Walk to Dentist

So, I am off to have a procedure performed at the dental clinic in the Rangammal Hospital compound. So with as much enthusiasm as one would expect from someone heading to a dentist office (wherever that dentist may be located!) I decide to take a nice, peaceful walk through the countryside instead of going by noisy auto rickshaw.

These workers are getting fields ready for the planting of paddy (rice). The workers are probably local coolies hired by the day. Its unlikely that they would be owners of the land.

Above a very nice photograph of a woodpecker trying to further demolish a damaged and beaten up tree.

The areas surrounding Tiruvannamalai are all working, agricultural lands. Now its time for rice planting. In this area there is also cultivation currently of peanut, sunflower, marigold, chilli plant, root vegetable and legumes. But in the above picture, definitely paddy is on the agenda!

Coming up to the statue of Periyar, a very revered and now deceased political leader of this area who did a vast amount to raise and uplift hitherto depressed communities.

Made it to the compound of Rangammal Hospital. Here is some of the nice, peaceful grounds of their 6 acre compound. Local, indigenous trees that don't require huge amounts of water are planted and Hospital visitors and outpatients, enjoy relaxing in the peaceful and well maintained compound.

Made it to the Dental Clinic. Oh, Well! I always have that beautiful walk home to look forward to!

Glory of Trees

"But the Glory of Trees is more than their gifts;

It is a Beautiful Wonder of Life that lifts.

From a wrinkled seed in an earthbound clod.

A column, an arch in the Temple of God.

A Pillar of Power. A Dome of Delight.

A Shrine of Song, and a Joy of Sight.

Their roots are nurses of Rivers in Birth.

Their leaves are alive with the Breadth of the Earth:

They shelter the dwellings of man and they bend,

O'er his Grave with the look of a Loving Friend".

The District

Tiruvannamalai District came into existence on 30th September 1989 after the bifurcation of the erstwhile North Arcot District. The District lies between 11.55 (degrees) and 13.15 (degrees) North latitude and 78.20 (degrees) to 79.50 (degrees) East longitude. The District is bounded on the north and west by Vellore District, on the southwest by Krishnagiri District, on the south by Villupuram District and on the east by Kanchipuram District.

The Total Geographical Area of Tiruvannamalai District is 6191 sq.kms, comprising the Revenue Divisions of Tiruvannamalai and Cheyyar. The District has six taluks viz; Tiruvannamalai, Chengam, Polur, Arni, Cheyyar and Vandavasi. There are 18 Blocks, including one tribal Block, Javvadhu Hills constituting the district under Rural sector and four Municipalities viz; Tiruvannamalai, Arni, Cheyyar (Thiruvathipuram), Vandavasi representing urban sectors along with Polur selection grade Town Panchayat.

Tiruvannamalai District is bounded on the North and West by Vellore District and on the South West by Krishnagiri District on the South Villupuram District and on the East by Kanchipuram District.

One sixth of the area of this District is Covered by reserve forest and hills which is part and parcel of Eastern Ghats under Javvadhu Hills. The important hills in this district are Tiruvannamalai (2668ft 79.80 MSL), Javvadhu hills (2500ft MSL) and Kailasagiri (2743ft MSL).

Red loamy soil is predominantly found here. The District has also different types of soils such as ferrogenous loamy and sandy loamy. The general climate is tropical. Tiruvannamalai District receives rainfall from North East and South West monsoons.

As per the most recent population census (i.e. 2001) total population of this District is 2,181,853; comprising 1,093,191 Men and 1,088,662 women. The urban population is 400,549 constituting 18% of the total Population, the remaining 82% ie.1,781,304 is rural population. The density of the population is 352 per sq.km. The total literate among male are 773,367 and that of female 544,284.

There is no perennial river in the district. Cheyyar, Thenpennai, Kamandala Naganathi are only seasonal. SATHANUR DAM is constructed across Thenpennai river in Chengam taluk among Chennakesava Hills.

Tiruvannamalai District is industrially backward. The SLS cotton spinning mill is the only major industry and in Annakkavoor and Polur, sugar mills are functioning. However medium and small scale industries as well as cottage industries, such as modern rice mills, weaving factories, cotton, silk and mat-weaving, coir manufacturing and beedi manufacturing are flourishing. The District is enriched in mineral deposits such as black granites, multi-coloured granites, soap and magnesite deposits. Paddy, Groundnut, Sugarcane, Millets and pulses are the District's major crops and two milk chilling plants are in operation. Tourism and resources for Pilgrimage are becoming increasingly major revenue generators of the District.

