Sri Tinnai Swami

While visiting Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram I had to pass Sadhu Om colony, a small Brahmin compound on the southside of Arunachala. At this compound there are two samadhis, the first, Sadhu Om and the second, Tinnai Swami. I took the opportunity of being near the compound to visit the house where Tinnai Swami lived during the later part of his life. A little known jnani, who had chosen to live a self-effacing and almost invisible life here at Tiruvannamalai.

Photograph of Sri Tinnai Swami
reclining on his masonry bench

Swami attained samadhi on 7th December, 2003 (at the age of 91 years) on the morning of Deepam Day culminating a period of 54 years spent in the supreme state of atma-jnana. In 1948 Tinnai Swami had approached Bhagavan for permission to leave and take up a new position at Pondicherry, whereupon Ramana replied, 'Iru'. 'Iru' is a Tamil word that means 'Be', but in such a context would normally be taken to mean 'Stay' or 'Wait'. From that moment Tinnai Swami never left Tiruvannamalai and also remained fixed in the state of Self-abidance.

Eventually a house was built by a family of devotees of the late C.P. Nathan, and Tinnai Swami, lived on and seldom moved away from the tinnai (masonry bench) on the verandah of that house.

This is the masonry (concrete) platform
that he lived during his later years.

While he was alive, although his presence was shielded from the barest minimum of public attention, some of us were fortunately able to sit in the silence of his being and I personally experienced great help and inspiration by spending some short time with him.


The writer Michael James has said of the life of Tinnai Swami:

"In the eyes of the world, which attaches importance only to doing, overlooking the true importance of mere being, there may appear to be little greatness in the extraordinary life of Sri Tinnai Swami. He did not speak, write or teach anything, nor did he perform any other "useful" function. But whether we are able to recognise it or not, his mere being was a great blessing bestowed upon the whole world by Sri Bhagavan, the effect of which cannot be known or measured by our finite intellects."

The life of Sri Tinnai Swami is recorded in more detail at this link.

The Teacher

The Teacher will not be recognized
by the diamonds on his head
or by the number of students he has.
Know the Teacher to be the One
whose presence gives you Peace
and removes all craving, attachment and desire.

The Teacher is one who knows the Truth
and can transmit this Truth to a humble one
by look, by touch, by thought,
or, as Arunachala does, by Silence.
This Silence is the Light that does not move.

The true Teacher has no students,
all Being and only Silence speaks.
The perfect Teacher has no teachings
because he knows that you are Free already.
So the true Teacher's non-teaching
is that there is no Teacher, no student, no teaching,
and that Nothing ever existed.

This Teaching must be without words
and must land in your Heart.
If you try to understand, it will only land in your head.
The Teaching can only be given by the Eternal
and received by the Eternal.

The Eternal has nothing to give the Eternal,
so there is no disciple and no teacher.
You are already THAT,
not the physical, emotional or mental.
Leave beside these forms and find out what is left,
and what it needs.

[Excerpt from 'This'
Sri H.W.L. Poonja]

Ramana Ashram Schedule

At Sri Ramanasramam, visitors follow their sadhana in their own way however there is a regular schedule of functions at the ashram:

6.30 a.m. Chanting and Milk offering to Sri Bhagavan shrine in samadhi hall

8.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. Chanting of Vedas in front of Ramana's Shrine

8.30 a.m. to 9.15 a.m. Puja at shrine of Sri Bhagavan followed by puja at shrine of Ramana's mother.

4.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Reading in Tamil and English in the Samadhi Hall

5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Chanting of the vedas in front of Sri Ramana shrine (the same Vedas were chanted in the same way in front of Ramana during his life).

5.30 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. Puja at shrine of Bhagavan and after at Ramana's mother shrine.

6.45 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Tamil Parayana chanted on Monday through Saturday.

Sri Chakra Puja in the Mathrubhuteswar Shrine is performed between 5 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. every Friday, full moon day, and the first day of each Tamil month.

