Female Literacy Programme

The Central Government-sponsored Female Literacy Programme has been launched in 16 Tamil Nadu State Districts, through which one million women in the 15-35 age group will benefit.

The Districts are; Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Erode, Vellore, Madurai, Pudukottai, Theni, Sivaganga, Virudunagar, Perambalur, Villuppuram and Cuddalore.

A special meeting was held at the State Adult Education Wing, Chennai for all District Programme Co-ordinators in this regard.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has proposed a plan to increase the female literacy rate in India. According to the Census, the current female literacy rate is 54.28% at the National level and 64.55% in Tamil Nadu.

Election Report

Local Elections

The DMK party is poised to win the prestigious Tiruvannamalai Municipal Chairman post for the second consecutive term.

In the 39-member council, two key candidates of the DMK won unopposed and elections were held in the remaining 37 wards. Out of which both the DMK and the AIADMK won 16 wards each, Congress 1 ward and Independents 4 wards. As such the DMK alliance gained a majority with the support of 19 councillors.

Of the four Independent councillors K. Mohan of the 8th ward was an official candidate of the DMK and M Jamilabeevi of the 34th ward was successfully persuaded to join the DMK party before the elections.

Both these candidates, though officially called as Independents, would in fact represent the DMK in the Council thus bringing the DMK's strength in the Council at 21.

Vandavasi Chairmanship

With the DMK and its ally PMK winning 13 wards in the 24-member Vandavasi Municipal Council, the DMK is set to wrest the Chairmanship from its ally, Congress.

The DMK won 10 wards on its own, (marking a dramatic comeback from zero in the outgoing Council) while the PMK won 3. While the incumbent Congress failed to win even a single ward, Independents emerged victorious in seven wards keeping up the legacy of the Council of having a greater number of Independents.

AIADMK ended up in winning one ward, the DMDK gained two Councillor posts and the MDMK now has one Council member.

Town Panchayats

Except in Polur, where the DMK won by a clear majority, Independents will be playing the key role in deciding the President of their respective local bodies in the remaining nine Town Panchayats in Tiruvannamalai District.

Out of 145 wards and 10 town panchayats, Independents won in 51 places, with remaining wards as follows: the DMK 38, AIADMK 32, PMK 9, Congress 7, DMDK 6 and MDMK 2.

Not only in total, but also in most individual Town Panchayats, Independents were the highest scorers and thus hold the crucial position as both main political parties are tied in terms of numbers.

Yogi Ramsuratkumar

December 1, 1918 to February 20, 2001

One of the recent Mahatmas of Arunachala was Yogi Ramsuratkumar who inspite of his undoubted spiritual attainments in speech, always cultivated humility and self-effacement. He always spoke of himself as, 'this dirty beggar', 'this useless madcap fellow', 'this great sinner' and of His Father (i.e. The Lord) as, 'very great'.

He always acknowledged with reverence his huge debt to sacred Arunachala and Arunachaleswarar Temple, saying: 'This Hill and this Temple, they have saved this beggar,' and with the utmost gratitude for the sanctity of Mount Arunachala, he would say:

'This beggar wandering here and there, tired of wandering but having no home; Arunachalesvara, in the form of this hill, had mercy on this miserable sinner. So he gives thanks, a thousand thanks, to this holy hill, this holy temple. Oh, the magnanimity of the Lord! He has given me shelter for twenty long years. Whereas others who come are enabled to stay only days or weeks . . . For thousands of years the hill has given shelter to so many dirty sinners like me; and Arunachala will give us shelter for thousand of years to come.'

When Yogi Ramsuratkumar used to walk around the Hill, out of humility, he would always walk in the opposite direction of all the other pilgrims.

Many times Yogi Ramsuratkumar would say: 'The mountain helps us'. He himself spent many years wandering on the mountain, taking shelter in its caves. Based on his own comments, his transformation seems to have been connected in part to his subtle relationship to the divine force within Arunachala.

Where is the Fire?
The Fire is there on the hill there.
But I don't see it there.
You can see it if you are really bent upon seeing it.
Are you afraid of being engulfed by it?
Then you can't see it
Have courage, no fear
You are sure to see it

[Yogi Ramsuratkumar]

The 'Fire' referred to by Yogi Ramsuratkumar (as poet) is the mystical Fire of Creation, the light that is perceived burning within Mount Arunachala as the embodiment of Shiva:

'This holy Fire burned at the core of the beggar's absolute certainty: his faith in a Power that governs everything, controls everything.'

