, Vitex altissima (peacock's foot), Strychnos potatorum (clearing-nut), Rose-wood, Deccania Pubescence and some of the local Acacia varieties. We find Soap-nut, Amla and Ebony along with five other species of Diospyros.

From the rocks sprout Ficus varieties, and higher up there are patches of Terminalias Paniculata and Tomentosa. In sheltered pockets of valleys and near the top, where it is cooler and there is more dew-fall, evergreens such as Cassine Glauca, Drypetes, Lepisanthes Tetraphilla, Memecylon and Pamburus (a type of wild orange) are more common, while on the most exposed and degraded slopes Sterculia, Givottia, Commiphora and even the endangered Hildegardia can be found.

Kalyana Mandapam

The below murals are on the walls and ceiling of the Kalyana Mandapam, a hall which is infrequently opened and situated at the southern side of the third prakaram of Arunachaleswarar Temple. I am posting photographs of some murals representing more well known Arunachala legends.

As to the future renovation of the murals, we will have to wait and see -- one hopes that the ancient and beautiful murals are not renovated improperly or inexpertly. As to that more news when I get it.

The below photograph is of an ancient representation of Arunachala surrounded by holy tirthams (water tanks).

Arunachala with tirthams

Ardhanarisvara

Dakshinamurthi

Lingodbhava

The most important functions to be held at Arunachaleswarar Temple Kalyana Mandapam, are the marriage of Lord Siva and Sakthi during Panguni Uthiram and celebration of the days of Karthigai Deepam.

There are other special days during the year that the Mandapam is used, one such function is a group puja performed during one day each year (in the month of Adi as is the custom in most Tamil Temples dedicated to Shakthi). The group function is known as the 'Mangalaya Puja'. The above photograph is of such a function held at the Kalyana Mandapam at Arunachalaeswarar Temple in a previous year.

Interview with Radha Ma

Radha Ma originates from Bangalore and successfully worked for many years in Hyderabad as a chartered accountant. It was here she met her husband-to-be, who now lives with her at Tiruvannamalai as her devotee. Radha Ma refuses to see herself as a guru or master but many come to her anyway. She now lives off the Girivalam Roadway at Arunachala.

In the following interview Radha Ma was asked: “It appears essential to meet a guru and stay with that guru. Who is the guru? What is the guru's role? How to recognise a true guru?”

Her reply starts: “I never had a Guru, so I don’t know how to answer for this. And I am not a Guru too . . . and I’m not a Guru . . . so you want to know how to recognise a Guru?”

Click on this link to watch and listen to the rest of her response to the question: ‘Who is the Guru?’

Arunachala Countryside

Been having some nice jaunts into the surrounding Arunachala countryside over the last few weeks. And the below photographs are of the peaceful existence away from the ever sprawling metropolitan area of Tiruvannamalai.

The below is of the cowshed.

And here is the one-week old little calf, Ramana --- ahhh!

A wonderful home-made outside cooker. Which I can tell you from experience works really well.

And some chickens hanging out trying to pick up scraps and tidbits.

And below are the lovely rustic farmers who actually belong to the farm next door - but were just visiting. As most readers will know, its unusual for couples to hold hands in public in this country -- except perhaps for College kids in Bangalore or Chennai etc. However this lovely couple, once my back was turned, were actually holding hands - so sweet.

And the next photograph is of the rustic farmhouse.

I took the next photograph of the tiled roof simply because I like the traditional roof so much.

The fields have been sewn with paddy, and everything looks supernaturally green, the hay is piled up for livestock, irrigation ditches have been cleaned out and repaired, Arunachala is hiding behind the trees - and everything is ready to move right along. Good times are here.

If you are interested in finding out more about the availability of agricultural or rural land around Arunachala, check out this link here.

Guru Poornima 2009

The festival of Guru Poornima is traditionally celebrated on the day of full moon in the month of Ashadh of the Hindu calendar. Guru Poornima (which falls this year on Tuesday, July 7th) is the day on which the Guru is revered by devotees. Sri Dakshinamurti is an aspect of Lord Siva as the primordial master, the personification of ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge. At Arunachala the manifestation of Lord Siva as Dakshinamurti is celebrated as the ‘silent Guru’. 

