Lady Weavers

These are the ladies of the family who live in the Saint's compound. They are bamboo workers and are currently working on making shovel-like plates, which are used for winnowing and cleaning raw rice. It's fascinating to watch the transformation of the bamboo. The whole trunk will arrive in one piece, and the workers set upon it stripping it down bit by bit into whatever size they want. In the background you can someone fashioning long strips of bamboo which will be softened in water and then made into whatever the weaver wishes.

This is the weaver's mother. They told me she is over 70 years old and although she does in fact look it, I doubt she is that age. Indian ladies are deservedly renowned for their great beauty, however because of the harsh demanding life, the women in this country (particularly country ladies) do age quickly. As well as that, the ladies often experience problems with their backs, hips and internal organs even at a young age, very often because of harsh physical labour.

Mahan Sajarat

This is a favourite place of mine and one that is curiously undiscovered by most people. The samadhi is located in a large Moslem compound, which is inhabited by a family of basket weavers.

The actual name of this saint is Mahan Sajarat and the samadhi is called, The Baba Valle Durbha. Hopefully I will be able to get more information on this enigmatic and mysterious Master.

What follows is a short extract taken from the book In Days of Great Peace by Mouni Sadhu. Apart from the chapter in this book, the mystical powers of this spot have been referred to many other times and in particular by Ramana Maharshi devotees.

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One day, a friend invited me to attend worship in the mosque of Tiruvannamalai. I went and was told the strange story of a North Indian Mohammedan saint, generally called Haji here. A few days before his death he said to his pupils:

When I leave my physical form, my Spirit will remain with you. Let everyone, without any difference of creed and social status, come to my grave whenever he may be in need of help. Let him express his need or wish as clearly as he would, were he facing my present visible form. I shall certainly hear his entreat and shall transmit it to the Most High, who will fulfil it for the sake of His servant .....

For me, the tomb of the Mohammedan saint proved to be one of these magnetic spots. in a few moments, after having excluded the visible words from my consciousness, I became aware of the Hajis presence. It was like that of a sweet and extremely kind person asking me what were my needs and wishes and urging me to express them frankly without any shyness or reservation .....

During the next weeks I returned several times to this silent shrine, having some entangled and difficult problems to solve. One of them seemed utterly hopeless, for its solution from the physical point of view was impossible. And yet, within three days after my last visit and request for the Hajis help, a happy and unexpected solution came of itself without intervention on my part.

Deus Monde

There are several large and well attended churches in Tiruvannamalai for the benefit of the sizeable Christian contingent in the city. This is the Catholic Church - Deus Monde - God of the World. It's quite beautiful, with a large well maintained compound. Inside the Church there is a lovely mural of the Mother Mary.

Wild Black Pig

This is a nice family outing - but the Mum looks much too junior to have produced such a brood - she definitely needs to do some more munching. There are fewer of these wandering pigs in the streets of Tiruvannamalai, as the city is getting more developed and there are less marshy, secluded spots for these pigs to take refuge in.

The pigs generally spend the days rooting around looking for food through the garbage and rubbish lying on the streets. There is a caste in Tamil Nadu that eat this pig - but other castes won't touch it - as it is very much regarded as unclean by most of the community. The sows are not culled - they are left alone to breed and repopulate the pig colonies - however the boars, sorry (!), head straight for the cooking pot once they've got nice and chubby.

Railway Station

The traditional method of travel to Arunachala used to be by rail. The sign (nowadays written in Tamil, Hindi and English), is the first thing one would have see after alighting from the train.

And this is the view of Arunachala from outside the Railway Station. Even with the electric cables and jumble of houses, a spectacular sight!

All Change!

This is the new and supposedly efficient way (efficient - with all that pollution?). But please teach the drivers not to overtake and also teach them how to drive without leaning on their horn!

And this is the old way. Yes, more leisurely and less polluting - but pity the poor working beast. I'll even take the truck if it means that these underfed, overburdened and often abused creatures don't have to come into the busy, dangerous, noisy town. Keep them in the countryside p-l-e-a-s-e.

