Asian Elephants in Kerala

For those interested is supporting the work of strenthening legal protection for Kerala’s Asian Elephants, please read the following notice of an upcoming ecological conference scheduled in Kerala for Mid December. Contact details and relevant website for more details are posted below. 

CALL FOR PAPERS: Announcing Major Kerala, India Ecology Conference 

Dr. Glen Barry of Ecological Internet to serve as Academic Convener, and present on the global biodiversity, ecosystem and biosphere imperatives for biocentric land planning and strengthened legal protections for Kerala's Asian elephants - and their corridors, particularly the Sigur plateau - as an umbrella species for other ecological values. 

September 19, 2012 

By Forests,org, a Project of Ecological Internet 

Dear Forest Protection Colleagues: 

I am pleased to announce a major international conference on conservation of India's forests, wild life, and ecology; and to issue a call for academic papers and attendance. The conference will occur in mid-December, 2012, in Kerala, India, located in the Western Ghats, which is known for its lush ecosystems, tremendous biodiversity - including viable Asian elephant populations - and high levels of human development, as well as human encroachment upon these vital ecosystems. Noted ecologist Dr. Madhav Gadgil, author of the important and controversial Kerala ecological land sensitivity designations, as well as Dr. V. S. Vijayan, Chairman of Salim Ali Foundation and Former Chairman of Kerala Bio-Diversity, have indicated they will be participating in the conference. 

The Kerala Eco Conference will emphasize global aspects of Kerala's ecological sustainability issues, placing issues of Western Ghats' broad environmental challenges within the larger international perspective of climate change, mass extinction, loss of ecosystem services, international environment law, landscape planning, and land use laws and policy. It is desired that various countries' practices as to protection of their hills and mountains' terrestrial ecology, and protecting watershed functionality and wildlife corridors in their countries, can provide an essential global view to the proceedings. An emphasis will be upon biocentric planning and law for India's ecology, people, elephants and other biodiversity, and their future together. 

Ecological Internet has been active in campaigning to protect critical elephant corridors in Kerala since 2006, achieving stunning success, including the relocation of a proposed Neutrino laboratory from prime elephant corridor habitat. On this basis, I have been asked to act as academic convener and coordinator for the conference, and will be presenting a paper which examines the importance of ecological conservation in the Western Ghats to global climate and ecological sustainability. I will highlight the importance of biocentric landscape planning to ensure adequate elephant habitat and corridors – particularly in the Sigur Plateau – using elephants as an umbrella species to secure ecosystems, biodiversity, water and future sustainable development potential. 

I ask that you please circulate the conference announcement (below) widely – particularly to your environmental law and academic ecology colleagues and departments around the world – as this will truly be an international affair. I would love to make your acquaintance there personally, as we work together to protect one of the most special natural ecosystems on Earth. 

Please contact the conference organizer Nagaraj Narayanan at nagaraj@keralalawacademy.org or myself Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org with any questions. I hope to see you soon in India's special evergreen city! 

Warm regards, for Earth, 

Dr. Glen Barry 

Political Ecological and President, Ecological Internet 

P.S. Within the next few days additional conference materials will be made available at http://KeralaEcoConference.org/ 

Ramana Ashram New Library

One of the current building projects undertaken at Ramana Ashram is now finished and the new Ashram Library is open. The new Library, which is circular in shape and comprises the upstairs of the building, has a much larger shelf capacity than the old Library. The new Library is known as the Sri Ramana Granthalaya. 

Front View of the Library

Upstairs contains the Library books

Access to the Library

Better view of ramp

The Plastic Menace

One can understand the reasoning behind the rapid development of Tiruvannamalai and surrounding countryside, however sometimes it seems that that development has completely unnecessary environmental consequences. One such issue is the proliferation of plastic waste throughout the area. 

Happily our Tiruvannamalai Administration is now throwing its full weight behind the drive AGAINST plastic in this area. 

A recent newspaper report states: “Facebook may not have ‘dislike’ button but you can express your dislike towards any plastic garbage pollution, violation of ban on plastics in Tiruvannamalai on a specially created Facebook page ‘plastic free Tiruvannamalai’ and get the attention of authorities. 

Plastics carry bags, sachets, water glasses etc of less than 40 micron have been banned in Tiruvannamalai. Even those above permissible 40 micron should bear the name of the manufacturer. The ban came into effect from August 15. 

District Collector Vijay Pingale is showing keen interest in realising the goal of plastic free Tiruvannamalai and on his insistence every Municipality and Town Panchayat in Tiruvannamalai District is organising rallies against usage of disposable plastics. 