Lord Siva and His Worship 

During the absence of Devi, when Lord Siva was alone, the sons of Brahma, who are sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara, came to have Darshan of Lord Siva and prostrated before Him. They entreated the Lord to teach them the way to remove avidya and attain salvation. They expressed that in spite of the vast study of scriptures they had no internal peace and they were in need of learning the inner secrets, by knowing which they could attain salvation. 

Lord Siva, hearing this appeal made by the sages, assumed the form of Dakshinamurti and remaining as the Guru Supreme, began to teach them the inner secrets by keeping Mouna and showing the “chinmudra” by His hand. The sages began to meditate on the lines shown by the Lord and attained the state of inexpressible and illimitable joy. Thus Lord Siva came to be known as Dakshinamurti. 

[By Swami Sivananada]

Ramana Maharshi: Lectures may entertain individuals for a few hours without improving them. Silence on the other hand is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity. 

Devotee: But silence is not understood. 

Ramana Maharshi: It does not matter. By silence, eloquence is meant. Oral lectures are not so eloquent as silence. Silence is unceasing eloquence. The Primal Master, Dakshinamurti, is the ideal. He taught his Rishi disciples by silence. 

Devotee: But then there were disciples for Him. It was all right. Now it is different. They must be sought after and helped. 

Ramana Maharshi: That is a sign of ignorance. The power which created you has created the world. If it can take care of you, it can similarly take care of the world also. 

[Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi] 

Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram

"Whose luminosity is existence itself, entering all objects which are non-existent, as it were, shines forth; who instructs those who seek refuge in him that they are that supreme reality, as in the scriptural text; by realising whom these will occur no more entry into the ocean of transmigration of the soul, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form, be this adoration."

“The guru is Brahma, the guru is Vishnu, the guru is the Great God Shiva. The guru is the Supreme Being right before one's very eyes. To that guru do I reverently bow.”

Tiruvannamalai Animal Shelter

Previous to the opening of the Animal Shelter in Ramana Nagar (one kilometre west of Ramana Ashram off the Chengam Road) there was little help for the suffering animal population of this area. Packs of thin, unneutered dogs constantly roamed the city and were regularly rounded up and killed by municipal workers. Happily since the opening of the Tiruvannamalai Animal Shelter, the Municipality has ceased its dog culling in favour of the Shelter's more humane dog sterilization programme.

Below is a photograph of Vishwa, the manager of the Shelter who is in charge of animal rescue and dog round up.

Injured dogs are brought into the Shelter for diagnosis and treatment and street dogs are regularly rounded up and brought in for sterilization. After recovery the dogs are released in the same area from which they were captured.

Currently the Shelter has approximately 150 dogs, of which over 40 are permanent residents at the Sanctuary as, (through either injury or disease) the dogs are unable to fend for themselves.

As well as small animals, the Shelter always tries to help in any way it can. And currently the Shelter has (as residents) two monkeys and two cows. Below the young calf, who was injured by a speeding car, is resting its injured leg.

The below photograph is of Raja, a permanent worker at the Shelter and who is absolutely adored by the Sanctuary's dog population.

The next photograph is of Shanti, a great animal lover, who has her own large collection of dogs and cats at home, and who is also an invaluable worker at the Shelter.

If you are visiting Tiruvannamalai, why not check out the Animal Shelter and find out about their excellent service in this community and how their work is alleviating much suffering of our dear animal friends.

To find out more about their work, check out their own website at this link here.

Mottayan Swamiji Experience

I wrote a previous posting about Mooku Podi Swami and some of my thoughts on him. Subsequently a reader of Arunachala Grace has just posted the below comment on her own life changing experience with Mooku Podi Swami, and below I reproduce her comment in its entirety.

“Hi, I cannot express my joy in words after seeing Appa's photo and a article on him. Appa is how he is referred by all his devotee children. After my personal experience with Appa I have unshakeable faith that only when you are in dire need in your life, Lord Arunachaleswarar blesses you to meet Appa. We are not meeting Appa actually. He will decide to see us and it is only then that we can see him.