Puja times

Arunachaleswarar Temple:

1. Ushathkala 05-30 a.m.
2. Kalasanthi 08-00 a.m.
3. Uchikalam 11.30 a.m.
4. Sayarakshai 05-30 p.m.
5. Irandamkalam 07-30 p.m.
6. Ardha Jamam 09-00 p.m.

Apart from the above, special pujas known as Panchaparuva Pujas, namely, Amavasai, Kiruthigai, Pradosham, Pournami, Sathurthi, Sukravaram and Somavaram are celebrated.

Temple Services

An elaborate protocol of worship services mark each day at the Arunachaleswarar Temple where about a hundred and fifty people are attached to it, including; priests, musicians, singers, carpenters, potters, washermen, palanquin bearers, garland makers, administrators and watchmen.

The day begins with the ceremonial arrival of Ganga (holy water) to the shrine, from a tank in the Southern part of the town on an elephant through the Southern, Tirumanjana Gopuram. This water cleanses the entrance to the second prakaram, and then the next ritual involves the waking up of Shiva and Parvati in their bedchamber. The Shiva-Meru returns to the Annamalaiyaar shrine while the image of Parvati returns to the Unnamulaiamman shrine.

Six other pujas are offered at the temple, the first one at 5.30 a.m., and the last one at night where the Shiva Meru and the image of Parvati are brought in a procession into the bed chamber. Each service is accompanied by chants of dedication and praise. In the south west corner of the prakaram, the sacrificial fire ritual takes place, ending with the consecration of vessels of water which are used in the ablution of Annamalaiyaar and Unnamulai Amman.

Temple Origins

To resolve a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu, Sri Siva created a limitless Pillar of Light and challenged the Gods to find the Columns top and bottom. Brahma and Vishnu both failed in their tasks and subsequently prayed to the Lord that the blazing Pillar should establish itself as a Hill, and that Sri Siva should take the form of a Lingam on the east of the Hill. They also entreated that, as a remembrance of the Fiery Column, a Jyothi should appear every year on the top of the Hill during the time of Karthigai (i.e. period of Deepam).

Brahma's and Vishnu's prayers were granted and the blazing Pillar of Light became a Hill and a Lingam soon appeared at its foot on the south east side. For the purpose of worshipping that Lingam, which is no different to the Mountain, the Gods caused a great Temple to be built around it. A sacred tank was dug and filled with a mixture of all other Tirthas (sacred watering places) to provide water for the ablution of the Lord as Lingam. And nearby, for the abode of those striving for spiritual achievements, a great city Aruna (previous name for Tiruvannamalai) was built.

Pots and Pans

It's Friday morning and this gent is on his way to the market place. He has just come from canvassing homes either trying to sell some of his new shiny utensils or purchasing old metal scraps and implements that householders may have lying around. I checked out the big circular tub in the middle of the utensils - and it's full of metal scraps. Also lots of metal bits and pieces on top of his pyramid!

Everything is recycled and if you go down to some side streets close to the Big Temple you will see such men (as the above) with small charcoal fires melting pieces of scrap metal and pouring them into moulds to make either statues of idols or pieces of bric a brac.

Electric Fusion!

This jumble of electric wires is a common sight on the streets of Tiruvannamalai - it looks like every electrician's nightmare! But saying that, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board are providing excellent service. Some years back the City was plagued with power shortages and hours of electricity rationing - not anymore! This summer the electricity supply ran with hardly a blimp - very nice too!

E-Bikes Tiruvannamalai

E-Bikes bring good news to people interested in conserving energy, keeping Tiruvannamalai as pollution free as possible, and also helping their own pocket book!

This is the first time environment-friendly battery operated bikes have been available at Tiruvannamalai. These attractive little E-bikes, don't have petrol tanks, emit smoke or produce the roaring sound of a typical two-wheeler in the market. Four 12v high-end batteries attached to the vehicle feed the motor propelling the vehicle on the road. The batteries can be recharged time and again.