Mother Meera

Mother Meera was born on December 26, 1960 in the village of Chandepalle in southern India. The state of samadhi soon became constant for Her. Under the auspices of Her uncle, she lived for some time in Pondicherry. In 1982 she married a German man, and now lives at Thalheim, a village in Germany.

On February 12th and 13th of this year, Mother Meera visited Tiruvannamalai appearing on two consecutive evenings at a local Mandapam Hall to a predominantly Western crowd. It is said of her: "Darshan is Her silent bestowal of Grace and Light through Her gaze and touch. Mother gives darshan in silence. It is Her gift to humanity".

MahaShivaratri

Each month there is day known as Sivaratri and once a year there is Mahasivaratri (maha=great); The Great Festival of Shiva. The dates of these occasions correspond to the phases of the moon and it is believed that the mind (which is adversely affected by the power of the moon) is less susceptible to low, animalistic forces and thus more tractable to the power of meditation and prayer.

It is for this reason that Mahasivaratri is believed to be the one 24-hour period in the year which is of the greatest benefit. It has been stated in the scriptures that if a man fasts, stays awake and meditates for the whole of Mahasivaratri, it will give him his best chance to achieve mastery of the mind and attain liberation.

Mahashivaratri always falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna (February-March), and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. (Mahashivaratri this year, 2007 falls on Friday, February 16th). On this day devotees sing Shiva bhajans, recite verses from scriptures, offer prayers in the morning and evening, and some observe fasting throughout the day. People visit Shiva Temples and in the case of Arunachala, premier Shiva site of South India, circumbulation of Arunachala Hill is observed by many.

The name Shiva signifies a quality that means 'Auspicious' or 'The Auspicious One'. To a few, Shiva is Paramatman, Brahman, the Absolute, but many more prefer to see Shiva as a personal God given to compassion for his worshippers, and the dispenser of both spiritual and material blessings. Related to the Absolute concept is Shiva as Yoganath, the Lord of Yoga, wherein he becomes teacher, path and goal. As such he is the Adi Guru or Highest Guru of sannyasins who have renounced the world to attain the Absolute.

One of the early traditions, is Shiva in the form of Dakshinamurti; the South-Facing Guru. In this form, seated on a low platform, with one leg hanging down in front, he communicated the Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Wisdom to the four Kumaras who appeared early in creation. The Guru spoke no words but taught them by the transmission of mind-to-mind, and its purpose was to show that man can realise the Absolute when the human mind is in complete equipoise with the Cosmic Mind.

While almost all other festivals are celebrated during the day, Mahashivaratri is celebrated at night, which stands for all that is evil: injustice, ignorance, darkness, sin, violence, treachery, falsehood, and misfortune. Mythology says that Shiva appeared to save the world from Tamoguna (darkness and ignorance).

One legend concerning Shivaratri, is of a hunter named Lubdhaka, who after killing birds in a forest, was chased by a hungry lion. The hunter climbed a Bilva tree to save himself from the lion's attack. The lion waited throughout the entire night at the bottom of the tree for its prey. In order to stay awake to avoid falling from the tree, the hunter kept plucking the leaves of the Bilva tree and dropped them below. The leaves fell on a Shiva Lingam that happened to be located at the bottom of the tree. Shiva was pleased by the inadvertent offering of Bilva leaves by the hunter, and saved him in spite of his sin in killing the birds.

On Maha Shivaratri, Lord Shiva is Lingodbhavamurti, the pillar of fire that spans all, with no beginning and no end. The devout believe that they are on their way to oneness with Shiva, that they will join with the Supreme after hours of darkness spent in fasting and prayer. The worship of Lingodbhavamurti is with the leaves of the bilva, gathered from quince trees. The lingam is showered, unceasingly, with basketfuls of these, and other flowers, just as Lubdhaka, the hunter in the above story once did.

Another legend traces the origin of this festival to the churning of the Ocean of Milk by devas (gods) and asuras (demons). It is said that when both gods and demons were churning the Ocean of Milk to obtain amrita (water of immortal life), they came across many unusual substances, including the deadly poison Kalakuta. As soon as they touched the poison, it exploded into poisonous fumes that threatened to envelope the entire Universe with darkness. When the destruction of the Universe seemed inevitable, the gods ran for assistance from Brahma and Vishnu, but neither was able to help. At last they ran to Lord Shiva, who raised his trident and condensed the fumes. In order to save the creation, Shiva swallowed the poison without spilling a single drop. The poison left a dark blue mark on Shiva's throat. The gods praised and worshipped Shiva for saving the universe.

