Walking Home

This morning had an appointment at the Rangammal Hospital Athiyandal Village and instead of going home by autorickshaw decided instead to walk. As I had my camera with me took some snaps of everyday things here at Tiruvannamalai that normally one would hardly notice. But for people not familiar with this area, and those who have never visited India, I think that these photographs will be very interesting.

The street in front of the hospital is a country lane that northwards connects with the NH66 to Bangalore and southwards to the Arunachala Samudra reservoir lake. On the side of the roads are the usual shrines, altars and small Temples you will see all over India. Here is a small anthill that someone has started to maintain and worship.

On the other side of the lane and just a few yards away, a small shrine dedicated to the Divine Mother. Whereas in North India, the aspects of Durga and Kali are revered, here in Tamil Nadu and at Tiruvannamalai, a Mother Deity loved and venerated is Karumariamman.

Approximately 70% of the population of Tiruvannamalai District is Hindu that means the remaining 30% is comprised of predominantly Muslim and Christian and a scattering of other faiths. There are many Mosques and Churches all through the area. This particular church in the below photograph, is very small and probably started to service the many Christians that either work at the Hospital or are visiting it.

Below, these ladies in their lovely salmon coloured saris are connected with the Shantimalai Trust and are on their way to attend a meeting of this organisaton. The Shanthimalai Research & Development Trust has done more than any other single organisation in helping the financial development of the people of this area. I expect to be posting alot of information about the extraordinary man who started this Trust, a Mr. Hugo Maier from Switzerland and of the diverse and excellent work the Trust engages in that helps so much in the upliftment of many people in this community.

So I turned off the country land and took a shortcut through some fields. Fields which sadly are currently being sold as small plots for development. So in a few years this particular area will doubtedlessly be a hodge-podge of all sorts of buildings; both residental and business. Right now its lovely just wandering through and being able to enjoy such a magnificent view of Arunachala.

Now I've cut through the field and I am walking by the side of the NH66. The Highway is shared by great lumbering trucks on their way to Bangalore and beyond and also local and more traditional forms of transport; like this ox and cart. You can see the ox's horns have been painted in the colours of the Indian Flag.



In previous posts I often talk about 'encroachments'. This word is used to describe the unauthorised and illegal construction of buildings on Poramboke land. Land is usually considered to be Patta; which means one's own personal land, or Poramboke; which means it belongs to the Government.

Two ladies who live in the encroachment settlement are sitting on the edge of the Highway having a nice chat. They are continuing a tradition from Indian village life; sitting and talking outside their home. In this case it doesn't seem to make too much difference that just a few feet away buses, trucks and vans are hurtling along on a busy Highway.

I'm on the last part of my journey and again taking another shortcut through some agricultural fields and from this vantage point can see in the foreground a sea of growing rice with Arunachala, the silent Sentinel, in the background.

Nearly home and a well deserved cup of tea!

Parvathamalai Hill

"The Siddhas have spoken volumes about Pancha Nathana Nataraja. They say that this deity is such a rarity in the Universe that even the Devas would give anything just for the chance of worshipping him. They say that on the Nataraja Abisheka days which occur in certain Tamil months (Chitra, Aani, Aavani, Purattaasi, Margazhi and Maasi), the Devas perform their worship to this deity in subtle form. This kind of worship is similar to the sookshma worship done by the Devas at the peak of the Arunachala Hill and on the Parvathamalai Hill."






Parvathamalai is part of the Javadhi hills and located 25 km north of Tiruvannamalai. You can get there by taking a car or bus from Tiruvannamalai to Kadaladi, from where you can undertake the trek. Alternatively you can go Thenmadhimangalam village (which is about 20 kms from Polur), which provides another route to the top. Although less bumpy the Thenmadhimangalam route is longer.

Works relating to a Rs.8,000,000/- (U.S.$181,200) tourism infrastructure development for Parvathamalai hill in Tiruvannamalai District has now been completed.

This upgrade includes: providing Black topping to Parvathamali Road, construction of a waiting shed at Pachiamman Temple, Parvathamalai, formation of foot-path with hand rails from Pachaiamman Temple to Veerapathiran Temple, construction of restroom complex for men and women, formation of foot-path with hand rails from Veerapathiran Temple to Parvathamalai Hill, providing steps at Parvathamalai Temple pathway, providing water supply to the top of the Hill Mandapam and providing electric poles with lights on pathway.

