Throughout his life and teachings Sri Seshadri continuously emphasised the glory of Arunachala talking often about the unique aspects of Arunachala kshetra:
'This is the place where Swamy and Ambal invite all and confer liberation', and 'Lord Krishna leaving aside his sudarshana chakra (wheel) is playing on his flute. On hearing it Lord Siva who is inside the mountain comes out and dances'. And,'This is Siva Lingam. It is enough to worship this. One can become spiritually enlightened and attain liberation'.
Ilustrating the similarity of the Arunachaleswarar Temple to Arunachala Hill, Sri Seshadri said to those wasting their time discussing worldly affairs and neglecting God: 'He spreads his shop in the morning. Closes it at night. He does not see Lord Arunachaleswara. What is the use? Visit the temple. Visit the temple. Visit the temple'.
He was ever emphasising the inestimable value of giripradakshina instructing:'One should pray to Lord Arunachaleswara all the time. In particular perambulation of the hills should be done on Tuesdays. Deep devotion will arise'.
Sri Seshadri Swamigal's samadhi tomb is enshrined within the grounds of Sri Seshadri Ashram on Chengam Road, Tiruvannamalai. Although Sri Seshadri Swamigal has shed his mortal coil, He is ever present helping, blessing and guiding his devotees to everlasting bliss. His own search brought him to Arunachala and it is to the sacred Hill that Swamigal tells all to look to, to fulfil life's highest goal. Visit this link to read a short, excellent biography of this great saint.
16 March 2007
Sri Seshadri Swamigal
15 March 2007
Shenbagathoppu Dam
The project was first drafted in 1996 with an estimated cost of Rs.21.31 crore (U.S.$4,819,222). But in 2001, the estimate was revised and fixed at Rs.34 crore (U.S.$7,689,045). The deadline was extended from 2004 to March 31, 2007. But as of this date approximately only 75% of the dam has been completed.
Approach roads remain to be laid and bunds in the dam need to be properly covered with cement lining instead of the current earth lining. It has been reported that norms have not been properly followed and houses constructed for those evacuated from the dam area, were substandard and unfit for living.
Temple Museum
The Thousand Pillar Hall, situated near the Raja Gopuram of the Arunachaleswarar Temple, possesses carved stone pillars, and once served as a rice warehouse for the Tamil Nadu Civil Supply Corporation. After that use was abandoned the Hall was then used to house the Temple elephant. Since the time the elephant was given other housing, the Thousand Pillar Hall has remained locked and used only during the annual 'Arudhra Darshan' festival, when it was opened for the murti of Lord Nataraja to give 'darshan' to thousands of devotees, waiting outside the Hall.
In the report, it has been recommended, that the proposed Museum should be set up utilising 12,700 sq ft (nearly half) of the Hall featuring hundreds of bronze, metallic and wooden objects, small stone sculptures, portraits collected by the Temple administration and a model of the temple. Also a sculpture garden could be set up in 8,400 sq ft land near the Hall, in which old stone-carved Temple works could be exhibited.
The proposed Museum work would need funding of about Rs.50 Lakhs.
14 March 2007
Beauty
Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
Taiwanese footwear company Lotus Footwear Enterprises is expressing concern over the current freeze from Delhi Central Government on economic approvals and notifications. Tamil Nadu State Government has written to the Prime Minister's Office and Commerce Department, pointing out that a further delay in a decision on SEZs (special economic zones) would result in the flight of proposed internal investments to other countries.
Taiwan-based Feng Tay Enterprises, whose group company Lotus Footwear Enterprises received a formal clearance for setting up a 275-acre footwear SEZ in Tiruvannamalai District, has written to the Commerce Department pointing out that there is an urgent need for production to start as they are under contractual obligation with worldwide buyers.
The Company has plans of investing over Rs.300 crore and generating employment for 2,000 people. Since the Company is already in possession of land, it has ordered machinery. For a previous posting on this check out:
Population Figures
In 2001, Tamil Nadu's population stood at 62.1 million. The State accounts for 5.05% of India's population. Its population density of 478 persons per sq km. is much higher than the all-India density of 324. Tamil Nadu is the 11th most densely populated State in India and approximately 47% of the State's population live in urban areas. During the decade 1991-2001, Tamil Nadu reported the second lowest growth in population after Kerala and this trend is continuing in the current decade.
Results of the most recent Census of 2001 place the population of Tiruvannamalai District (which comprises: Tiruvannamalai, Chengam, Polur, Arani, Vandavasi and Cheyyar) at 2.18 million comprising 1.09 million males and 1.08 million females. The density of population stands at 352 per sq km and the sex ratio 996 females per 1000 males.
12 March 2007
Ordinary Day
And here we are receiving a nice blessing from a sadhu also present at the same feeding.
On leaving the compound of the sadhu feeding we bump into a late arriving sadhu blowing on his conch. He was very jolly and friendly.
Tiruvannamalai Station
Tiruvannamalai is a Railway station on the Villupuram-Katpadi line of Southern Railway and located some 70 kilometers from Villupuram and 97 kilometers from Katpadi. Before the development of a proper road system, it was this railway line that brought many pilgrims and saints to Arunachala.