The Ocean of Milk represents the ideal world that is full of peace and happiness for all human beings. Churning the Ocean of Milk signifies the human activity in the world. The amrita symbolizes happiness and the poison represents human greed and selfishness. Shiva symbolizes the atman (self), and worship of Shiva denotes meditation and contemplation by an individual on his or her own self.

Thus the only way to achieve peace and happiness is by worshipping Shiva at night, that is, by meditating on one's own self during the night when the individual is free from the distractions of the physical world. When the individual attains self-knowledge, he or she can live in the world without being affected by anger, greed, and selfishness, the three enemies of one's soul. MahaShivaratri symbolizes the worship of the atman within.

Blog Update

Postings on this Blog have been erratic over the last month due to problems with my computer. Hopefully these difficulties will be soon resolved and thereafter I will be able to keep you more up-to-date with news and information at Arunachala.

Singing Heart Retreat

Coinciding with the festival of Shivaratri, a special retreat that focusses on the 'Exploration of the death process including a safe journey through the seven bodies at the time of death' will be held at the Singing Heart Ashram near Tiruvannamalai (7 kms from Arunachala).

The Retreat will start on 14th Feburary at 4 p.m. and finish the 16th evening with Shivaratri celebrations.

'The retreat will be an opportunity for you to receive a deeper understanding of the death process and will enable you to share your understanding with others who now face death.'

Singing Heart ashram is quiet with a wonderful view of Arunachala. Living conditions are simple. Bed linen and mosquito nets provided. Bring a towel. Meals are served from Anantha Niketan, the ashram next door, mostly South Indian food; not too spicy. Filtered drinking water is available. From more information about conditions and rates please contact the Singing Heart Ashram at +91-(0)-944-3969220

Website: www.cosmicairport.com

Water Dispute

Former Chief Minister Jayalalitha recently accused the current DMK Government of failing to adopt a clever, tactful and courageous approach to finding a solution to river water disputes with Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

In a statement Ms. Jayalalitha said lack of administrative efficiency on the part of the current Government had come in the way of finding a solution to the inter-State water disputes with neighbouring States.

She warned that the Northern Districts, including Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallore, and the suburban areas of Chennai would face serious drinking water shortage if the Andhra Pradesh Government went ahead with its plan to construct a check dam across the Palar.

Tamil Nadu, more particularly the Northern Districts, would experience an agrarian crisis and farmers would suffer serious difficulties.

Local News

Tourist Vehicles

Tiruvannamalai Municipal Council has decided not to collect entry fees for tourist vehicles coming into Tiruvannamalai on all full moon days (Poornimas) and also during the annual 10-day Karthigai Deepam festival. The waiver for all vehicle entry fees would come into effect from April 1, 2007.

3rd Police Station at Tiruvannamalai

An additional Police Station will start functioning in Tiruvannamalai from February 2, 2007 making it the third Police Station in Tiruvanamalai after the Town Police Station and Taluk Police Station and the 36th in Tiruvannamalai District.

The new station will have one inspector, three sub inspectors, and 52 constables with a jurisdiction from Saron, Barathi Nagar in Tirukoilur Road, including Kilnathur, Head Post Office, Mathalanguala Streets and Muthuvinayagar Koil Street up to the Bus Stand. From there it will cover Vellore Road and areas on the right side of the road up to the (soon to be costructed) bypass road. The Collectorate, District Police Office and Taluk office complex would also fall under the jurisdiction of the new station.

Post Office Micro-Credit Scheme

In a new scheme, the Postal Department will be lending micro-credit to members of self help groups (SHGs). The programme named 'SHG-Post Office Linkage' will be implemented in Tiruvannamalai, Pudukottai and Sivaganga in the Tiruvannamalai District. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be financing the programme.

But, whereas in the case of commercial banks, where NABARD refinance the banks after they actually lend out loans to beneficiaries, in the case of Post Offices, NABARD will directly lend the amount to SHGs and hence, the repayment would also directly go to NABARD.

Battery Chickens

This chicken battery farm at Tiruvannamalai is a sad and depressing sight to come across so deep in the agricultural and farming heartland of Tamil Nadu.

If it wasn't so depressing it would be fascinating to find out exactly how this example of agri-business started up here in this backward area.