It is becoming increasingly popular for pilgrims and tourists to trek up the Parvathamalai Hill on a full moon day/night.

The arduous walk can take up to a total of 10 hours, starting through the hill forest and finishing up with a final sharp ascent of about 3,000 feet to reach the Hill top.

Nandi facing the Lingam at
doorway of inner shrine.

As well as some other structures, there is also a very powerful Shiva temple at the top of Parvathamalai Hill, and it is believed that Devas, Siddhas and spiritual beings from other worlds worship on the top of the Hill every night. The above is a photograph of the entrance to the Temple.

Shiva Lingam at Parvathamalai Temple

ontop of Hill

AKSP Website

A good friend of Arunachala and someone very central in the Reforestation work of the Hill, is Apeetha Arunagiri. She has recently redesigned and enlarged her excellent website. Do please visit www.aksp.org for some fascinating in-depth information about social ecology, indigenous knowledge, primary healthcare, community participation and ongoing reforestation work being undertaken by the Arunachala Kadu Siva Plantation (AKSP) Organsation she is Co-Ordinating.

The Arunachala Kadu Siva Plantation has taken responsibility for 600 hectares of denuded Reserve Forest on the lower slopes of the mountain. The thrust of the project is social ecology. Fourteen rural persons are engaged in water conservation strategies, bunding and check dams, seed collection, nursery work and plantation, maintenance and protection of saplings on the slopes.

The primary objective of the Greening of Arunachala is the rejuvenation of our artesian system. However the Arunachala Kadu Siva Plantation has a wider social ecological import:

To undertake responsibility for solutions to civic needs
To participate in the making of decisions about these solutions
To utilize and regenerate indigenous knowledge
To follow through the work beyond the call of duty and communicate about its meaning on every opportunity with members of their own villages and in the wider community.

www.aksp.org

Arunachala Hill

Arunachala is a combination of two Sanksrit words Aruna and Achala. Aruna means 'red' and 'Achala' means immovable. The Hill is also referred to as 'Red Mount', 'Hill of the Holy Beacon' and 'Hill of the Holy Fire'. The word Arunachala also refers to 'Aruna' as 'force' (sakti) and 'Siva' as 'that which cannot be moved'. The Hill therefore represents Sakti resting in consciousness. Aruna sometimes refers to 'free from bondage' and 'Achala', 'motionless, steady'. The Tamil name is Annamalai, which is also a combination of two words 'Anna' and 'Malai'. Anna means 'atttained' and 'Malai', 'Hill'.

The Hill of Arunachala is situated at the Eastern Ghats of the North Arcot District, Tamil Nadu, South India. The isolated Hill, 50 miles inland from the Bay of Bengal, rises 2300 feet above sea level and forms a conspicuous object in the landscape for miles around. It is known by many other names that are generally alternates for Lord Shiva including; Arunagiri, Sonagiri, Sonasaila and Annamalai. And it is to the last name, Annamalai, that the prefix Tiru (which means extreme auspiciousness) has been added, thus giving the town Tiruvannamalai its name.

From the remote past this area has been looked upon as profoundly sacred and many myths and stories exist about its origin and history. As well as the Hill the Arunachaleswarar Temple located at Arunachala’s eastern foot shares in much of the wealth of folklore and legend of this sacred site.

This whole area of the Eastern Ghats which is part of the Deccan plateau, is considered to be one of the most ancient lands on earth and is in fact much older than the Himalayas. In ancient Hindu scriptures, Arunachala is actually referred to as the oldest Hill on earth.

"Arunachala is a light. It shines whether or not you believe in it. It is the light of the Self, and the light of the Self will continue to shine on you whether you believe it or not. Arunachala is greater than all other religious places. There are other holy, powerful places in the world, but none have the power of Arunachala . . . There is a huge amount of shakti, or spiritual energy, here."[By Annamalai Swami]

Birthstar

Swami Nithyananda visited Tiruvannamalai on January 12, 2007 to attend his birthstar celebrations organised by his devotees. In the daytime he officiated at the inauguration of work starting on the construction of his Ashram here at Tiruvannamalai and also visited the Arunachaleswara Temple.