The owner of Sun E-Bikes, Tiruvannamalai told us that fully charged batteries will run the vehicle up to 50km at a maximum of 50kph. Since the batteries consume merely 0.8 unit of electricity, travelling 50km will cost Rs.1/-. Most importantly as the motor capacity of E-Bikes is below 50cc, there is no legal compulsion to either register the vehicle or possess a licence to operate it.

The Pondicherry Company (Planet-7 International) provides a one-year warranty for the vehicle. If well maintained, the 4-pack battery kit will last for at least 25,000 kms - new battery kits can be purchased later on. The Bike comes in lots of styles and colours. This definitely seems to be a step in the right direction in combating road pollution at Tiruvannamalai.

Pool looking inviting!

The new swimming pool being built at the Arunai Anantha Hotel is nearly complete. The official opening day is 23rd of this month (July) and everything appears to be on schedule. The pool certainly looks v-e-r-y inviting from this snap!

Arunachala Service

In the Skanda Purana Sri Siva explains to his consort the efficacy of engaging in Arunachala service. He tells of the unimaginable blessings received by people who display their reverence and obedience to the Divine and illustrates the extent of those blessings by giving examples of the result of Arunachala service:

A spider, going about her business, spun a cobweb of threads in some spot around Arunachala. This inadvertent act was sufficient for the spider to reincarnate as a devotee with memory of its previous birth. The devotee returned to Arunachala with offerings of opulent silk cloths.

A glowworm of green colour came and made its nest in a branch nearby the Hill. The worm attained salvation because unintentionally its glow served in the place of a jyothi illuminating and worshipping Arunachala throughout the night.

A mouse inadvertently dragged a cluster of jewels into the sanctum sanctorum of the Siva Lingam of Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereby brightened the shrine. The worship was enough for the mouse to attain instant liberation.

Yoginis

There is little information available on lady saints who have come and performed tapas at Arunachala. In fact so little information is available its almost impossible to believe that there have in fact been many holy women who have lived at Arunachala performing intense sadhana.

In the 40s and 50s several eminent ladies occupied hermitages and caves on the South East slope of Arunachala. Amongst these women was the revered and highly respected Lakshmi Devi who dressed in saffron and lived on the mountain. Lakshmi Devi kept a vow of silence for 12 years and responded by making signs in answer to questions from a constant stream of visiting devotees and pilgrims. At the end of a 12 year vow of silence she returned to her native place near Mysore. However her love of the peace she experienced at Arunachala drew her back and she returned to the caves and hermitages of the mountain.

Another sadhaka who lived on the Hill during the same time period was Srimati Radhabai Ammeyar, who was known as Ammal of Vadalur. Ammal was a faithful disciple of Ramalinga Swamigal and originally she and Lakshmi Devi shared a cave but Ammal eventually moved to a small rocky cleft higher up the hill. The little cave was so low and narrow one had to remain seated, and even then ones head practically touched the roof.

Ammal of Vadalur, always wore white, and lived in the rocky cleft for three years in perfect silence, her only possessions being an oil lamp and a book of the hymns of her Master Ramalinga. She took a daily meal during the afternoon which consisted of a few handfuls of rice-flour, roasted and mixed with curd. After three years she moved into a small nearby hut with a women disciple. Ammal of Vadalur was also much revered and visited during her time at Arunachala.

The yellow tin boat

Its been so long since I have seen the man in his yellow tin boat, but here he is! The front of his boat is periliously close to the water edge's and he seems in danger of dunking himself, watch out Mr. Fisherman.

On the shore stands the mans bamboo leaf hut, at least he is nice and close to his work! One of my dogs is standing guard outside. Good job Oscar!

Hillock Quarry

This photograph shows a large hillock spur in front of Arunachala. On the top of the spur there is a massive configuration of rock. It is this place which is home to a large colony of bonnet macaque monkeys, and also I suspect, from where our lonely exiled monkey friend (from yesterday's blog) hails from.