I would like to share my personal experience with Appa. We met Appa in May 2009 unforgettable month of my life. My husband had lost his job in the U.S. due to recession. We were searching for jobs for 2 months now. In the meanwhile I was having very sudden and severe health problems related to my brain and fertility. All these put together we were having the toughest time of our life, not to mention that we were married for less than a year.

My husband is a devotee of Lord Arunachaleswarar and so, as is our habit, we went to Thiruvannamalai for Swami's darshan. On the blessed day when we met Appa, we were leaving Thiruvanammalai to go back to our home in Madurai. After having breakfast, I hired an auto. Of all the autos that were present there, God had to send me only that particular auto. In that auto, there were two photos. One was the photo of Uchimalai Swamigal who was no longer present in Thiruvannamalai. There was this other photo we did not recognise. We asked the auto driver about it and it was he who told us about Appa. We wanted to meet him very badly and asked him to take us to Appa.

The first time we met Appa he was in a Mariamman Temple in the Giri route. He was having a thiruvodu in his hands. When he saw us, he walked to the nearby plants and started to pluck leaves from them. He then kept those leaf bunches in his head. After being there for sometime, he decided to go for girivalam and signaled to a person standing near by. He then started for girivalam in the anti-clockwise direction.

We took off behind him. He went into Hotel Akasha and asked for the senior owner. When he learnt that the owner was out of town, he broke his thiruvodu by sending it crashing on the floor. The owner immediately asked the guard to clear it and he explained to us, the spectators that Appa had actually done drishti kalippu by breaking the thiruvodu.

Our girivalam continued and at one point only one leaf bunch flew from Appa’s head and fell on the road. Of the 4 -5 bunches only one flew. We took the leaf bunch as Prasad. I am very happy that I took it. We had kept the leaf in a plastic cover. We were very surprised to see that the leaf was fresh and green as if in a plant for a month.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that the leaf was fresh till all our problems were solved. My husband got a job in Singapore, and all my health problems were resolved. Appa stayed with us in form of the leaf till our problems were solved.

If you go to Thiruvannmalai try to have the divine experience with Appa. He will not talk through his mouth. But if you ask him something (you should talk using your heart and not mouth) then he will shake his head as an answer. If the answer is a yes then he will nod and if it is a no then he will indicate accordingly. If you have been blessed to meet Appa then I am sure, that Appa could not bear seeing you in pain and so he chose to see you and free you of all the pain. I am also sure that from that moment on, your life will only improve and you will reach heights.

Even now, if I think of the whole experience and the leaf bunch in particular, I cannot help but shedding happy tears of joy. I pray to Annandale that all those reading this Blog also get the blessing to meet Appa. Appa's annadana matam is situated in the girivala pathai. Anyone will be able to tell you. You can go there for any further details.”

Rural Tiruvannamalai

Yesterday was a sleepy pretty day and I decided to walk back home after visiting some folk living several kilometres away off the Perumbakkam Road. It was lunchtime and quite hot, below is the view of Arunachala from where I started off. It is also the view from outside the Lord Ayyappan Grove.

To learn more about the legend and story of Lord Ayyappan visit this link here and for information on Sacred Groves here.

After stopping off at the Grove I continued walking northwards on the Perumbakkam Roadway.

And wherever possible both creatures and people were having a nice snooze during the hot midday sun.

Farmers below having their conference under a tree's shade.

A couple more agriculturists below having a good chat.

Ancient beautiful tamarind trees have survived the inroads of road modernisation and still line many of the roads and avenues around Tiruvannamalai.

And below perilously close to the roadway, rustic thatched country cottages line both sides of Perumbakkam Road.

An enjoyable, pretty walk that gave me the opportunity to remind myself just how sweet it is in these parts.

Role of Siva-Sakti

“In the role of Siva’s sakti, Parvati performs functions, or assumes meanings, which imply an underlying harmony or interdependent relationship between herself and Siva. She is often identified with the force underlying and impelling creation. While Siva remains more or less aloof in the creation of the world. Parvati as sakti is active, pervading the creation as its underlying strength and power. In this active, creative role she is sometimes identified with prakrti (nature), whereas Siva is identified with purusa (pure spirit).