Meanwhile Mr. Pingale has asked people to post their complaints against violation of this ban in the Facebook fan page created by supporters of the mission. While addressing a rally in Kilpennathur on Thursday Tiruvannamalai District Collector announced that:- 

“If you come across any case of disposable plastics being sold or used violating the ban in Tiruvannamalai you just can capture it on your mobile phone and share the picture with details such as time and place on the Facebook page ‘plastic free Tiruvannamalai’, created by supporters of our mission. Authorities will observe the postings in the page and take action.” 

The Facebook page, link here, is not officially managed by the Tiruvannamalai Administration, however the Administration has given their assurances that follow up action would also be posted on that Facebook page. 

Tiruvannamalai Train Information

To those interested in checking the 'live status' online for Tiruvannamalai trains, you should go to this Indian Railways link here and register as a member. Once you are a member you can get excellent 'live status' updates of the schedule for Tiruvannamalai trains. 

The below is a 'live status' update for Tiruvannamalai Railway train departures from a few moments ago. 

Right click on below snapshot for enlargement.

Arunachala Samudra Update

To those interested in reading about the recent Adi Annamalai Mahakumbhabhishekam please visit my website Arunachala Samudra at the section on Adi Annamalai Temple.  

Over the last month a number of new narratives have been added to the website, in the Temple Section, narratives and photographs on Adi Annamalai Temple, Rajarajeshwari Temple, Pachaiamman Temple and the Asta Lingams. 

There are also in depth narratives in the Festival Section, on the Thiruvoodal and Mahashivaratri Festivals. 

For morality tales, anecdotes and quotes go to this link here.

I will be continuing to upload new material on Arunachala Samudra over the coming months, so please continue checking in. 

Kodaikanal Interview on the Mind

The first spiritual teaching Sri Sathya Sai Baba is reputed to have given to the world was at the age of 14 years when he left his home and took a seat on a boulder outside his Puttaparthi village. It was at that boulder (which would later mark one of the boundaries of his vast desert Ashram), that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai sang: 

Manasa Bhajorey Guru Charanam 

Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam 

Guru Maharaj Guru Jai Jai 

Sai Natha Sad Guru Jai Jai 

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya, 

Om Namah Shivaya, Shivaya Namah 

Om Arunachala Shiva, Arunachala Shiva, 

Arunachala Shiva Aruna Shiv Om 

Omkaram Baba, Omkaram Baba, 

Omkaram Baba Om Namo Baba 

"O mind, worship the Lotus Feet of your God and Supreme Teacher that will take you safely across the ocean of life and death. Victory to our Lord and supreme Teacher, Sai Nath! 

Mind, also chant and worship; the Divine name of Lord Shiva and Arunachala mountain (which is no different to Shiva) and Baba whose form is OM." 

In this bhajan Bhagavan exhorts devotees to worship the feet of the spiritual preceptor and explains that there is no difference between the Pranava Om (which pervades the Universe), Arunachala and the Lord. Bowing to one is as bowing to all. 

Since that early age of 14 years and his first teaching, Sri Sathya Sai Baba often encouraged, suggested and even ordered devotees to come to Arunachala. As well as his love of this Holy Place, Sri Sathya Sai Baba often guided people (as did Ramana Maharshi) in the method of Self Enquiry. 

 "All agitation will cease the moment one enters on the enquiry. 'Who am I?' This was the sadhana that Ramana Maharshi achieved and taught to his disciples. This is also the easiest of all disciplines." [Sri Sathya Sai Baba] 

The following is the transcript of an interview given by Sri Sathya Sai Baba to Western Devotees at Kodaikanal on April 1st, 1985. The interview is particularly relevant to devotees of Arunachala, as it explores the nature of consciousness and exhorts sadhakas to practice self enquiry. 

Interview given by Sathya Sai Baba at Kodaikanal April 1, 1985 

Devotee: Swami, what is the best way to relate to the world?

Baba: Do not spend your time thinking about the world or your relationships to individuals. These are all impermanent. They have only to do with the body. The body is just a water bubble. The mind is like a mad monkey. Do not follow either the body or the mind. Follow the Self, the Atma. It is beyond the mind. It is permanent. It is the unchanging truth within you. 

Most important, do not ever think that you and God are separate. Think always, "God is with me; He is inside me; He is around me. All there is is God. I myself am God. I am the Infinite, the Eternal. I am not two; I am one, only one. There is no one else besides me. I and God are one and the same." 

To realize this Unity, the first step is to develop self-confidence. It comes when you realize that God is not outside of you. Self-confidence means thinking all the time, "God is in me... God is doing everything... without God I cannot be... all this is God... I only want to think of God." When there is self-confidence then there will be love, there will be peace, there will be truth, there will be God. Without self-confidence there cannot be God. So, first there must be self-confidence and love of God. 