In the evening at 5 p.m. he gave a talk at a hall in Tiruvannamalai which was followed by a cultural programme.

While in Tiruvannamalai he also visited the school he attended as a student in his youth.

Local Schemes

Micro Credit

It was recently announced that the Postal Department would be shortly introducing a 'Micro Credit' scheme for the benefit of Women Self-Help Groups in the Tiruvannamalai District.

Under the 'Micro Credit' members of the Women Self Help Groups are required to open savings accounts in their nearest post office and, after maintaining an account for three to six months, will then be eligible to apply for loan assistance from the scheme. The scheme is to be formally launched during this upcoming February.

A NABARD-assisted computer-training programme scheme for postal employees was also recently inaugurated on Friday. All 255 Post Offices attached to 10 divisions in the Chennai region have been fully computerised, with the last phase of computerisation in 54 Post Offices being completed this year.

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Free Gas Stoves

It is anticipated that 300,000 free cooking gas connections will be given before the end of March. Free gas stove tops and connections will be given initially to 1,000 families.

The Government has not laid any conditions regarding the eligibity of candidates for the free stove and gas connection, stressing that anyone without an exisiting gas connection could apply for the scheme.

The only criteria, whilst selecting beneficiaries, is that that applicants should have a two-foot high platform or shelf so that the stove can be placed above the cylinder and in the case of huts, the hay roof should not be set at a precarious low height. High quality ISO certified suraksha connection tubing would also be used throughout the scheme.

Temple Town

The town of Tiruvannamalai has an axial and visual line with the Arunachala Temple in the centre. Traditionally, streets abutting the Temple housed the people who were engaged in Puja and other associated Temple activities. The next round of streets around the Temple were for the movement of the Temple Chariots. These streets also housed Mutts (Ashrams) belonging to various communities which were used for accommodating pilgrims visiting the Temple from various places. Buildings in these streets with vernacular architecture had traditional values. In the space in front of the Temple, small vendors used to sell things meant for offerings to God. These streets around the Temple had low intensity commercial activities. Other residences were found in the next round of Streets followed by big market area.

When Tiruvannamalai started to grow, the concept of the Temple town was not preserved and developments have taken place haphazardly leading to a mess.

Streets abutting the Temple have been encroached upon by hawkers, petty shops and vehicle parking and the space in front of the Temple has also been occupied by temporary and permanent encroachers and vehicle parking.

Here are two permanent structures used as enclosures for two of the smaller chariots; a chariot is stationed in front of the structure.

The Chariot Streets (meaning the streets around the perimeter of the Arunachaleswarar Temple): i.e. Car Street, Thiruvoodal Street, Pe Gopuram Street and Big Street are proliferated with commercial establishments and wholesale traders near to the Temple.

The situation has become much worse now that pedal bicycles and oxen cart are being rapidly replaced by noxious and noisy motorbikes, scooters and Tempo Vans.

School Syllabus

It was recently announced that a decision on introducing a standardized School syllabus throughout Tamil Nadu would be taken after the Muthukumaran Committee report was complete. The main agenda of current education meetings is to explore ways to improve the prospects of State students in higher secondary examinations at the exam levels of 'SSLC' and 'Plus Two' and to motivate teachers (with a record of low pass percentage) to improve their teaching results.

It was further announced that the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has agreed to assist schools to purchase furniture, construct compound walls and develop the necessary infrastructure. In order to facilitate the admission of students into premier Institutes, it was agreed that local training Institutes would hereafter shift their focus on preparing students for such exams as the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE).

Water Supply

Sathanur Dam in Tiruvannamalai District was constructed in 1958 and is about 30 kms from the town of Tiruvannamalai and it one of the main sources of freshwater in the District.

It is positioned across the Thenpennai River in Chengam Taluk among Chennakesava Hills and has a capacity of 7321 million cubic feet (Full level 119 feet).

It is famous as a tourist spot and also as the venue for many Indian movie shoots. Its actually a lovely drive from Tiruvannamalai as it takes one through many rustic villages and agricultural lands.