[Yogi Ramsuratkumar]

His samadhi is enshrined at the Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram on the southside of Arunachala and in close proximity to Chengam Road and Sri Ramana Ashram and Sri Seshadri Ashram.

For more of his life please check link at:
http://www.arunachalasamudra.org/yogiram.html

3 Yojanas

Siva said:

'I ordain that residence within a radius of three Yojanas of this Hill shall be itself suffice to burn off all defects and effect union with the Supreme.'

[Skanda Purana]

(Yojana is an ancient unit of measurement equivalent to about 16 kilometers)

Road Ahead

An analysis of Tamil Nadu was brought out by the Human Development Centre recently entitled 'The Road Ahead: Tamil Nadu in the New Millennium'. One very interesting section of the report was on 'Income, Employment and Poverty' particularly as the Tiruvannamalai District economy is primarily based on agriculture.

The report begins by the recommendation to:

'Develop agriculture through systematic and cost effective watershed approaches, with people's participation.'

The next proposal shows a much higher degree of intelligence compared to the current insanity of the West with its emphasis on open markets and thereby the destruction of its own indigenous agricultural communities and independence. The Tamil Nadu report's emphasis is on 'ensuring food security'; a lesson for other countries to learn!

'Encourage the cultivation of commercial crops with market advantage while ensuring food security with the stabilisation of rice cultivation in about 2 million hectares.'

'Encourage agro-based industries through the cultivation of agro-forestry and horticultural crops in wastelands for employment generation and income enhancement in the rural sector.'

I'm not sure about the next recommendation as I expect it was for this reason a milk processing plant is going to be set up at Tiruvannamalai District:

http://arunachalagrace.blogspot.com/2006/08/milk-plant.html

'Ensure quality of livestock products and effectiveness of support services to improve livestock development by encouraging private enterprises and farmers.'

No reason to encourage building in Tiruvannamalai as that's going on very well by itself. In fact there is so much money being invested in construction in Tiruvannamalai, that many contractors are having to come not just from out-of-town, but also from out-of-State!

'Encourage the informal sector building industry, specially in rural areas, through appropriate fiscal policy measures.'

Tiruvannamalai has a good Computer College with a record of specialist employment for graduates. Also as the town is District Headquarters and local Government is based here, there will be lots of related opportunities in the future.

'Improve the skills of the workforce in view of the changing market demand in the industrial and service sectors as a result of greater automation and the advent of IT.'

Happy Diwali

A HAPPY AND AUSPICIOUS DIWALI FROM ARUNACHALA AND INDIA

The Queen

In 1997, during her visit to India, H.M. Queen Elizabeth II presented the M.B.E. to Sylvia Wright in recognition of her dedication and achievements with the Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society.

Rangammal Hospital

Rangammal Hospital is very well organised with a 200 bed capacity but in case of emergencies can accept 250 patients. The Hospital runs at 99% occupancy. Many out-patients also attend Rangammal and during the day the place is a hive of activity. The staff numbers 265. This is a picture of their CAT scan.

The Hospital has its own 'Chapel of All Faith' and is a welcome oasis for people to sit and receive inspiration from their own God. This photograph at the Hospital sums up their multi-faith attitude.

While I was visiting the technicicans were cleaning up in the Dialysis Room, where they have eight Dialysis machines. It was late in the afternoon and most of the patients' sessions were over. Treatment cost, depending on the financial status of the patient, falls into three different categories:

(1) Free
(2) Rs.500/- per session (US$11)
(3) Rs.750/- per session (US$17)

Forty-five people are signed up for the programme and each person comes in three times a week for a session on the Dialysis machines. (A session lasts about four hours).

Even though there are CAT scans and Dialysis Machines, this is India and we love paperwork in this Country. So here is part of the Patients records, in the old-fashioned way!

If you've ever visited India you will know only too well how rare Ambulances are over here. Well at Rangammal Hospital they have two and also a very nice Bus that they use as a shuttle service for their nursing staff.