Devotee: Swami, how to do we rise up to that highest level?

Baba: Through love. Only through love. Develop divine love. Divine love is completely selfless. Human love is mostly selfishness; all the time it thinks only of the little 'i'. That 'i' is the ego. The ego is a very bad quality. Ego sees everything as separate; it sees everything as dual. You must remove this ego and see only the Unity. Think only of Unity; think only of the Atma. Atma is the one unchanging Truth, the one Reality that is the basis of everything. 

Devotee: Swami, is everything predetermined? 

Baba: For the Atma there is no time and there is no form. It is beyond time and beyond form. In the Atma all are one. Remember that Unity. Live in that Unity. Make that your goal. All are one... be alike to everyone. 

Devotee: Baba, what is the relationship between the Atma and the individual? 

Baba: The Atma is everywhere. But, do you know that? No, you do not know. What you say now all comes from your imagination. You have no experience. Do some Sadhana. Realize the Atma! Always think like that... "I am the Atma. I am all." The individual exists only in your imagination. It is just an illusion. When the Atma is one without a second, when the Atma is everywhere, where is the individual? Only in your imagination. The Atma alone is real. Realize it through meditation. 

Devotee: Then there is really no higher being related to this body, judging me and guiding me? 

Baba: You see, you are still in 100% body consciousness. Do not stay with this body consciousness. Remove that. What will remain will be Atma-consciousness. Then there will be no anger, no hatred, no envy, no jealousy, no hunger, no desire... only complete Ananda... only bliss, bliss, bliss! 

Devotee: But then, Swami, what is reborn in reincarnation? 

Baba: The body is born. Birth and death only have to do with the body. Ego also relates only to the body. Similarly, reincarnation relates only to the body. Do not think of the body. Think of the Atma. The Atma is one; it is unchanging. For Atma there is no incarnation, there is no reincarnation. 

Devotee: Swami, do I exist at all as an individual? 

Baba: When you realize the Atma then there is no individual. You can think of individuals as different light bulbs. There will be a differences in wattage and in color. There will be differences in shape, but everywhere the current is the same. That current is who you are. You are not the individual bulb. You are the one current in all. 

Devotee: Is there any difference between I and God? 

Baba: You are God. You are not the ego. You are God! Devotee: I am God? 

Baba: Yes. You are the Atma. You are permanent. The physical is not permanent. The physical is not the Atma. You are the Atma, not the physical. You are God. Think like this always. Do not think about the body. The body comes and goes; for it there is birth and there is death. But you are not the body. Body is just rust and dust. Think only of God. Love God. 

Devotee: Swami, how can we love something we don't understand? 

Baba: Develop self-confidence, then love will follow; it will come naturally from within. And that way the love will be pure. First comes self-confidence, that is the foundation. Then comes self-satisfaction. It is like the wall. Next comes self-sacrifice, it is like the roof. Finally the house is complete and the Indweller is installed inside; that is self-realization. It starts with self-confidence and it ends with realizing the Self. That Self is you. It is everything. It is God. That is who you really are. 

Devotee: Does self-confidence mean confidence in the Self? 

Baba: Yes, self-confidence is confidence in the Atma; it is an unwavering love for the Divinity within you. That is very important. What will help you to develop that confidence? Be equalminded, be satisfied with what you have. Be happy. The secret of happiness is not in doing what you like but in liking what you have to do. That is a great truth. Always have complete faith in the indwelling God who takes care of everything. True greatness can only come from faith. 

Devotee: Lord, I want to arrive very early to You. What do I have to do? 

Baba: Through love, only through love. Love is everything. Love is God. Live in love. Start the day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love and end the day with love. That is the way to God. 

Devotee: How do we develop this selfless love? 

Baba: It all comes through God's Grace. Without Grace you cannot do anything. First do your duty and think about God all day from morning to evening. See everything as God. Be happy. Think, "O Lord, You are my everything. You are my goal. You are my breath." Do not think, "This is mine, that is mine." Instead think, "All is You. All is Yours." Think, "I am beyond the body. This body is just a water bubble. I am beyond the mind. This mind is just a mad monkey. I am the Atma. I and God are one. Before this body was formed I was there. After this body leaves I am there. Without this body I am still there. I am omnipresent. I am all." 

To reach this truth you have to do some spiritual practice. You have to inquire, "What is God? Who is God? Who am I?" Jesus spent twelve years in the desert; then he realized. You must also do some Sadhana. The first step in realization is to always think of God. Then after some years you will realize that you are one with God. In the beginning you can think, "The world is like a stage. I am only an actor. God is the director. All are His instruments, all are just actors. He is directing everything." But do not always remain at that level. Move on. Think, "I am the unchanging Atma, not this changing personality and body." 