Deposition

In 1938 the authorities of Arunachaleswarar Temple filed a law suit regarding the ownership of Arunachala Hill which was being claimed by the Government as Forestry Department property. As the Temple authorities cited Sri Ramana Maharshi as a witness, on May 9, 1938, the Court sent a Commission to record Sri Ramana Maharshi's deposition.




"There is an aitikya that this hill is linga swaroopam, that is to say, that this hill itself is Swamy. This aitikya is not to be found anywhere else. That is the cause of the glory of this place. The aitikya of this place is that this hill is Easwaraswaroopam and that the Swaroopam is full of thejas. Every year Deepothsavam is celebrated in the form of Deepam. Authority for this is found in the Vedas, the puranas and stotras of devotees. Also giripradakshina is done following this aitikya that the above said hill is Siva swaroopam. I also have faith in giripradakshina and have experience of it. There is no sastra to separate the hill from the temple.

This aitikya is observed during Karthikai deepam. That this festival is conducted both at the top of the hill and in the temple as the same time proves this. Moreover, proving that the abovesaid hill is Easwaraswaroopam, the Arunachaleswarar who is in the form of a vigraham in the temple also performs giripradakshina twice every year.

Also, in accordance with the aitikya that the hill is Easwaraswaroopam, the Devasthanam is conducting abhishekam to the tip of the hill in the same way that it would to a lingam. For the last 10-12 years the cauldron for lighting the deepam at the top of the hill is carried to the top every year during the festival. Previous to this the cauldron was left there itself for a very long time.

I am a devotee of Arunachaleswarar . . . The hill continues to represent the Lord."

[Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi]

Temple Compound

Yesterday went to downtown Tiruvannamalai to call in at the phone company. After finishing my business I remained chatting to the Store Manager, whereupon looking out of the large glass shopfront noticed Rocco, the Temple Elephant, standing outside. I love Rocco, and particularly enjoy watching her walk around free and relaxed during her regular parade around Arunachaleswarar Temple. The Temple is set in a 25 acre compound so the surrounding perimeter roads cover a long distance. By the time I dashed out of the store, got my camera ready for the photo, all I got was sweet Rocco's backside as she majestically proceeded on her way.

As always Rocco was followed by the statue of Annamalaiyar and Unnamalai; the deities of the Arunachaleswarar Temple. Fortunately I was in time to get a very nice photo of them.

Eager to get some more Rocco and Deity darshan, I quickly made my way to the South Gopuram of the Temple so I could run through and exit at the West Gopuram in time to catch the frontside of Rocco and the Deity parade as they continued their promenade. However once in the Temple compound I lost all my energetic enthusiasm and just wanted to remain and enjoy the amazing peace and silence of this wonderful Temple. So I just stayed a while and took some nice photographs. Below is a photo of some of the detail of one of the Temple Gopurams.

Here is a panel of the same Gopuram in more detail. It is from the third tier of the Gopuram on the rightside, two images inwards. If you look at the above photograph you can make out where the detailed panel fits in.

The below is a very serene photograph taken from inside the Compound with Arunachala as background.

Below is a picture of railings closing off access to one of the Temple Tanks. The railings around both Temple Tanks were installed about 3 years ago. Prior to that access to the Tanks was freely available and sadhus and pilgrims would bathe in the Tanks and even wash and dry their clothes on the stone steps. It used to be possible to sit on the flagstones and dangle your feet in the water while all the tank fish would swim nearby waiting to be fed bread and snacks. Hope those fish are doing okay without all that attention!

Here is a nice lad wearing red because he and his family are Shakti Ma worshippers. His family are sitting nearby having a picnic.

One of the very few shops in the huge Temple Compound. This is one dedicated to holy pictures and religious paraphanelia,

Its was beginning to get dark and lights all around the Temple compound were being switched on.

As I exited from the main Gopuram gate, this wonderful cow was standing motionless with head bowed directly in front of the gateway. Ramana Maharshi always used to say that many holy people return to Arunachala in secret guises and often in the body of an animal. When one sees something like this beautiful cow, prostrating for a long time in such a holy spot; it certainly makes one wonder; Who Are You or at least Who Were You?