Universal Guru

The Arunachala Hill is the origin of the Universe. According to Ramana it is the Guru of the Universe. Ramana never moved from Arunachala because it is the basis of the Universe and the Self. The great Self attracts many ripened souls because Arunachala is the God and Guru. The Hill is the heart of Lord Arunachala and from the Hill the power of the Self is transmitted throughout the world to all deities and creatures.

[V.V. Brahmam]

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY TAMIL

NEW YEAR,

14TH APRIL, 2007.

"JUST AS LORD SHIVA TOOK 'ALAHALA' POISON AND CHANGED IT INTO 'AMBROSIA', THE LORD WILL CHANGE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS INTO GREAT BLESSINGS, FOR THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM."

[Yogi Ramsuratkumar]

Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram

Today for the first time in a long while, I visited Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram at Ramana Nagar. Yogi a great saint of Southern India lived from December 1, 1918 to February 20, 2001.

When he first moved to Tiruvannamalai, he lived at the Big Temple in town and later on at a house in the same area. But when Yogi's fame began to spread, large crowds started to gather at the house waiting for his darshan. The influx of devotees grew steadily in size eventually creating the need for an ashram. In 1993 Swamiji acceded to the acquisition of land, enabled by contributions, of a site of 3½ acres close to Sri Seshadri Swamigal and Ramana Ashrams.

In the below picture are some of the ashram cows just relaxing on a hot day under cooling trees.

Nearby the gardens and cows is the Veda Patsala, where young Brahmin boys are taught the correct chanting of vedas. Most of the boys will grow up to be priests performing pujas and functions either at Temples or at private functions. Near the Patsala, is a sign with the views of Yogi Ramsuratkumar on the inestimable value of chanting the Vedas.

Below is part of the Veda Patsala complex. Yogi Ramsuratkumar said that the Patsala would be the 'heart of the Ashram', and was intended to be a place where visiting pandits and scholars could stay and conduct Vedic research.

All around the ashram there are signs with the sayings of Yogi Ramasuratkumar. I read most of the signs but particularly enjoyed the below message from Yogi. It reminds me of Sri Sathya Sai Baba saying that criticism is like pointing a finger; when you point the index finger three fingers point back at you! Ramana Maharshi also would encourage positive thinking and speaking and in this respect it has often been mentioned in books and stories about Ramana that he always had good things to say about people.

The ashram has created a 'mini' girivalam (giripradakshina) pathway around the Ashram, and by following the signs in blue you will be guided on your way. I also took this particular photograph because of the very cute 'animal' trashcans; just didn't expect to see them in an ashram! But they're great. Reminds me also of the big love Yogi always had for animals.

At this peaceful ashram several regular ashram activities are conducted. Perhaps one of the most memorable is the daily sadhu feeding. The below photograph is the bamboo hut in which the sadhus firstly do 'bhajana and chanting' between 11.15 and 11.45 each day and thereafter take their lunch in the hut. I was told that between 40-50 sadhus and sannyasins congregate daily at the ashram for the chanting and lunch.

To the right is the mandiram of the Ashram, in which lies the samadhi of Yogi Ramsuratkumar and to the front a truly magnificent view of Arunachala. This almost direct southern aspect of the Hill is definitely one of the most memorable views of the Hill. If you want to find out more about the symbolism of different aspects of Arunachala, please check out this previous posting.

Below, nice, sunny faces of two of the ladies who work at the ashram. The atmosphere is very relaxed and pleasing and just about everybody seems to be happy and grateful to have been given the opportunity to work there. When Yogi Ramsuratkumar was alive he would always interact with ashram servants and be interested in their well being and keep up-to-date with family news.





Below is the inside of the Mandiram at the ashram. Yogi Ramsuratkumar was involved in every step of the large building programme which at one point involved the participation of up to 250-300 workers working long hours. The first Ashram structure to be completed was a small stone thatched-roof darshan mandir which could sit 200 people. It was located by the front gate of the developing Ashram and was the location of Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s regular darshans. But subsequently this huge Temple was built. The Temple 350 feet long and 150 wide was constructed to be big enough to accommodate 5,000 people. Due to photographic restricts I have only taken photographs of the northend of the hall.