A very nice Hospital, kept impeccably clean and staffed by enthusiastic and friendly folk. A Hospital also that has won many awards in this country for their outstanding service and record.

Sylvia Wright

The Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society was started by an English lady named Sylvia Wright. Who recalls:

'I came to India in 1981 in response to our Lord's call to "Go, sell all that you have, give it to the poor and follow Me".'

And now 25 years later and nearly 70 years old she remains completely committed to the Organisation she set up, The Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society:

Her original inspiration has now become an organisation of four hundred staff and approximately 70,000 patients treated every year as both in-patients and out-patients at the Rangammal Hospital, in addition to handicapped people helped in the Organisation's related Schools and Community Programmes.

The Hospital is a unit of the Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society and includes; the Rangammal Hospital, Rangammal Memorial Higher Secondary School for the Hearing Impaired, Vasavi Industrial School, Rangammal Memorial Teacher Training School for Hearing Impaired, Rangammal Memorial Day Care Centre for the Mentally Retarded and Cerebral Palsy, Outreach Community Programme, Village Clinics, RSVY Programme and a Pension Scheme.

Arunachala Samudra

Sorry for any inconvenience to visitors to our website http://www.arunachalasamudra.org For a couple of days our Hosting Company was experiencing technical difficulties but we are glad to report all is now working okay and the website is back online.

The site has been recently redesigned and will be populated with alot of new material over the upcoming months; including health sections on Rangammal Hospital, Dr. Manickam and his work with herbs, modern day Arunachala saints, the innovative ecological work done by Apeetha Arunagiri and her NGO, Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation, an interactive site map of Arunachaleswarar Temple, narratives on Arunachala history and mythology, ancient Arunachala poems, sections on the nature of Sacred Power and Inspiration and finally a helpful Tourism section.

So keep checking back to:

http://www.arunachalasamudra.org for improvements and ongoing website additions.

For new blog visitors; you can sign up for a free subscription to our monthly Arunachala Grace News, at the left-hand column of this Blog under the 'email' banner.

Finally for more updates of Arunachala, please visit another Blog we are authoring: www.arunachalanews.com

Polling Over

The second phase of Tiruvannamalai Revenue Division local polling was successfully completed on Sunday, October 15th. According to preliminary estimates around 70% of polling was registered in Villages, 75% in Town Panchayats and approximately 80% in the three Municipalities that went for polling in the second phase.

In the second phase, elections were held in three Municipalities; Arni, Cheyyar and Vandavasi, three town panchayats; including, Kannamangalam, Desur and Peranamallur and in eight panchayat unions; Anakkavur, Arni, Cheyyar, Peranamallur, Thellar, Vandavasi, Vembakkam and West Arni.

The first phase of polling held on Friday, 13 October was for Tiruvannamalai Municipality and 10 Town Panchayats; including Chengam, Chetpet, Kalambur, Kilpennathur, Polur, Pudupalayam and Vettavalam and 10 Panchayat Unions; Tiruvannamalai, Chengam, Chetpet, Jawadu hills, Kalasapakkam, Kilpennathur, Polur, Pudupalayam, Thandarampattu and Thurinjapuram.

Turnout for the first phase was estimated to have exceeded 70 percent in Tiruvannamalai District with a respectable 64% poll percentage in Tiruvannamalai Muncipality.

Barring some sporadic incidents, no untoward events were reported in the entire District during either of the polling phases. Considering how volatile local polling is in other parts of India, the whole process was marked with very high turnouts and also with a remarkable absence of controversy.

A Devotee

'. . . So, I am a simpleton. Not only can I not define (even to myself), but that lifelong obsession of mentally grasping has dropped; even the desire to 'know' this or that has dropped. It is futile. The mind will never, and can never know anything except its own concepts. So ultimately all we can do is to describe a concept, and from a literary point of view it can be entertaining, but I don't think there is anything truly revelatory or long lasting about it all. It doesn't really make an impact and that is why, whatever really does is a complete mystery and cannot be described. And Arunachala does make an impact, it is a chemical, so subtle, like a breeze. And so, for my life, to be here close to the fire of this holy place, this ancient embodiment of Shiva, who could possibly express their thanks for this destiny?