Its bad enough to know such dreadful places exist out there in the developed world without having to see them start up in the agricultural heartland of India!

I do hope that an animal welfare organisation comes into Tiruvannamalai and sets up a Branch Office to start monitoring animal welfare and transportation of animals in this area.

Lineman

Here in the countryside electric power fluctuations are all too frequent. To help protect all electrical items in my home (including my computer system) I asked the Electricity Board to send a lineman to put on clamps on my electric lines to try and stablise my power supply. So here is the lineman sent by the EB on top of the pole outside my home. As you can see he does not have much in the way of protective clothing or equipment and clambered up the pole with bare feet and just a few tools.

Now that's over the lineman climbs down in the same way he went up. As you will notice from the below photograph, the cement post is completely smooth with no foothold or handhold help for my brave, intrepid linesman!

Watching the whole exercise with absolutely no interest whatsoever is little Muffin, the young puppy in the family.

Casper, one of the older dogs in our family group, was definitely more interested in the proceedings and didn't leave his perch from the side of the house until the lineman had distanced himself far from our home.

Moon Calendar

This month full moon (Poornima) fell on Thursday, February 1st. If you want to check out upcoming full moons and Deepam dates please check out:

http://www.arunachalasamudra.org/fullmoon.html

The link will give you information about full moon (Poornima) and Deepam dates at Arunachala all the way through to the end of 2009.

Arunachala Aspect

This is a very unusual view of Arunachala which I took from the Polur road near to the turning off going to Pachaiamman Koil. Hope to bring you some nice snaps and a report of Pachaiamman Koil over the next few weeks, as its certainly one of the most colourful and fascinating Temples at Tiruvannamalai.

But for now this rather spectacular view of Arunachala.

Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai

Auromatrix, Operators of Days Inn, India; are currently constructing their new 3-star Eco-centric Heritage Resort at Tiruvannamalai. The Hotel will be called 'Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai', and construction is expected to be completed in the upcoming months.

The Hotel, which will occupy 2 1/2 acres of land is ideally situated just off the pradakshina road on its northside and the NH-66 Highway (to Bangalore) on its southside. The view of Arunachala is unobstructed and the area is peaceful and undeveloped.

To begin with 7 individual cottage units are being built with 4 room units in each cottage comprised of 2 units upstairs and 2 downstairs. The buildings in the complex will be of rough hewn granite locally procured at Adi Annamalai. The facade of the cottages will be completed in red brick and all roofs will be thatched.

There will be an Ayurveda Treatment Centre, a multi-cuisine restaurant, shops, gymnasium, internet cafe and swimming pool all located within the Hotel Complex.

In the above photograph you can see the beginning of the excavation of the Hotel swimming pool.

For myself I've never equated austerity or suffering as a necessary pre-requisite of spiritual life. Personally I think its excellent that different facilities for visiting pilgrims/tourists now exist at Tiruvannamalai. In this respect its very encouraging that the new Hotel will be introducing such features as an ayurvedic treatment centre at their new Hotel. I will keep you informed as to progress of the construction of Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai.

Pradakshina Days

Walking around Arunachala on particular days of the 7-day week is reputed to bring different benefits. It is beneficial doing giripradakshina (walking clockwise around the Hill i.e. 14 kms) anytime, however it is thought to be even more beneficial to walk around Arunachala during Full Moon, especially if the Full Moon falls on a Monday:

What each day means for performing pradakshina:

Sunday
The day of the Sun. The Sun rules the life force and physical body. Doing pradakshina on Sunday is beneficial for gathering the forces of Light.

Monday
The day of the Moon (Chandra) and doing pradakshina is particularly helpful if one wishes to start a new project, whatever it may be. It will also help the person attain a high elevation and rid themselves of fears of death.

Tuesday
The day of Mars, which rules self expression and personality. Pradakshina on Tuesday is good if one requires answers to personal questions. One will also be relieved of all kinds of debts and enjoy Imperial powers.

Wednesday
Mercury is the planet of commerce and communication and a good day for Pradakshina for the thinker and communicator. As a result of going around Arunachala on Wednesday, the person will become highly knowledgeable.

Thursday
The day is ruled by Jupiter, the Guru Planet. Walking around Arunachala on Thursday is beneficial to promote harmonious situations and relationships. Also auspicious day for connecting with ones teacher and guide.

Friday
Venus and Love rules Friday. Friday is an auspicious day for all matters related to love, marriage and attraction. It is also a good day if a person wishes to acquire wealth.