Devotee: Shall we tell these things to others, Swami? 

Baba: Do not talk too much. First do some Sadhana. First do. Then be. Then you can talk. Do good, be good and see good. Do everything with love. After you develop your self-confidence and love for God then you can share your experiences with others. But it is a good rule to talk very little, even about God. In Sadhana there will be internal talk with God. You will give up all attachments and attach only to God. For this, purity of the heart is very important. Where there is no purity, there is no Unity. Without Unity you cannot attain Divinity. Then your life is just a waste. First purity, next Unity, then you realize your Divinity. 

Devotee: And purity comes from service? 

Baba: Yes. Purity comes from Seva... it comes from selfless love. All are one family, serve all... not just the Sai family, but the whole world family. All are brothers and sisters. All are one, be alike to everyone. That is Unity... the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. 

Our Rukku

Right Click on all photographs for enlargement: 

The below series of photographs of sweet Rukku, from Arunachaleswarar Temple, was taken last Sunday July 15, 2012 while Rukku was walking on the Girivalam Pathway on her way from the Arunachaleswarar Temple located Southeast of Tiruvannamalai on her way to Adiannamalai Temple, located at the Northwest side of the Hill. 

They say elephants never forget -- well it seems that might be true, and my visits to her at the Big Temple with snacks and treats of cabbages and carrots were rewarded by a very nice series of poses. Specially like the loving eye contact of this last photo.

Adi Annamalai Mahakumbhabhishekam

Sorry for the absence of postings in the last few months, but I am busy with researching and preparing material to upload to my website:

http://arunachalasamudra.org 

The material (comprising nearly 50 new pages) will be uploaded onto the website by the end of next month. In that upload there will be a full narrative detailing the recent Mahakumbhabhishekam at Adi Annamalai Temple. 

In the meantime am posting some photos of the final day of the function, which took place between 8.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. on Sunday July 15, 2012. 

June Full Moon 2012

Although there will be a lunar eclipse on the night of the June Full Moon, visible from places on earth, it will not be visible to us here in South India. 

Folklore regarding the moon, says that its It's Lucky to . . . 

• It is lucky to see the first sliver of a new Moon "clear of the brush," or unencumbered by foliage. 

• It is lucky to own a rabbit's foot, especially if the rabbit was killed in a cemetery by a cross-eyed person at the dark of the Moon. 

• It is lucky to hold a moonstone in your mouth at the full Moon; it will reveal the future. 

• It is lucky to have a full Moon on the "Moon day" (Monday). 

• It is lucky to expose your newborn to the waxing Moon. It will give the baby strength. 

• It is lucky to move into a new house during the new Moon; prosperity will increase as the Moon waxes. 

In some parts of the world, depending on harvests, the June full moon is known as the Strawberry Moon, the Flower Moon, Rose Moon Honey Moon, Hot Moon, and Planting Moon. 

Poornima Prathosam, June 2012

The below sequence of photographs celebrating Poornima Prathosam were taken at Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

Right click on all photographs to view enlargement.

Hundial Counting

The first photograph of this sequence is of the outside of the Shiva Shrine at the Arunachaleswarar Temple which shows a Hundial (collection box at Hindu Temples) in the foreground at the right front of the Shrine. The money inb these large collection boxes are donations from ordinary pilgrims. There are a number of Hundials located throughout the Temple Compound. 

The rest of the sequence of these photographs are of the Hundial counting (June 1, 2012) which was undertaken in the presence of the Thirumagal Joint Commissioner. 

Creating an Agricultural Well

In March, 2012, I made a posting entitled Haven in Arunachala Countryside, about the development of a large parcel of land set 5 kms from the Hill. This week I was near the land and stopped by to check on progress on the agricultural well. 

Work on the rocky land is slow and tough but definite progress is being made. The eventual depth of the well will be 40 feet -- so still a substantial amount of digging to go! 

Legendary Birds in Hinduism

Today I made a posting on Arunachala Birds, on the locally found Pied Crested Cuckoo. A bird which in Hindu mythology is reputed to be also the Chataka bird – a bird unwilling to drink water found on earth and instead choosing to drink only fresh rain water as it falls from the sky. There are many animals and legendary creatures in Hindu Mythology, and below is information on certain birds that hold a prominent position in such mythology, namely: Chataka, Hamsa, Chakor and Garuda. 