Inside the huge mandiram at the southend is the temple and samadhi of Yogi Ramasuratkumar, (which you can't see). Whilst the mandiram was being built, Yogi spent much of his time in a bamboo hut supervising ongoing construction. For this reason he requested a representation of the hut remain inside the Mandiram.

Below is a statue representation of guruji, Yogi Ramsuratkumar. 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 later 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.'

"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]

If you wish to read more about Yogi Ramsuratkumar Maharaj, please check out link for an excellent, short biography on the life of this saint.

Ramana on Pradakshina

" . . If you do pradakshina the mind will remain one pointed even though the limbs and the body are moving. Doing japa or meditation with a one-pointed mind, while moving about, without having any thought other than the japa, is known as sanchara samadhi (absorption while moving). That is why in the olden days pilgrimage on foot, without using any other conveyance, had so much importance.

Giripradakshina is unique. As there are many types of herbs on the hill, the breeze that blows over them is good for the body. Even today there are many siddhas and great souls on the hill. They too go around the hill, but we cannot see them. Because of this, when we do pradakshina we should keep to the left of the road. If we do this, we do pradakshina without causing any inconvenience to them. We also get the merit of walking round these great souls, thereby receiving their blessings. As we do pradakshina, the body becomes healthy and the mind attains the peace of the Self. Because of all these things, pradakshina is an extraordinary sadhana."

[Ramana Maharshi]

Grace Working

Once in relating a story about the workings of Grace to a visiting devotee, Ramana Maharshi asked the devotee whether Grace was measured in terms of the success of desires. He said:

'Do you mean to say that if everything goes according to your desires, only then it is possible to say that the grace of a saint has worked?'

Bhagavan then went on to explain the actual workings of Grace:

"The blessings of a saint perform the purficatory work of life. These blessings cannot increase impurity. One whose understanding is limited will ask for blessings so that he can fulfil certain desires, but if the desires are such that their fulfilment will make the seeker more impure rather than purer, the saint’s blessings will not enable him to fulfil the desires. In this way the seeker is saved from further impurities. In that case are not the saint’s blessings a fit of compassion?"

Puthandu

Puthandu marks the Tamil New Year's Day and is celebrated in the beginning of Chithirai; the first month in the Tamil Calendar year. The auspicious occasion of Puthandu popularly known as 'Varusha Pirappu' or just 'New Year' falls this year on April 14th. Many people in Tamil Nadu also celebrate Puthandu as the day when Lord Brahma started creation. At certain places 'Chitthirai Festival' is also organized during this auspicious month to celebrate the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar.

People of Tamil Nadu celebrate Puthandu Pirappu by following specific traditions and rituals. Early in the morning, womenfolk adorn the entrance of the home with colorful Kolam (geometric patterns). At the centre of the kolam a lamp is placed called kuthuvillakku in the belief it will dispel darkness.

A popular custom of Puthandu is 'kanni' which means 'auspicious sight'. People start Puthandu day by looking at favourable things like gold and silver jewellery, betel leaves, nuts, fruits, vegetables, flowers, raw rice and coconuts. This is done under the belief that a good start to New Year will ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year. On this day it is also customary in this State for people to visit Temples to invoke Divine blessings for the coming year.

Festive food includes 'Maanga Pachadi', a sweet, sour and bitter dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers a dish which is simultaneously sweet and sour; in order to signify the opposites of life. Many even get their homes painted especially for the New Year and people visit friends and give gifts to youngsters on this day. Also on Tamil New Year day businesses usually start new account books.



The Tamil Calendar, which has 12 months from Chitthirai (April, May) to Panguni (March, April), has a 60-year cycle.

Chitthirai April 14th to May 14th
Vaikasi May 15th to June 14th
Aani June June 15th to July 16th
Aadi July July 17th to August 16th
Aavani August 17th to September 16th
Purattasi September17th to October 17th
Aipasi October 18th to November 15th
Karthigai November 16th to December 15th
Marghazi December 16th to January 13th
Thai January 14th to February 12th
Masi February 13th to March 13th
Panguni March 14th to April 13th

The days of the Tamil Calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the solar system.