As prakrti, Parvati presents the inherent tendency of nature to express itself in concrete forms and individual beings. In this task, however, whether as sakti or prakrti, it is understand that Parvati either must be set in motion by Siva or must act according to his will, wish, or design. She is not seen as antagonistic to him. Her role as his sakti is almost always interpreted as positive.

Through Parvati, Siva (the Absolute) is able to express himself in creation. Without her he would remain inert, aloof, inactive. Just as in the mythology Parvati is necessary for involving Siva in creation, so as his Sakti she is necessary for his self-expression in creation. It is only in association with her that Siva is able to realize or manifest his full potential. Without Parvati Siva’s great power does not, or cannot, manifest itself in creation. Parvati as sakti not only complements Siva, she completes him.

A variety of images and metaphors are used to express the harmonious interdependence and close identity of Parvati as sakti and Siva as saktiman, the possessor of sakti.

Siva is said to be the male principle throughout creation, Parvati the female principle,
Siva is the sky, Parvati the earth,
Siva is subject, Parvati object,
Siva is the ocean, Parvati the seashore,
Siva is the sun, Parvati, its light,
Parvati is all tastes and smells, Siva the enjoyer of all tastes and smells,
Parvati is the embodiment of all individual souls, Siva the soul itself,
Parvati assumes every form that is worthy to be thought of, Siva thinks of all such forms,
Siva is day, Parvati night,
Parvati is creation, Siva the creator,
Parvati is speech, Siva meaning.

To an even greater extent than the Siva-sakti idea, the androgynous image of Siva and Parvati (Ardhanarisvara) emphasizes that the two deities are absolutely necessary to each other, and only in union can they satisfy each other and fulfill themselves. The image shows a half-male, half-female figure. The right side is Siva and is adorned with his ornaments, the left side is Parvati and adorned with her ornaments. God in this unification of the opposites; is both; male and female, both father and mother, both aloof and active, and both fearsome and gentle.”

[With thanks to David Kinsley]

Tiru Neelakanta Nayanar

In Chidambaram, there once lived an ardent devotee of Lord Siva. He was a potter and leading an ideal household life. He had the highest regard for devotees of Lord Siva and made beautiful begging bowls of clay and offered them free to the devotees. Siva, in His aspect of Neelakanta (blue-throated one) was his sole refuge and prop.


In spite of the potter's virtuous qualities, once he fell a victim to lust. One day, he visited the house of a prostitute. When he returned home, his dutiful and pious wife understood this. Although she did not show her irritation and continued to serve him; she decided from then on not to have relations with him. One day, as her husband approached her with passion, she took an oath and said: ‘In the name of Neelakanta, I ask you: do not touch us.’ Though she only meant herself, she had used the word 'us. Since she took the Name of the Lord and since she had used the word 'us', Neelakanta Nayanar decided that from that day he would not touch any woman in the world. Years rolled by and they had grown old.


In the guise of a Yogi the Lord came to Tiru Neelakanta’s house. The Yogi gave him a begging bowl to keep in his safe custody and left the place. After a long time, the Lord returned to the house in the guise of the Yogi and asked for the bowl’s return which by the power of his Maya, he had caused to disappear from the house. Neelakanta searched for it, but could not find it. It was a mystery to him. He was ashamed of himself. Trembling with fear, he fell at the Yogi’s feet and said that he could not find it. At this, the Yogi got very angry and accused Neelakanta, calling him a thief and cheat.

The Yogi demanded that if he was innocent he should say so on oath while holding his wife’s hand. When Nayanar, who had resolved, in the name of the Lord, not to touch a woman anyone, declined, the Yogi pretended to attribute his unwillingness to the fact that he had been guilty of theft. They went to the court. The Brahmins heard the case. Neelakanta could no longer hide the secret relationship that existed between him and his wife, and so, related the whole story to the court.