Also right outside the main gate are stationed the lucky flower ladies, who nowadays also sell little ghee (clarified butter) lamps, camphor (for pujas) and other items necessary Temple worship. They are in a prime position, so without a doubt, do great business; good neighbourhood too!

To finish off my evening, the last photograph I took was of a rather magnificent looking sadhu. And no, I didn't get to see Rocco, the Temple Elephant again; I'll just have to go back and start all over again!

So a very good evening to all and a HAPPY PONGAL from Arunachala and Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Animal Programme

The Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, aimed at controlling stray dog population, has started in Tiruvannamalai District with the opening of the Animal Care Centre on the Chengam Road named Karuna Society for Animals and Nature. The Centre will perform sterilisation surgery on dogs and provide post-operative care.

Tiruvannamalai Municipality, which is the first Municipality in the State to implement such a programme, as partner in the endeavour would send stray dogs to the Centre. The President and Founder of Karuna Society, Clementien Paus, said they had been implementing the ABC programme in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, for several years, and now; "Now there are no puppies. Only adult dogs can be seen in Puttaparthi."

Maneka Gandhi, honorary president of the Karuna Society, had sent a message hailing the move.

Nithyananda Birthstar

Today, January 12th, Swami Nithyananda is currently at Tiruvannamalai celebrating his 30th birthstar celebrations. In this respect a large function has been arranged in town for this evening during which he is expected to give a speech as part of the celebration.

Nithyananda was born in Tiruvannamalai on January 1, 1978. It is reported that he evinced an interest in spirituality from a young age and after enduring years of penance, at the age of 22 years experienced the final flowering of consciousness.

He says of Arunachala:

"Arunachala is a spiritual incubator . . . This does not mean that every one born in Tiruvannamalai in the neighbourhood of Arunachala is an incarnation or is bound to be enlightened. Far from it. Ramakrishna says:

'dozens of flies crowd around a cow and drink its blood; it is only the calf that comes in perhaps twice a day that goes straight to its mother's udder to drink milk.'

It is likely that most of those who are born and live around the Arunachala are the flies; the calves who come to imbibe the milk of spirituality are precious few."

Noise pollution

This week an awareness rally on the hazards of noise pollution was taken out in Tiruvannamalai on Monday January 8th. The Arunachala Education and Environment Development Trust organised the campaign, which covered Tiruvannamalai town and the villages around it; including Anaipiranthan, Oosalimedu, Kaveriyampoondi, Athiyandal and Adi Annamalai. The participants distributed hand bills, highlighting the dangers of noise pollution and the statutory regulations, to Panchayat presidents, union councillors, members of SHGs and school students.

In this respect a Writ Petition seeking the authorities to prevent the use of loud speakers along the 14km giripradakshina path around Arunachala was filed in the Madras High Court on September 29th.

The Petition was filed by the above Trust and referred to the indiscriminate use of loud speakers during the numerous festivals celebrated by people of 13 villages in Tiruvannamalai District and by (some) religious establishments on the giripradakshina path. The arbitrary use of loud speakers was causing severe noise pollution to devotees coming to Tiruvannamalai to perform prayful circumbulation of the Hill.

The Arunachala Education and Environment Development Trust also handed over a Petition to the District Collector and Environment Engineer of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Vellore. This Petition had sought to prohibit the use of loud speakers along the Girivalam path on July 28 and September 11 this year, but it received no response.

The Trust presented its case to the Court by adding that there are around 13 Ashrams, 8 Lingams, 34 Temples, and 20 Schools along the giripradakshina pathway and hence action must be taken to uphold the directions of the Supreme Court regarding the use of loud speakers during festivals and meetings.

The Madras High Court adjourned the matter, seeking reply from the Respondents, i.e. District Collector and Environment Engineer of the TNPCB.

On this extremely important point of Noise Pollution at Arunachala I will keep posts updated till hopefully the Courts rule on the side of 'peace preservation'!

Pavalakunru

This is a photograph of Pavalakunru Temple, the site of which is famous since ancient times, as the place Goddess Parvati performed her penance when she came to Arunachala. Although the Temple is famous it is one that is infrequently visited, probably due to its rather hidden access located in the busy downtown area of Tiruvannamalai.