Sun Sunday
Moon Monday
Mars Tuesday
Mercury Wednesday
Jupiter Thursday
Venus Friday
Saturn Saturday

Ramana Samadhi

8.47 p.m. 14th April, 1950

From the day Ramana Maharshi set foot in Tiruvannamalai, he remained continuously for fifty-four years. In 1949 a lump began to grow on the lower portion of his left upper arm. At first the lump was very small but grew bigger after two operations, bleeding profusely and continuously, and proving to be cancerous. All kinds of treatment were tried, including radium application, but in vain. Even after the fourth operation, which was done on December 19th, 1949, the disease was not cured.

Ramana Maharshi was unconcerned and indifferent to the suffering. Instead he sat (like a spectator) watching the disease waste the body. Crowds came in large numbers and Ramana insisted they should be allowed to have his darshan. Devotees wished the sage would cure his body through supernormal powers, but the Maharshi never exhibited even the slightest interest in siddhis.

Even during the period of great torture caused by the disease, Bhagavan comforted the devotees whenever they were worried about this health. He remarked:

‘The body itself is a disease that has come upon us. If a disease attacks that original disease, is it not good for us?’, and remarked to another devotee lamenting over his illness:

‘Oh! You are grieving as if your Swami were going away? Where to go? How to go? Going and coming is possible for the body, but how can it be possible for us?’

No-one was prevented seeing him till the end which came at 8.47 p.m., Friday, April 14th, 1950 (he was 71 years old). Earlier that evening the sage gave darshan to devotees. All present knew that the end was near and they sat singing Ramana's hymn to Arunachala with the refrain Arunachala-Siva. The Maharshi asked his attendants to make him sit up. He opened his luminous, gracious eyes for a while; there was a smile; a tear of bliss trickled down from the outer corner of his eyes; and at 8.47 p.m. the breathing stopped. There was no struggle, no spasm, none of the signs of death. It is said that at that very moment, a comet moved slowly across the sky, reached the summit, of the holy hill, Arunachala, and disappeared behind it.

Please check link for a biography on Ramana Maharshi.

Elephant Treatment

Since a recent posting; more incidents concerning stressed, mistreated elephants are being recorded. In all, 46 people (41 mahouts and five others, including two women) were killed by captive elephants in Kerala in 2006. In this respect this April 8th at Thrissur District, Kerala, an elephant ran amok killing its mahout (handler) and injuring 24 others during an elephant show at a school.

As a result of the Thrissur incident, the Kerala High Court has asked the Kerala State Government to strictly enforce Captive Elephants Management and Maintenance Rules 2003. It has also directed that elephants should not be made to participate in religious processions between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The life elephants should be living

Animal rights groups say the increasing number of mahouts being killed by elephants in Kerala indicates serious flaws in captive elephant management and maintenance.

Animal rights activists allege that elephants are made to walk long distances on tarred roads and stand unendingly on concrete surfaces, in violation of Section 12 of a Government Order (No. 12/2003/F&WLD). Which results in most elephants reportedly have pockets of infection under their feet or toenails. Feet are the gauge of an elephant's overall health.

Tiruvannamalai Elephants

Well what is happening in Kerala is also happening here at Tiruvannamalai. Currently we only have the one local elephant, Rukku, but during festivals, particularly Karthigai, many handlers bring their elephants to Tiruvannamalai to enjoy the 'rich pickings' of pilgrims and visitors. At that time the elephants are made to constantly stand on the side of busy highways giving blessings with their trunks to a never ending line of pilgrims. Sadly this is also the daily grind of Rukku's lonely life at the Temple where she is forced to remain motionless on granite stones for hours on end, blessing interminable lines of pilgrims.