Saturday
Saturn rules Saturday and rules our philosophies, growth and recognition. Doing pradakshina on Saturday will help lead one to greater understanding and enlightenment. Walking around the mountain on Saturday will inspire a person to become a great conqueror.

Dam Project

The livelihood of tribal people of Keel Shenbagathoppu village, whose lands have been acquired for the construction of a Dam across the Kamandalaru near Polur in Tiruvannamalai District, is in limbo, as many of them have already spent the compensation paid by the Government, even before the construction of the Dam has been finished.

Government authorities, who visited the village to acquire the land for the project 5 years ago, reportedly promised the villagers to provide alternative land, but the only thing they offered was Rs.430 per cent of land (i.e. U.S.$10 with one acre coming to U.S.$1,000). Around 100 families, whose land had been acquired or whose land would be submerged in the rising water, were stripped of their livelihood and homes with no guarantee of reasonable rehabilitation.

Petitions have been submitted to the Collector of Tiruvannamalai District, seeking a halt on the Dam project. Apart from the land acquired, pieces of land of many others would be submerged or become unsuitable for crop cultivation once the water level rose in the Dam. Besides the loss of actual land many people would be also losing their homes.

Having Fun

One of the first thing people notice when they come to Tiruvannamalai is the number of sadhus and sannyasins around the Hill. The vast majority of the sadhus and sannyasins are men and can be easily identified as they generally wear predominantly orange clothes. This particular Swami is having a nap outside a very peaceful shrine.

Outside the same Shrine, Nirudhi Lingam, is a very nice painting of the circumference of Arunachala with all the famous Asta Lingams marked.

In 2006 the Supreme Court in Delhi made a final judgement of the status of land around Arunachala. As a consequence of the judgement, construction has started in many places by the side of the girivalam road. All construction was actually halted for years whilst land owners waited to hear the definitive Supreme Court ruling. You can read the Judgement in full to find out more about the future development of this area.

Well this looks like a happy and healthy dog and also a nicely garlanded one too. Its always heartening to see the animals around Tiruvannamalai being spoilt; sadly there is not enough of that going on!

A beautiful photograph of Arunachala taken from the girivalam pathway.



A monkey in the foreground walking around his terrority. The species is Bonnet Macaque and there are many large size communities of Macaque monkeys both on the Hill and around the pathway.



In the below photo is the statue of the second Simhla around the girivalam pathway. This one is not as in good condition as the statue on Chengham Road. If you want to learn more about the history of these statues check out this previous posting.

There is a beautiful 8 km stretch of the Giri Valam pathway around Arunachala that goes through serene, unspoilt countryside with a wonderful darshan of the Hill. Until a few years ago, this stretch of road was unspoilt and empty of encroachments and disturbances. However nowadays new tea shops and restaurants seem to be appearing overnight. I asked a retired Government official why these encroachments were being allowed on the ringroad. I was shocked when he told me that these tea shops and restaurants are actually being encouraged to open on the pradakshina pathway in order to provide security for pilgrims against robbers!

I've definitely lost the plot here as I can't understand the reasoning of destroying the beauty and serenity of the pathway by opening shops that act as magnets to hordes of beggars, wastrels and bogus sadhus thereby making it impossible to go around the Hill peacefully without being importuned each time one passes one of these numerous, dreadful little rest stops.

The below is a Vinayaka shrine (Idukku Pillayar) which is very popular with pilgrims. One has to enter from the back doorway and slide through the narrow opening and emerge through the front. If successful, it is meant to be good luck. The shrine is also popular with people stopping by and hoping others will get stuck in the opening!

Once the passageway is navigated all that remains is to go through the hustle and bustle of town. And here near the junction of Car And Big Streets is one of the flower sellers selling indigenous, fragrant blooms.

Puthirai Vannars

Tamil Nadu's Puthirai Vannars are lower than the lowest in caste's hierarchy. They are an invisible people, outcastes even to the so-called untouchables of the country. Washermen to the Dalits, they live on the fringes of Dalit colonies, condemned by birth to eke out their lives in a state worse than slavery. This is a community that was once held to be 'unseeable'; traditionally, the Puthirai Vannars were not to leave their homes during the day and could go about their work only by night. When they went outdoors, they had to tie coconut leaves around their bodies to sweep away their footprints as they walked. The other castes considered even such minimal traces of their existence 'polluting'.