The tragedy here is two-fold: one, for the monkeys and the other for Arunachala devotees. The hillock spur is leased by a granite quarry which is harvesting stone from the hillock. On the face of the spur you can see differences in the colouration; these are the places where the granite was recently dynamited in order to break it up into smaller, more manageable pieces.

One had hoped that with the rapid urbanisation of this area the quarry would have, by now, discontinued its activities on this Arunachala spur. Unfortunately there is insufficient public and official interest to halt this sad desecration of both an Arunachala spur and also the home of a large group of monkeys.

Bishop for Vellore

New Delhi (ICNS) Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father Soundaraj Periyanayagam as the new bishop of Vellore diocese, which has been without a bishop for more than a year.

The appointment was announced simultaneously in India and the Vatican on July 11. The new bishop, a Salesian born in 1949, is a native of Vellore. After his schooling, he had his initial years of Salesian training in Yercaud.Father Periyanayagam has been severing as the rector of Don Bosco Boys' Home in Katpadi, Gandhi Nagar, since 2004. The priest who holds a doctorate in economics also worked in Sacred Heart College in Tirupattur and St. Joseph's College in Tiruchirapalli.

The diocese of Vellore, created in 1952, now comprises both the civil districts of Vellore, Tiruvannamalai formerly known as North Arcot Ambedkar and Tiruvannamalai Sambuvarayar districts.

Shivas Proclamation

Sri Siva said:

Since I manifested myself in the form of a lingam in the field of battle, this place will be known as Lingasthana. (18)

O sons, this column without root or top will henceforth be diminutive in size for the sake of the vision and worship of the world. (19)

The lingam emblem confers enjoyment. It is the only means of worldly enjoyment and salvation. Viewed, touched or meditated upon, it wards off all future births of the living beings. (20)

Since the lingam emblem rose high resembling a mountain of fire, this shall be famous as Ruddy (Aruna) mountain. (21)

Many holy centres will spring up here. A residence or death in this holy place ensures liberation. (22)

The celebration of chariot festivals, the congregation of devotees, the presentation of ordinary as well as sacrificial gifts and offering of prayers at this place shall be millionfold efficacious. (23)

Of all my sectors this sector shall be the greatest. A mere remembrance of me at this place shall accord salvation to all souls. (24)

Hence this sector shall be greater than all other sectors, very auspicious, full of all sorts of welfare and according salvation to everyone. (25)

Worshipping me in my supreme lingam form at this place and performing the other sacred rites shall accord the five types of salvation. May all of you achieve all your cherished desires. (26)

Vidyesvarasamhita
Sivapurana, Chapter 9

Bonnet Macaque

On our daily walk through the conservation area, I was startled to see a lone monkey scampering through the underbrush. I have never seen a monkey in this area before as there is too much open, exposed flat land and not enough high trees to clamber up for safe sanctuary.

No idea where he was heading and to begin with thought he was one of my dogs so started to call to him. The monkey seemed to have experienced some degree of human socialization because although he did not actually come, he did appear very interested. Perhaps it was my mad, bad dogs that helped the monkey make his final decision, TO RUN AWAY!

Bonnet Macaque monkeys are not hard to spot at Tiruvannamalai; they are everywhere! Being so smart they have easily made the transition to the increasing urbanisation of this area. They are as easy to spot in the middle of the bustling marketplace in town as they are on the hillside of Arunachala.

Bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) have a grayish brown back and a well-defined circular tuft of hair (hence the derivative of its name bonnet). Their tail is two-thirds the length of its body. The monkeys are diurnal, arboreal, and terrestrial. Bonnet macaques are good swimmers.

They search the ground for insects and chase flying grasshoppers. Their diet consists of fruit, seeds, leaves, flowers, cereals. Bonnet macaques eat approximately 40 different plant species, as well as being necessarily conciliatory at temples and homes to get tasty handouts!

Adult males spend more time on the ground. These macaques sit in contact with others or huddle together when they rest. The monkey is around 35-60 cm long plus a tail of 35-68 cm. Males weigh 5.5 - 9 kg., females 3.5 - 4.5 kg. A Bonnet Macaque monkey can live more than 30 years.