News on Rukku's Health

Rukku has recently been diagnosed for the eye ailment, keratitis by experts from Madras Veterinary College. An ophthalmic surgeon and Wild Life Sciences professor, both from Madras Veterinary College and two other veterinarians checked Rukku on Tuesday, April 10th.

Recent photo of Rukku

Superficial keratitis involves the superficial layers of the cornea. After healing, this form of keratitis does not generally leave a scar. However deep keratitis involves deeper layers of the cornea. Upon healing, a scar remains that impairs vision if on or near the visual axis.

Dear Rukku we hope you get better quickly.

Chemical Insecticides

Efforts are underway to minimise loss in food grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables because of attacks by pests and insets. Nearly 40% of the total fruits and vegetable production in India is lost to insects and pests.

The Central Institute of Post Harvesting Engineering and Technology (Ludhiana) is actively engaged national surveys to find out the quantity of food grains lost due to various factors. It is believed that insects account for 10% of food grains and seeds.

Chemical insecticides and fumigants have been made obsolete by insects. A professor from the Department of Entomology, Annamalai University, Chennai stated that:

"There are 31 insects which have developed resistance to more than 100 insecticides. In this respect we hope to come out with eco-friendly herbal insecticides and fumigants by 2011 which will put an end to chemical insecticides."

Entomologists from all over India have formed a network group of grain storage specialists to co-ordinate research and development activities.

The work currently underway in both Ludhiana and Chennai is crucial to the economic well-being of Tiruvannamalai District. This is an area that has little industry or commercial development and a successful agricultural programme is essential to the economic stability of the District.

Animal Hospital report

[Karuna Society for Animals and Nature; Tiruvannamalai branch]

Report from the Shelter's veterinarians from Holland, Rogier van Leeuwen and Kim Schriek.

Since 28th of January this year, Kim Schriek and I have been working at the Karuna Animal Shelter. We are both veterinarians from Holland. Kim finished her study in July 2006, with a specialization in companion animals and horses. For three months she worked in different practices all over the Netherlands. I finished my study in Utrecht September 2005, with a specialization in cows, pigs and horses. Last year I worked in Kevelaer, Germany as a cattle doctor. We have known each other for 5½ years, and have been together since 3½ years.

Kim and Rogier

After 3 months of varying jobs Kim wanted a more steady job and to see me more then once in two weeks. I was fed up with my job in Kevelaer, which didn't bring much pleasure and also had weird working times with only 2 days off in 2 weeks. In those weekends I went "home" to Kim and our two cats, Mambo and Murphey. Both of us wanted a change in the situation. Kim applied for a voluntary job as veterinarian in India. The Dutch Board of Animal Welfare had placed the advertisement and she called them for more information. We could go to Puttaparthi, the main branch of Karuna Society, almost immediately. I quit my job, stopped the rent, packed my stuff and went back "home".

The first two weeks of this year we spent a lot of time with friends and family. It was a wonderful period. The last two weeks of January we received intensive training in the operation methods used to sterilize stray dogs and how to treat tropical diseases at Puttaparthi. It was very strong and educational! After the two weeks of intense training, we became the first vets at the Animal Shelter in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.

The Puppy Nursery

Since we have arrived we have sterilized more than a total of 200 dogs and have treated a lot of stray dogs and pets for skin diseases, intestinal problems, traffic trauma and distemper. All treatments are for free. We have a lot of pleasure in our work with Radha and Ramesh, clinic assistants and Vishwa the operation assistant. But most wonderful is the progress of some of our orthopedic patients and working with a bunch of puppies (who are ready for adoption!).

A very young orthopedic patient

Hope to see you in the shelter soon. Love, Kim and Rogier email: kimenrogier@casema.nl

On speaking with Kim and Rogier about their experiences at Tiruvannamalai they told me that they have been too busy to do much touring, but they did visit Arunachaleswarar Temple during Shivaratri and also have taken lunch at Ramana Ashram. They have been given accommodation in the countryside and are content to return home after long, busy days at the Animal Hospital.