Chataka (Pied Crested Cuckoo) 

The Pied Crested Cuckoo is also known as the Chataka. In Hindu mythology this bird is unable or unwilling to drink water found on earth and instead chooses to drink only fresh rain water as it falls from the sky. Legend has it that this bird never drinks water off the ground. And that however thirsty it may be, it supposedly drinks only rain water as it falls from the heavens. For this reason it has come to symbolise a true spiritual aspirant. 

Sri Sathya Sai Baba refers to the Chataka bird in a discourse during Shivarathri 1991: 

“The Chataka bird endures many ordeals to secure unsullied raindrops from the clouds. The moment it espies a dark cloud in the sky, it embarks on its adventure. There is water aplenty on the earth in lakes, ponds and rivers, but the Chataka bird has no use for these polluted waters. It waits for the pure raindrops in the month of Karthika and does not seek any other water. It is undaunted by thunder and lightning. It seeks only the pure raindrops falling from the clouds, without fear or concern. It sings in joy as it drinks the raindrops. 

The Chataka bird is an example of pure love. The true devotee should perform a similar penance (to realise God). He must have the same determination. He must go through similar ordeals to experience the ultimate ecstasy. He must not succumb to the wiles and attractions of the world. The golden life of man should be tested on the touchstone of the Lord's name.” 

Hamsa (the Swan) 

Hamsa, or White Swan, is the vehicle of Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswathi. 

In Hinduism, Lord Brahma performs the act of creation and Goddess Saraswati is the Goddess of art and learning. Hamsa (i.e. the Swan) is reputed to eat pearls and be able to separate milk from water and drink only the pure milk. This particular capacity of making fine distinctions is an essential requisite of creation. Therefore Lord Brahma is shown as riding on a Swan. 

The Goddess Saraswati also has the Swan as her vahana (vehicle). Here again the Swan’s capacity to make fine distinctions is symbolically used – creative power, knowledge, inner realization and outer glorification of the Lord are all products of the discriminative power. 

The Hamsa is seen as a symbol of purity, detachment, divine knowledge, cosmic breath (prana) and the highest spiritual accomplishment. It is supposed to transcend the limitations of creation for it can walk on the earth, fly in the sky and swim in the water 

Chakor

The Chakor is described in Hindu mythology as a bird that thrives only on moon-light for its food.

Deep into the full moon night, the Chakor sheds its tears in longing, releasing the song of unrequited passion, for its alluring beloved (i.e. the moon) is unattainable high in the skies. The bittersweet pain of the fullness of its love makes life worth living, for on this occasion of the full moon night, it can see the beloved from afar, undisturbed, in her full glory. 

The great ascetic guru and philosopher of Advaita, Adi Shankaracharya, describes the divine glory of the Goddess Tripurasundari as Amba, revealed in the face of the Full Moon. The Goddess rises from the ocean, clad in the luminescent jewels of the spray of the surging tide. High above in the sky, the luminous sweep of her full light releases waves of chaitanya – cosmic consciousness – dripping with the nectar of immortality. And the Chakor, thirsting for the charm of her enchanting smile, drinks in this nectar, which brings the fulfillment of his life’s purpose!

Adi Sankaracharya refers to the Chakor as a bird that is supposed to have drunk to the brim the moonlight of Goddess Amba’s smile, which is so sweet that it benumbs the bird’s beak. To counteract this numbness, the bird drinks moonlight, which in comparison to the smile of the Goddess, is termed  ‘sour gruel’.

Garuda

“The Garuda is regarded as the King of Birds. Its name derives from the root Gri, to swallow as the Garuda devours snakes.

The snake represents the subconscious or hidden aspects of the mind; the feelings and thoughts which crawl underneath the surface. The Garuda can perceive these tiny snake like aspects and fall upon them. Similarly, by practising awareness we can develop wisdom which can perceive the workings of our mind in the most beneficial way.

The Garuda is represented with a human upper body, big eyes, beak, short blue horns, yellow hair standing on end, bird's claws and wings. However, sometimes, he is represented in human form with wings.

The Garuda which comes out of its egg fully grown symbolises the space element and the power of the sun, which dries up water. He represents spiritual energy which devours the delusions of jealousy and hatred. Because of his large wings, he represents openness and freedom of mind unaffected by emotional conflicts. Garuda symbolises the wise mind which reaches everywhere and brings about growth and wisdom.”

To read more go to this link here.

The Brahminy Kite  (Tamil: Krishna Parunthu) is found at Tiruvannamalai, and there are several Brahminy Kite nests by Samudram Lake. 

Where the nests are known, the birds are worshipped as representative of Garuda (the sacred Eagle), but this bird is actually a Kite. To find out more about the Brahminy Kite go to this link here.