Of the current Temple incarnation, Sri Ramana Maharshi remarked that whatever Temple may have originally existed at Pavalakunru has now disappeared, (probably on account of the invasion of the famous Tippu Sultan) and that the present Pavalakunru Temple was built at the end of the 19th century. In the above photograph the Temple looks resplendent because an extensive renovation programme was recently completed.

Ramana once discovered the remains of an old cannon (which was carried away by the Government and kept as a relic) between Pavalakunru and the northern wall of the Big Temple. It is believed that Tippu Sultan placed cannons near Pavalakunru and attacked the northern wall of the Temple which was then utilised as a fort. The north wall of Arunachaleswarar Temple still bears traces of cannon shots.

Ramana Samadhi

"For an enlightened Master, the powers or energies of expression are inexhaustible through any means. For example, for an ordinary human being, the grief emotion or joy emotion exhausts when expressed through tears; the pitha (fire element) of the body exhausts through anger; the lust energy exhausts through the sexual act, the power of speech exhausts in his very saliva the moment they are uttered.

An enlightened Master's energy of expression, cannot be exhausted through any of these means, because he is Existence, the inexhaustible source of Energy in human form. Purely by virtue of this, Masters can continue to do the things they do normally, even without being manifested in their body. And the garbha energized by them and consecrated, will cause things to function just like they do, radiating inexhaustible energy to nurture every being that seeks it. Only a Master who can function without the help of his body is capable of creating a true garbha, one that will materialize things exactly like the way he does."

[By Swami Nithyananda]

Deepam Vignette

Extract from Apeetha Arunagiri's essay on the ostensibly other-worldly Deepam festival which she calls 'a tremendous affirmation of life on Earth'.


"Hawkers come with their wares: food in particular and pictures of gods, film stars and politicians. They bring spiritual books, protective talismans, plastic toys and bunches of grapes, things to hang on your rear vision mirror and stand on your TV, and wind chimes, socks, belts, warmers for heads, underpants, bangles, molded plastic divinities, fruit trees, pillows and blankets, jewels, hair clips, watches, fruit trees and motor bikes. The religious festival becomes a vast marketplace. The Holy Hill is garlanded with opportunities.

Beggars come by the busload with their leprous legs and stumpy arms and little vehicles, and their begging bowls. Sadhus come in orange, the mendicant's uniform. Businessmen also come. Families come with plastic carry bags of clean clothes and blankets. With their shaven scalps smeared with turmeric paste, they wash their saris, dhotis and shirts in the tanks beside the 'hill-round road route', and walk with one wet end tied modestly about their body, the other held by a family member up ahead, the cloth streaming out to dry in the breeze. Skinny people with big feet and wide eyes: these are the true-blue pilgrims. Groups come with musical instruments and flower garlands, voices joining footsteps. The Hill becomes garlanded in humans, encouraged by the voices of the hawkers and the loudspeakers blaring from the frequent stands selling tapes of devotional music."

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Apeetha Arunagiri who used to be a long time resident of Arunachala is currently living in Australia. As Co-ordinator of the Arunachala Katthu Siva Plantation involved in extensive reafforestation here at Arunachala, Apeetha Arunagiri is responsible for generating funding for the work of the Organisation. In this respect her numerous essays on Arunachala, written over a period of 30 years are available to readers on a subscription basis. For more information please visit:

Introduction to other essays


Her website can be accessed at:
www.hotkey.net.au/~apeetha

Vocational Training

The Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society set up by Sylvia Wright comprises the Rangammal Memorial Hospital
at Athiyandal Village (off NH-66 Bangalore Road some 6-8 kms northwest of the centre of town and the
Rangammal Memorial School for the Hearing Impaired
at Sambanthanur Village; off Chennai Road and some 6 kms south of Tiruvannamalai.

[view of Arunachala from Sambanthanur Village]

Tiruvannamalai is situated in a rural area and is surrounded by mainly agricultural villages. There is no appreciable industrial development, thus the main source of revenue is farming and work related to the area's importance as a pilgrim and tourist centre. Most town residents are employed as lay-labourers with a consequent high rate of unemployment. Thus the work possibilities for 'special needs' people is bleak. As there is no such thing as unemployment benefit or social assistance the economic burden on the family of 'special needs' people is great.

