This is a legendary place: according to the puranas, the Arunachala mountain is said to be Shiva himself.The temple at the foot of the mountain is one of the largest in Tamil Nadu; it covers 25 acres, and the gopuram tower rises 217 feet. Once a year during the Deepam Festival, a huge fire is lit at the top of the mountain. A copper cauldron filled with ghee (clarified butter) is lit--it's light can be seen up to 30 miles away. This is the fire linga, where Shiva appears as a column of light, having taken Shakthi into himself as Ardhanariswara, a merging of male and female.
(from: "Cherished Memories" by T.R. Kanakammal)
We were taken to the Ramana Ashram yesterday by our gracious Hostess, proprietoress of the guest cottages where we are staying. She lives here with her husband for six months of the year here in their beautiful little oasis about 2 miles from the ashram--they have been coming here for the last 30 years-- Melissa met them at Music Academy dance festival in Chennai last week. That was our good fortune...the center of Tiruvannamalai is very congested and noisy. "Sonagiri" lies about 2 miles from the ashram.
The ashram is spotlessly clean and constantly swept. Like a Zen sand garden, the orange earth is coaxed into neat patterns and kept remarkably pristine. In fact, the whole place has a South Indian style Zen feeling --very minimalist and peaceful. Peacocks roam freely, and seem to like to grace the tops of the ashram buildings,perching majestically on the temple-like pinacles.
We arrived just in time for afternoon arati (puja ceremony with fire). The stone hall reverberated with Sanskrit chants from a group of Brahmin priests and pujaris --of all ages, the youngest looking as tho he was under 10. Their hair was pulled back into a neat knot at the side of their heads. I love the sound of this chanting. Very ancient, very intense (nothing soft about it at all) and very loud.
SONAGIRI:
There are lots of monkeys here. Granted, they can be a nuisance, but I love seeing them around. Yesterday I was talking on my cell outside on the veranda steps to the rooftop, and practically jumped out of my skin when a large monkey jumped over my head! The street out in front is swarming with monkeys that deftly avoid oncoming traffic.
Wide sidewalks and old gnarly trees line the roadway here. Since this is a sacred pilgrimage place, there are many sadhus in orange, walking past, doing the 17 mile circumambulation of the mountain. This morning as I was sitting outside having my morning chai, one orange-clad monk walked by, singing loudly ...I was appreciating the fact that it is accepted here to be possessed by the spirit, and be able to express it, without being labeled insane.
So many disparities, as always, here (India in general). Still reading this incredibly terrible and wonderful book on Bombay called "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found" by Suketa Mehta. A must-read for anyone with 1/2 an interest in the subject! Alternately terrifying, hilarious, engrossing, and deeply depressing. Every flavor explored in full and gory detail, beautifully expressed. I love Bombay,I hate Bombay! It IS India, it isn't India at all...
My favorite author William Dalrymple has this to say:
"Maximum City is the remarkable debut of a major new Indian writer. Humane and moving, sympathetic but outspoken,it's a shocking and sometimes heartbreaking book, teeming with extraordinary stories. It is unquestionably one of the most memorable non-fiction books to come out of India for many years, and there is little question that it will become the classic study of Bombay."
The book was published in 2004, and recommended to me by two Odissi dancer sisters I met in Bhubaneswar (thanks to Jaya and Swati! Disciples of Pratibha Jena Singh)They also recommended "Beautiful Thing", a book on the bar girls of Bombay, by Sonia Faleiro. I haven't gotten a chance to pick it up yet, but that's on my list for the next long train trip I take.
Today we will visit the temple in town, and maybe venture partway up the mountain. I was here 17 years ago (hard to believe that much time has I a passed) and found my way on my own up the mountain. Hopefully will be lucky again, tho I am sure there are many people who could guide us. This place is now swarming with Westerners..very different than when I was first here, and actually felt somewhat unwelcomed.
But once I walked up the mountain, I found my way 'by chance' to a small house, painted bright blue. On the outside of it was printed, in English "Here meditated the holy sage Ramana Maharshi in this cave". A lone swami invited me in: the house had been constructed around a cave at the back. He ushered me in and showed me to a very small cave --one of the many that Ramana Maharshi spent many years meditating in-the walls had been painted, it was illuminated by oil lamps, and photos of Ramana had been placed there as it was now a shrine to the sage of Arunachala. It was a remarkable small moment in time, but I'll never forget it. Hope that we happen upon it again, this time around.
(Apologies for typos...I know there are errors in here...will try to keep up with the editing.)
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