I asked Rogier what has been his biggest surprise with working at the Hospital. He told that the greatest difficulty was in getting people to be frank about the true situation when bringing animals into the Shelter. This lack of frankness makes treatment of the animals slower and more complicated. Maybe the idea of an Animal Hospital/Shelter at Tiruvannamalai is so radical that its just going to take some getting used to by locals.

Running around space

The dogs have a large area to play and run around in and altogether a much more promising start to their valuable lives.

Saving Holy Lands

As of this time Arunachala is not one of the 'sacred places' referred to in the various interlinking campaigns currently underway to 'Save our Holy Land'. However there are several sites in India which are already included in this alliance of religion and conservation. To read the full report prepared in collaboration with WWF, Equilibrium, and Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) please download:

http://www.arcworld.org/downloads/WWF%20Beyond%20Belief.pdf

Save Our Holy Land

Hundreds of thousands of sacred places around the globe are to be linked together in a new UN-backed network to try to preserve the world's fast-disappearing wild species.

The sites range from Jerusalem's Garden Tomb; where more than 3,000 people gathered today to celebrate Easter; to "skull caves" in Kenya, from a Mongolian mountain revered as a living God to a "spiritual park" in the Peruvian Andes.

Last week the United Nations Development Programme joined the world's main religions and leading conservation organisations in an effort to protect them from development or destruction. They plan to set up a new internationally recognised designation along the lines of Unesco's World Heritage sites.

The world's religions are among the planet's biggest landowners. "Between them," a new Atlas of Religion concludes, "they own over 7% of habitable land of the planet." And their specially sacred sites are usually havens of wildlife because they have been safeguarded by spiritual traditions or taboos.

But now, as the power of religion fades and economic pressures increase, many of the sites are in danger. The new campaign, pearheaded by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), set up by Prince Philip in 1995, aims to beat off threats, preserve new sites and revive sacred places that have already been despoiled. Prominent supporters include the Eastern Orthodox patriarch Bartholomew I and Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the President of Mongolia.

Martin Palmer, who heads ARC and is one of the authors of the atlas, just published by Earthscan, cites the Garden Tomb as one model of what can be done. The site owes its origin to a visit to Jerusalem by General Gordon, later killed in Khartoum. Unlike most scholars, the Victorian general refused to believe that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands on the site where Christ was buried, on the grounds that it was in Jerusalem, instead of outside; doubtless not realising that the city would have grown in the intervening 18 centuries.

Instead he found a first-century tomb near a rocky crag which looked to him as if it could be "the place of the skull" identified in the New Testament as the site of the crucifixion, and decided that it must the right place. Believers planted the land around it with flowers and trees mentioned in the Bible and it is now a valued wildlife site.

Similarly, Mr Palmer says, the Baha'i faith has created an extraordinary series of hanging gardens on Mount Carmel, most famous for Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal in the Old Testament.

The oak forests of Mount Tabor have been preserved because it is owned by the Catholic Church, and in Lebanon Hizbollah has joined a Christian drive to preserve the "Valley of the Saints", where the persecuted have sought sanctuary for 1,500 years. Mr Palmer even believes that the campaign could help to revive the River Jordan whose "deep and wide" waters have now been so diverted for agriculture and housing that they are now little more than a trickle of sewage.

But the campaign will stretch far wider than the Holy Land and involve a total of 11 major faiths and 300 different traditions within them. In Cambodia, for example, thousands of trees have been ordained as Buddhist monks and wrapped in saffron monastic robes; to try to protect them from loggers.

In Mongolia, Bogd Khan, revered as a living deity, is the world's oldest protected mountain, and holy scripts are being translated to try to identify other sacred sites. Taboos surrounding Kenyan caves, where the Taita tribe places the skulls of important ancestors, have preserved the country's last major stand of tropical rainforest, famous for its 350 species of birds. But it is now threatened by logging and charcoal burning.

Conservationists hope that the forest might be saved by ecotourism, but in Peru, less sensitive visitors, flocking from Machu Picchu, are endangering the Andean Vilcanota Spiritual Park.