[St. Francis statue in front of Centre]

For this reason a Vocational Training Centre, was opened adjacent to the Rangammal Memorial School to teach trades and skills compatible with a young person's mental and physical abilities and interest. Because of the lack of vocational and training schools in the Tiruvannamalai area, in certain cases, ordinary students that are not categorised as 'special needs' are admitted into courses.

[stitching class]

The trades and skills offered include computer skills,tailoring, embroidery, electrical and plumbing skills and Arts and Crafts.

[handicraft class]

The young people spend one to two years at the Vocational Centre after completing their education, learning to survive in the world.

[catering class]

On leaving the Society, help is given to them setting up a cottage industry or to find the young person employment.

[plumbing and electrical theory]

Currently the Rangammal Memorial Rehabilitation Society is liaising with a local Engineering College in order to devise a software programme which will help to develop learning opportunities for the profoundly deaf children.

Pilgrimage

This beautiful quote from the writings of the South American writer Paulo Coelho brilliantly explains the working of the process of pilgrimage.

'When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. You confront completely new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don't even understand the language the people speak. So you are like a child just out of the womb. You begin to attach much more importance to the things around you because your survival depends upon them. You begin to be more accessible to others because they may be able to help you in difficult situations. And you accept any small favour from the gods with great delight, as if it were an episode you remember for the rest of your life.

At the same time, since all things are new, you see only the beauty in them, and you feel happy to be alive. That's why a religious pilgrimage has always been one of the most objective ways of achieving insight. The world "peccadillo," which means a "small sin," comes from pecus, which means "defective foot," a foot that is incapable of walking a road. The way to correct the "peccadillo" is always to walk forward, adapting oneself to new situations and receiving in return all of the thousand blessings that life generously offers to those who seek them.'

[Paulo Coelho]

Pongal Festival

India is bestowed with the bliss of festivity. A major segment of the population here depends on agriculture, so as a result, most of the festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the people. Pongal is a highly anticipated festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu which marks the harvesting of crops by farmers and is the first festival beginning off each New Year in this State.

Pongal, will be held next week between January 13th to 16th (the dates are calculated by the solar calendar so don't change from year to year like festivals calculated by the moon calendar). The Festival is the time when people thank God, Earth and their Cattle for a wonderful harvest and celebrate the occasion with joyous festivities and rituals.

The first day of the festival, known as Bhogi, begins on the last day of the month of Margazi. On Bhogi people clean out their homes collect unwanted goods and in the evening, light bonfires and burn old, used and unwanted items signifying the destruction of memories and associations. The slate is thereby made clean and one is now ready to start the New Year.

The second day of the festival, Surya Pongal, which is the day on which the celebrations actually begin, is the first day of the Tamil month Thai. On this day, Surya, the Sun God is worshipped and women wake early to create elaborate kolam on the grounds in front of their doorway or home.

The lady starts of by sweeping in front of the house, then sprinkles water all over the ground and lays a covering paste of cow dung. Once the dung is dry, she will proceed to make wonderful, intricate, geometric patterns in white power. Previously ladies would use powdered rice; thereby providing a nice tasty treat for the ants. Unfortunately nowadays few people opt for rice and instead use powders in different colours that have all sorts of chemical additives; which instead of feeding the ant would probably finish them off quickly! If you want to enjoy an early mind-boggling experience at Pongal, watch a lady prepare her intricate kolam that morning!

It is also on this day that Chakkara Pongal, a delicacy of harvest rice cooked with jaggery, ghee and cashew nuts is offered to the Sun God.

This is a picture of a previous Pongal, in which ladies are doing a 'communal cook' of their pongal dish. Once the dish is prepared the ladies take it home to eat with their family. But by coming together in this 'communal cook' the ladies maintain a link with the ethos of village cooperation during harvest times.

The third day Maatu Pongal (maatu=cattle) is devoted to paying homage to cattle. Cows and Bulls are decorated with paint and bells and people pray to them. The fourth day, termed Kaanum Pongal, is the one on which people travel to see other family members and friends.