Who can even comprehend the grace to be here: to have the eyes fall upon this Arunachala at any moment; being outside, going to town the hill is there, doing pradakshina or just sitting in a field, it is there. Looking out the bedroom window, it is there; in the darkness the silhouette of its shape stands out. The many moods of light and cloud upon the surface of the Hill, now green, soon brown and again the monsoon and green again. It is a palpable life force ever present, our father and mother. Sometimes pure fire, sometimes sweet tenderness. It is alive and full of power and you drink it in whether aware or not aware, this energy permeates my very being down to the smallest cell. Atom to atom it fills me and transforms the heart in secret, unknown ways. Such a mystery this Silence of the Hill, such a mystery.'

[Nan Richards]

Tamil Nadu

To give you an idea of Tamil Nadu and the exact location of Tiruvannamalai District here follows a short profile of the State and a map of its current delineation into Districts:

Tamil Nadu, the southern most State of India, has a very ancient history going back some 6,000 years. The State represents Dravidian culture, which preceded Aryan culture. The four great kingdoms of the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas and Pallavas that ruled this area until the 10th Century A.D., left behind a rich legacy in art, architecture, music and literature and created lasting political, economic and agrarian systems. An intervening period of unstable Muslim rule that allowed the State to slowly disintegrate into several petty kingdoms coincided with the arrival of the East India Company in Madras in 1639. Soon most of south India came under the hegemony of the British.

In 1947 when India attained independence, the Madras Presidency comprised of present day Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The agitation for a separate State for the Telegu speaking region forced the central government to bifurcate the Madras Presidency and create Andhra Pradesh. Under the State Reorganisation Act of 1956, Madras was divided further and the States of Kerala and Mysore (Karnataka) came into being. In 1967 Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu; today it is the fourth largest State of the country. It has a population of approximately 70 million, about 6% of the total Indian population, and 30 Administrative Districts.

Child Labourers

More than 50 child labourers from several tribal villages in Jawadu hills were rescued in Tiruvannamalai by the Terre Des Home Core Trust over this last week.

The children, mostly girls, were about to be sent to cotton fields near Attur in the Salem District. The children who are between the ages 10-14 were compelled to give up their school studies to work. All the rescued children have now been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee.

A spokesman for the Terre Des Home Core Trust has reported that a member of their Trust keeps watch at Tiruvannamalai Bus Stand for incidents of child trafficking and that local people, (including auto rickshaw drivers) have also been asked to be vigilant in reporting cases of the suspicious transit of young children from the Bus Stand. The spokesman for the Trust reports that it has been their increased vigilance in Tiruvannamalai that has exposed this child trafficking trade and have insisted that action be taken against the perpetrators.

The main reason for the exodus of children from hill villages is poverty. Previously there have been sporadic instances of child labourers being rescued. But what makes this trafficking of young children to the cotton fields more serious is the inherent dangers of working in such heavily contaminated areas. For more information here is an extract from a report entitled: "Children's development undermined by pesticide use in India":

'A unique study investigated the chronic impacts of pesticides on children in India.

In 2003, researchers with Greenpeace India tested almost 900 children living in cotton-growing areas in six States for their developmental abilities, using a range of tests designed to measure analytical abilities, motor skills, concentration and memory. They found that children living in regions in which pesticides are widely used performed significantly worse in these various developmental abilities than children in a control group living elsewhere.

The investigation reveals that children from regions as diverse as Tamil Nadu and Punjab, who have nothing in common but their exposure to pesticides, appear to share an inability to perform simple play-based exercises; such as catching a ball or assembling a jigsaw puzzle; simply because they have been exposed to pesticides over a period of time.

Cotton uses some of the most highly toxic pesticides, including significant levels of organophosphates, which affect the nervous system. The quantities of chemicals applied are massive: while cotton occupies less than 5% of cultivated land in India, it uses more than 50% of all agricultural pesticides. India is a major user of pesticides . . .'

To read the full report please check link:
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/pn65/pn65p12.htm

Base Map

Tiruvannamalai, which is 13.64sq km and southwest of Chennai (previously known as Madras), attracts visitors and pilgrims in their hundred thousands every full moon day. As the town is the only urban centre in the region of a radius of 25km and the major trade centre for 50 villages, there is a tremendous strain on the town's infrastructure particularly during Full Moon and Festivals.