In Britain, contaminated land has been reclaimed for Birmingham's Sri Venkateswara Balaji Temple, the first Hindu shrine of its kind in Europe. And 6,000 churches have agreed to turn graveyards into wildlife refuges by banning pesticides.

Martin Palmer calls the world's sacred sites "the largest as yet unprotected network of pristine areas on the planet". He believes that by giving them an official designation he will make it much harder for them to be damaged.

The campaign is starting pilot schemes in Lebanon, Ethiopia and elsewhere, and hopes to have official designations in place within five years.

[By Geoffrey Lean and Jude Townend
The Independent U.K. (8 April 2007)]

Land Acquisition

India lifted a freeze on land clearance for scores of economic zones imposed after protests and promised there would be no forcible land acquisition for projects and also that a limit on the size of special economic zones would also be imposed. The size limitation will apply to all special economic zones (SEZs) including those which have already been notified.

Central Government yesterday said special economic zones that have evoked violent protests in several parts of India, particularly from farmers, are here to stay but limited their size to a maximum of 5,000 hectares (one hectare 2.47 acres).

Ministers who recently met to clear pending SEZ proposals, have stated that SEZs will in future be treated like public utilities. Which means that States need not intervene to acquire land and leave the decision to sell agricultural land for SEZ to the discretion of the farmers and owners of the land.

Central Government has so far received a total of 234 SEZ proposals with formal approvals, of which 63 have been notified and 83 were cleared yesterday for notification.

The above will undoubtedly be cheering news to Lotus Footwear Enterprises who are currently trying to set up a 275-acre footwear SEZ in Tiruvannamalai District.

New Accommodation

When one used to visit Tiruvannamalai, it was very difficult to get comfortable accommodation outside the major ashrams and a couple of Hotels near the Big Temple in town. Fortunately now things are very different and one could say that Tiruvannamalai is currently in the throes of a housing and accommodation boom.

These pictures are of Sri Ramana Maharshi's Old Age Peoples Home. It may have been the intention of Vara Lakshmi (the lady founder of the colony) to cater to 'old' people, however the compound is so beautifully maintained, well located and reasonably priced that it is generally heavily oversubscribed by all kinds of visitors, throughout the busy season. And only those who have booked far in advance are able to be accommodated. In the above picture you can see the wonderful view of Arunachala from the compound.

Vara Lakshmi (the founder) is a gardening enthusiast and very good at it she is too! Her lovely compound, although only a few years old, is already beginning to show the love and care that is lavished upon it.

A peaceful place in which to make a connection with Arunachala and also very convenient to the pradakshina road and Ramana Ashram.

OSAC

This is a useful website to bookmark for all international travellers. The OSAC (Council) is comprised of 30 private sector and 4 public sector member organizations that represent a broad range of economic sectors and agencies operating abroad. Although the organisation is a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter its very helpful in providing constantly updated global security reports. You can access their website at:

http://www.osac.gov/

If you check out:

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=62882
you will get a crime and safety report for Chennai.

Part of the report reads:

"Crime in Chennai's Consular district is moderate for a region that includes four states, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerela and Andhra Pradesh. While street crimes are frequent, they generally do not affect expatriates. Most reports of petty crimes are carried out by household staff that include theft and minor scams.

Road safety and road conditions continue to deteriorate in Chennai. Despite improvements in intercity highways and some effort to reduce city congestion, infrastructure has failed to keep pace with growth.

Foreigners are more likely to be hit by a car or motorcycle than being a victim of violent crime. Chennai police estimate that 6,000 motorbikes are registered each day, and that number continues to rise. The infrastructure cannot support this increase. Emergency medical response is also lacking in Chennai, which further exacerbates the problem."

Although this survey specifically relates to Chennai, it also directly applies to Tiruvannamalai, especially the comment regarding the infrastructure not being able to support the huge increase in motorbikes.

Until a few years ago most people got about Tiruvannamalai by bicycle, however the introduction of new financing regulations, has led to a huge increase in both automobiles and two wheelers. Even though Tiruvannamalai is a very small town, you really have to pay attention whilst navigating its roads; and that means paying attention for pedestrians too!