Due to the rapid urbanisation of Tiruvannamalai, proposals are underway regarding the setting up of an additional railway station some five kilometres from the existing one.
Keep Your Cool
Even now air conditioning is very much reserved for a small minority of people of this area, so others are well advised to utilise well proven folklore and commonsense in keeping cool throughout the hot Summertime.
An important factor in keeping cool is between frequent bathing, to wash the face as often as possible. To avoid nasty rashes, use specially formulated talcum power to help prevent prickly heat. Also sandalpaste on the forehead is very cooling.
Stay away from synthetic fabrics and stick to cottons and linens in light, pastel colours. Sun glasses are essential and medium to dark lenses with a grey, brown or green tint are preferred.
Certain delicious foods such as; mango, pineapple and papaya are regarded as hot foods and increase body heat; so keep their consumption to a minimum. Cooling foods include; butterfruit, chickoo (sapotta), watermelon, grapes, lemon, tender green coconut, musk melon, palm fruit. Heat reducing vegetables are; cucumber, radish, snake gourd, bottle gourd and ridge gourd. Drinks to avoid are coffee, tea and carbonated beverages whereas drinks that help in the cooling process are; buttermilk, aloe drink, sugarcane juice, fresh juices and water.
Bamboo screens covered with aloe vera are traditionally used near doors and windows in Tamil Nadu, to combat the heat. These screens are known as Vettiver Thatti (aloe vera screens). Bamboo is also a great option for a roof cover and if properly erected will decrease the ground floor temperature as much as 5 degreees centrigrade. Avoid using such materials as asbestos, fibre sheeting and Mangalore tiles on or around your terrace or roof.
Also to visitors to Tiruvannamalai please remember the sun in South India is a tropical one and much fiercer than that of more temperate, western climes. Thus, its best to stay indoors during the hottest times of the day and if forced to venture outside either wear a sunhat or use an umbrella as a sunshade.
11 March 2007
Garbhagrha
Eleventh 5-Year Plan
The State Planning Commission (SPC) recently announced that the Eleventh Five-Year-Plan (2007-12) of Tamil Nadu would address economic disparities among Districts. In this respect Districts such as; Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Dharmapuri are lagging behind in population, education, public health, infant mortality and agricultural growth.
Taking these factors into consideration the State Planning Commission proposes devising techniques to boost growth in the above-mentioned Districts. Efforts would be taken to achieve an overall 8.5% economic growth in the State, during the eleventh 5-Plan period (2007-2012). Since there was a slump in the growth rate of the agricultural sector during the last two five-year-plan periods, pains would be made to ensure a 4% growth in this sector during 2007-12, thus ensuring long term food security.
Currently 14,000,000 people are living below the poverty line in Tamil Nadu and it is proposed that the State Planning Commission should come up with effective measures to mitigate poverty in its final proposal for the Eleventh Plan, which would be available in two months. To read the working committee approach papers subsequent to the upcoming final proposal of the eleventh 5-Year Plan please refer to:
Arunachala Live
Land Redistribution
The State scheme, one of the major poll promises for the DMK government in its first two phases released 50,077 acres amongst 50,189 families. An official release said that about 2,500,000 acres would be distributed across the State in the third phase.
There are 640 acres in one square mile. Thus If the above official figures are correct, the Statewide total of all phases of the redistribution of land will come to approximately 4,000 square miles. Which is a sizeable chunk of the total area of the 50,215 sq miles total area of Tamil Nadu.
The Department of Agriculture will develop the land before handing it to the farmers. Works including land reclamation, contour bunding, clearing of bushes and wild growth, agronomical practices, removal of stones, sinking of deep borewells, soil testing and establishment of pump sets are to be done by the Department of Agriculture free of cost for the benefit of small and marginal farmers.
Temple News
It was recently announced that the new Chairman of the Temple Trust Board, would be selected by the recently appointed five Trustees of the Board who would choose the new appointee from amongst themselves.
This method of selecting the Chairman of the Temple Trust Board would over-ride the previous convention of the sitting Government arbitrarily appointing a person for the post. It was believed that formerly when the Government considered an appointee for the post of Chairman of the Temple Trust Board, invariably locals would be overlooked in preference to bringing in someone from outside Tiruvannamalai District.
Archakar Training
The archakar training for candidates from all communities to make them eligible for appointment as priests in Temples, as guaranteed in recently enacted State legislation, would begin soon in six centres, including one at Annamalayar Temple. Each centre would train approximately 40 students in Sanskrit Ahamas and Tamil Tirumurais.
There would be separate teachers for the two disciplines but it was decided that the Tamil Thirumurai teacher would be the head of the Centre.
Baby Girl Abandoned
Apparently a baby girl estimated to be about 10 days old, was recently abandoned at the gateway of Arunachaleswarar Temple. The child was fortunate to be abandoned live and at such a well visited site. In the case of other unwanted girl babies, their fate is often not so blessed.