After this narration, Neelakanta and his wife caught hold of the two ends of a stick and took a dip in the tank. As they emerged from the water, they shone with youth and beauty. The Yogi disappeared and Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati appeared in the sky, blessing all of them. The Lord said: ‘Due to the merit of having lived a life of self-control and devotion, you will live in My Eternal Abode, forever youthful.’ The Lord thus revealed the glory of supreme devotion to Him, and the power and purity of a saint’s virtue.

Message of the Nayanars

“There have been many ‘intellectuals’ even in India who have looked down upon the path of Bhakti (devotion) as something inferior to Jnana (wisdom). Their short-sightedness becomes at once apparent when we study the lives of the great Four Teachers (Appar, Sundarar, Manickavachagar and Sambandar) and realise that these great Jnanis, too, were great Bhaktas who loved to visit Temples and sing the glories of the Lord.

Love of the Lord cuts at the very root of our attachment to this world, and snaps all worldly ties, to father, mother, son, wife or relatives. As the stories of the Nayanars illustrate, the devotee is ever ready to renounce all, in favour of devotion to Lord Siva.

Let us also never forget that in the case of all the Nayanars devotion invariably meant expansion of the heart, and, therefore, service and charity. We have to take the individual tales of the Nayanars as allegories exhorting us to rout out the inner obstacles to our Sadhana.

If we approach these saints with faith and devotion in our hearts, we shall grasp the message they have for us. We shall also understand why they gave such a great place to externals like the sacred ash, Rudraksha, etc. These symbols remind one constantly of God: and, when they are said to remove our sins, they remove our sinful tendencies, too, by constantly reminding us of God, and keeping evil out of our mind.”

[Venkatesananda – Abridged]

Roaming

I started off my roaming by having tiffin at a hotel on Sannidhi Street. The walls of the restaurant were covered with paintings of cartoon characters, interspersed with framed prints of the life of Krishna. Rather a curious but charming mix!

After my nice tiffin I headed for the front of the Arunachaleswarar Temple, to see if I could find some wind chimes for my garden.

I found the chimes and also had a chat with the trader who mentioned that his wares all come from Pondicherry. Now that was a surprise as I would have thought some enterprising artisan would have started up a cottage industry in Tiruvannamalai to produce such easy-to-make items.

Next to the wind-chime stall, a lady sat at her booth making malas to sell to devotees going into Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Its fun roaming around the inside and outside of Arunachaleswarar as its always such a beehive of fascinating sights.

Mariamman Temple

There are several Mariamman Shrines and Temples located around Tiruvannamalai, however I was eager to visit the large, well attended Mariamman Temple in town -- which I had been meaning to do for a while but never seemed to get around to it.


I have previously written about the major Shakti Temples located near Arunachala on many occasions; so if you are interested in finding out more about Durga Amman Koil, Pavala Kundru, Pachaimman Koil, Rajarajeshwari Koil, or the Amman Shrines located in the three major Shiva Temple Compounds; Arunachaleswarar Temple, Adi Annamalai and Arunagirinathar Temple, please use the search feature to access postings on the above.

The Goddess Mariamman is a main South India mother Goddess who is closely associated with the Hindu goddesses Parvati and Durga. She is an ancient village goddess related to rain (the Tamil word ‘mari’ means rain or change).

Each month on the night of Poornima at this Temple, there is a procession of lights in honour of the Goddess. Ladies carry oil lamps three times in girivalam around the inside of the compound.

Mariamman is the Goddess devotees pray to, to eradicate smallpox and heat-based diseases. During the summer months in South India (March to June), people walk miles carrying pots of water mixed with turmeric and neem leaves to ward off illnesses like measles and chicken pox.

Neem Tree

People also pray to Mariamman for progeny and a good spouse. The most favoured offering is "pongal" (rice and green gram), cooked in the Temple compound. The below photograph is of a lady seated in front of the cooking facilities, preparing to do a puja on behalf of her brother, an NRI visiting from South Africa, who is hoping to find a bride to bring back with him on his return to South Africa.

There are two trees (Peepal and Neem) inside this Temple compound, and outside the main gate there is another Peepal tree.

Peepal Tree

Peepal Tree outside Compound