Swayambu Lingam

Once Sri Ramana said of Arunachala:

"This hill is not one which was formed at a certain time and which will be destroyed at another time. It is a Swayambu (spontaneously manifesting) lingam. The word lingam can be subdivided: 'ling' means 'union' and 'gam' means 'that which forms'. There are many other meanings for the word such as God, Atman, Form and Siva.

Swayambu lingams appear spontaneously as an act of God. They are not created or caused by any human or geologically-natural activity. This hill is not really on earth. All the heavenly bodies are attached to it. The name of that which is the source of both arising and subsiding is lingam."

[Extract taken from 'Living By the Words of Bhagavan' by David Godman. David Godman was born in England, in 1953. He attended Oxford University and becoming attracted to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, travelled to India in 1976. Since 1985 he has devoted himself exclusively to writing and research and to this date has published eleven books on Ramana Maharshi and is is regarded as the leading expert on the life of Bhagavan.

You can access David Godman's website at this link].

Medicine Mountain

Sri Ramana Maharshi sometimes called Arunachala, 'The Medicine Mountain'. He used to say, 'For all ailments of body and mind giri pradakshina is good medicine'. And that it also helped keep the mind in a quiet and harmonious state. He once expounded on the greatness of the Hill by comparing it to a the mountain mentioned in the Ramayana.

'When Ramana, Lakshmana and their army entered Lanka,' he said, 'Indrajit, the son of Ravana, launched a very powerful arrow against them. The arrow caused even Ramana and Lakshmana to lose consciousness. Everyone in the army, except Hanuman became unconscious. Hanuman went back to India and returned with a whole mountain which contained the healing herb sanjivini. When the air which had touched this herb touched Rama, Lakshmana and their army, they were all awakened and healed.'

Sri Ramana concluded his story by saying, 'This Arunachala mountain is more powerful than that mountain'.

[Extract taken from 'Living By the Words of Bhagavan' by David Godman]

Time stands still

[By Paramahamsa Nithyananda]

'Hindu mythology of creation talks about how the Universe is created each time the Creator Brahma blinks! Sages of ancient India measured time through the concept of kshana. Kshana is not chronological time.

It was not measured as the amplitude of a pendulum or the frequency of an electronic chip. Kshana was not generic time, but individual time. Kshana is the time between two thoughts. My kshana and your kshana are different.

In the case of the average person, in whom the mind is constantly active, desires and thoughts pour out without a stop, the time between two thoughts is very small, very very small. In the case of an enlightened being, who is a no mind state, in whom there are no thoughts, kshana is infinite.

Kshana is the time between two thoughts. It is the space between two thoughts. This is the time and space that Buddha referred to as sunya, and that which Sankara referred to as purna. It is the no mind zone, the mindful zone, in which you touch base with yourself.

Kshana is that present moment in which you come face to face with the divinity within yourself, recognise the cosmic energy that you are part of. When you are in that kshana, you are truly aware; you are energised and refreshed. Meditation takes you into that awareness.

When you are in front of an enlightened Master who is in a no mind state without thoughts your own thought level comes down, and kshana becomes longer. Without even trying you become calmer, more peaceful, and more aware. The same experience occurs when you are in the energy field of an enlightened master who is no longer in body, as in a Jiva Samadhi, where the master's body has been buried.

Contrary to what western philosophers say about the idle mind, if it is silent, it is not the devil's workshop. It is God’s workshop! It is the busy mind that is truly the devil’s workshop.

Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am". That is a mere fact; an irrelevant one. Vedanta says, "When you stop thinking, you are." This is truth; the cosmic truth. Be still and you will be God.'

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Paramahamsa Nithyananda's organisation is currently developing two ashram facilities here at Tiruvannamalai. One is located near Pavalakunru(in town near the Big Temple), where Nithyananda had his realisation experience. The other ashram is located in Tiruvannamalai's outlying countryside. I will report back soon on the progress of both ashrams currently under development. In the meantime you can access Paramahamsa Nithyananda's official website.