This reminds me of a posting I made about a baby girl in similarly dire straits and her adoption by a remarkable, elderly Brahmin woman. You can read the full story at:
http://arunachalagrace.blogspot.com/2006/06/nataki-meets-bhavani.html
10 March 2007
Lord Venkateshwara
This Temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, which was only inaugurated about two and a half years ago, is quickly becoming one of the busiest Temples in Tiruvannamalai. It is fortuitously situated right behind the Kubera Lingam on the Northeast side of Arunachala.
On Saturdays, the day particularly loved by Sri Balaji, crowds nearing the thousand are beginning to attend the elaborate pujas and bhajans. The crowds will only get bigger as the Temple construction gets closer to completion.
3 March 2007
Westerner's View
. . . Tiruvannamalai is a holy city; a dense huddle of temples, ashrams and housing gathered at the foot of a small sandstone mountain. Though small, the sacred mountain Arunachala rises majestically from the dusty plains and glows a warm red in the morning light.
There's a real 'goldrush' energy about the town, with so many people believing they are on the cusp of discovering some divine secret of the universe or at the very least, salvation from their suffering and existential insecurity. As a heathen, I can only compare it to the street preaching scenes in 'Life of Brian'!
In Western-orientated cafes and coffeeshops we eyed up the busy noticeboards to find out what was going down: four different kinds of yoga class, satsangs with gurus from India, Australia, UK and Germany, classes in meditation, astrology, palmistry, strange dance and 'movement' classes with names like 'Somatics' and soul clensing mass blessings from visiting saints.
. . . We paced respectfully around the ashram temples, viewing the enlightened at close quarters and doing our best to imitate them. The Westerners, perhaps out of an earnestness about their quest, perhaps mysticised by the foreign and the ancient, appear to take things more seriously. Spines are straighter, lotus positions more athletic, eyes always closed, sublime expressions willing nirvana to come. The Indians, running the show on their home turf, effortlessly breathe life into the ceremonies in much the same way they do the markets or the street outside!
[Extract from Morgalogue]
28 February 2007
Advaitic Master
Today Sri Nannagaru arrived at his ashram, Sri Nannagaru Ashram at Arunachala for a short three day visit. He was accompanied by some of his older devotees on his unannounced visit and is expected to spend most of his time at Arunachala quietly at his Ashram.
Swamiji first visited Arunachala in 1957 after connecting with Sri Ramana Maharshi when reading and experiencing Bhagavan's blessings in a dream. Sri Nannagaru realised the Self soon after the beginning of his connection with Arunachala-Ramana but nonetheless continued to perform his dharmic householder's duties at his native place of Jinnuru, Andhra Pradesh. He usually visits Arunachala four times a year at which times he generally performs pradakshina, visits Ramana Maharshi and the Arunachaleswarar Temple and the homes of devotees and also allows visits of devotees and seekers to his Arunachala ashram.
"There is only Self and Self alone. It is Reality. It is Pure Consciousness. The world manifest is not real. Self is its substratum. It is Immortal It is Knowledge. It is Eternal Peace. It is Bliss. It is Light. It is Omnipotent, Omniscient. There are no divisions in the Self. It is Non-Dual. It is Indefinable. Water cannot wet it. Fire cannot burn it. It has no birth, no death. It shines in Our Heart. What the Jnani calls Self, a devotee calls as God. Silence alone is the best way of expounding it.
The nature of Self is Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss. That is the way we aspire for happiness, love, beauty. It does not depend upon any other object. Our fondness for independence is an off-shoot of it. Just as the screen is the base on which figures are projected, so also this variegated world is a projection of It. The sense of ego masquerades as the Self. Our selfish nature covers it.
To know the Self is our goal. Constant hearing of it. Remembrance of it, and establishment in it snaps our egoistic ties. The seer of the Self alone gets himself extricated from entanglements." [Words of Sri Nannagaru]
To find out more about this living advaitic master, check: www.srinannagaru.com
27 February 2007
Consciousness
Self Knowledge is That
Self is the indweller of all beings
See your own Beauty
[Sri H W L Poonja]
Gecko Magic
A gecko has four feet. Each foot has about half-a-million tiny hairs at its end. To give you an idea of how small the hairs are, a human hair is about 70 microns across compared to a hair on the end of a gecko's foot which is approximately 7 microns across, and 30-130 microns long. If you examine each one of these tiny hairs with an electron microscope, you'll see that each have several hundred smaller hairs coming of them; each one being about 0.2-0.5 microns across and called 'spatulae'.
Geckos stick to the surface they are on, thanks to atomic forces called "Van Der Waals Forces", named after a 19th century Dutch physicist who first described them. The hairs on a Gecko's foot are so minute that they stick to the surface (be it a ceiling or wall) by direct atomic or molecular force. In effect the Gecko becomes physically bonded to the object he is on. Apparently if a tiny Gecko had every one of its spatulae in contact with a surface, it would be capable of holding aloft a 120kg weight.
I believe something similar happens to us at Arunachala. And as it permeates our being, we literally bond to it on a sub atomic level in every aspect of our body-mind organism.