An urban renewal plan for Tiruvannamalai has been planned as intervention in the problems being experienced due to the huge influx of visitors. Part of the physical intervention plan to improve the Town's infrastructure, has been to create a Base Map of Tiruvannamalai showing all existing features and contour levels.

Tiruvannamalai Municipality doesn't have an authentic town Base Map with land details. For implementation and maintenance of service projects the knowledge of the town topography is a necessity. For this reason a Base Map for the town showing all natural and manmade features is being prepared using IKNOS, satellite imagery and ground surveys which when complete will serve as the basis for all future engineering works in Tiruvannamalai.

The Polls

The first phase of local polling in Tiruvannamalai Revenue Division passed off peacefully yesterday, Friday, October 13. The second phase of polling takes place tomorrow, Sunday, October 15.

But for three minor incidents reported in the first phase, there were no major law and order problems anywhere in the State during these local elections.

One of the three incidents reported in Tiruvannamalai District and was of a clash between two groups in Melvahaipadi for which cases have been registered and there is an ensuing investigation.

In other parts of Tamil Nadu there were some incidents of booth capturing; a wonderful euphemism which translates into 'somebody stole the ballot box from the polling booth! Help!' An occurrence that happens with some frequency at local elections. However, it's good to hear that Tiruvannamalai District, apart from the above-mentioned lone incident, was almost 100% peaceful during polling.

Other parts of Tamil Nadu had road blockages occurrences for which rival political parties were responsible, but in all cases the barricades were broken up quickly by the authorities and there were no reports of related traffic problems.

The poll percentage has been roughly estimated to have exceeded 70% in Tiruvannamalai District with a respectable 64% poll percentage in the Muncipality. Which is indeed a very healthy polling rate for any country.

Arunachala Stuti

'The Primordial Lord of the Universe, whose form is unbroken consciousness, whose feet are adored by the Vedas, who destroys sins of those who bow to him, the Lord of the Mountains! Bestow on me a sidelong glance with thy eyes moistened with compassion, lest I should end my life living like an animal.

Arunachala, the embodiment of the 8-fold form of the Universe, in order that the worldly afflictions may cease to torment me, please cast they look of Grace to help cut asunder the ego-knot without feeling its pangs.'

[By Ramana Maharshi]

Inner Peace

When people talk about Arunachala, they often talk about how it brings peace into their lives. In this respect here is a beautiful description by the famous wandering lady, Peace Pilgrim, of the signs of inner peace:

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

A loss of interest in judging other people.

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

A loss of interest in conflict.

A loss of the ability to worry.

Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

Contented feeling of connectedness with others and nature.

Frequent attacks of smiling.

An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

[Peace Pilgrim]

Sacred Sites

The famous sacred sites anthropologist Martin Gray asserts that according to his studies, he had been led to identify 32 separate categories of power places according to the factors contributing to the presence of energy fields at those places. These categories include; sacred mountains, healing springs, ancient astronomical observatories etc.

But whatever the catgegory of the sacred site, it is the actual combination of different factors that catalyzes the psychological and physiological effects in humans.

These factors are the geophysical characteristics of the sacred site location, the visual beauty of the sacred site location and the location of sacred sites according to regional configurations of sacred geography.

Arunachala Ashtakam

Ah! What a wonder! Arunachala stands as an insentient Hill. Its action is mysterious, past human understanding. From the age of innocence it had shone within my mind that Arunachala was something of unsurpassing grandeur, but even when I came to know through another that it was the same as Tiruvannamalai, I did not realize its meaning. When it drew me up to it, stilling my mind, and I came close, I saw it unmoving.

When I approach Thee regarding Thee as having form, Thou standest as a Hill on earth. If with the mind the seeker looks for Thy form as formless, he is like one who travels the earth to see ever-present ether. To dwell without thought upon Thy boundless nature is to lose one's separate identity like a doll of sugar when it comes in contact with the ocean of nectar and when I come to realize who I am, what else is this identity of mine but Thee, O Thou Who standest as the towering Aruna Hill?

Extract from Eight Stanzas on Sri Arunachala
Sri Ramana Maharshi