This practice was abolished in the 1930s by the Justice Party (renamed the Dravidar Kazhagam by Periyar in 1944). Perhaps the most visible manifestation of this is the custom that requires that they beg for their meals; in Tamil Nadu's villages, the Puthirai Vannar who attempts to grow or buy his own food risks grave social consequences. A Tiruvannamalai-based activist, puts it, 'They are at the bottom of the caste ladder, there is no caste lower than theirs.' That the Dalits themselves live in colonies separate from the settlements of caste Hindus, and also suffer the worst forms of discrimination, makes their treatment of the Puthirai Vannars harder to understand.

In Thachampattu Village, about 14km from Tiruvannamalai, Chinnapayan, a frail-looking man of about 55 years old, has nothing to call his own, except a small hut that resembles a cow shed. The hut fronts onto the village street, but to enter it one must go through a side-alley; Chinnapayan and his kind cannot be permitted unhindered access to a public road. His father left his three sons an 'inheritance' to divide among themselves; the right to serve 30 Dalit households with work that includes washing clothes, giving haircuts, carrying the processional torch during weddings, and preparing the dead body and making the bier (padai), when there is a death. In return for all this, Chinnapayan and his family are allowed two meals a day, leftovers that they must beg for from house to house, morning and evening.

Chinnapayan now looks after all the 30 houses his family once served, after his brothers moved out of the village. One of them opened a laundry in Tiruvannamalai, and the other found a low-paying job at a hotel in Velankanni. Of Chinnapayan's two sons, one has also moved to Tiruvannamalai, where he makes a living ironing clothes. The other son still lives with him. His daughter, Lakshmi, is with her husband's family in Ayyampalayam, near Tiruvannamalai. Lakshmi's in-laws also perform the Puthirai Vannars' duties in their village.

Many Puthirai Vannar families have sent their children away to nearby towns in search of other occupations while the parents continue their customary work, to avoid being ostracised. At a Colony in Tiruvannamalai, Arumugham breaks into tears as he narrates the ordeals his family suffers. 'I just want people to respect me as a human being. That's all I want from life. I think everyday of our shameful existence and shed tears in my heart,' he says.

In Tiruvannamalai, a Puthirai Vannar social organisation, says: 'The Government has not done anything for us. In 75% of the villages in Tiruvannamalai District, our people still beg for their food, but no politician is willing to help us. Most officials are not even aware that the Puthirai Vannars exist as a caste, and they refuse to give us caste certificates. Instead, we are listed as the majority Dalit community in the region . . . Nobody seems to understand, or want to understand, our problems.'

Tidbits

Orphanage Unrest

Three inmates of Anbu Illam, the orphanage functioning inside the Annamalaiyar Temple were recently attacked by a Temple worker. The worker who was drunk attacked three children aged between 12-13 who study at a local school, on the excuse that they did not obey the orders of the school's female cook. After the incident, the relatives of the children took them away to their villages. The worker has been suspended from service.

According to sources, conditions inside the Illam are bad because inmates are forced to do their own maintenance work,including; preparing vegetables, cleaning utensils and scrubbing floors. Conditions are chaotic as there is no-one to take care of residents in case of illness and problems are created by beggars inside the Temple using orphanage toilets and quarrelling with residents.

Embroidery Work

Women, who underwent a free embroidery training programme on silk sarees, have received their first work assignments. The work entails embroidery on cotton saris, which will be exported to Nigeria.

As the first training programme was so successful, an NGO association, RWCDS, has started another free training programme.

Evening at Home

This is the view of Arunachala from the fields at the back of my house. This photograph is taken from the Southside and is commonly known as the 'fully reclining Shiva'.

Throughout the area paddy (rice) is planted up to 3-4 times a year. First the rice is densely grown in one field and thereafter transferred to larger fields where it is planted in thinned rows. The rice in these particular fields was sown in its thinned rows about a week ago.

Below is a new addition to my family and his name is Muffin. He is about 8-10 weeks old and as you can see from the photograph is probably going to grow into a stout little boy.

Currently I have 5 dogs but am always open to the possibility of enlarging my family. In the below photograph, Muffin (black puppy), Holly (little brown girl 2 years old) and Casper (white boy also 2 years old).

Every year during the rainy season the reservoir gets filled and then slowy and gradually throughout the hot summer shrinks into a tiny muddy puddle. The reservoir occupies around 600 acres and when it is flooded is a delight for many migratory water birds who come hunting for shrimp and crab.

And so the end of a beautiful day as the sun graciously descends into the horizon.