My  time  at Thiruvanamalai temple hills

Ever since my wife Mrs.Ramalakshmi  breathed her last and bid good buy to us family members and the planet earth, It has been my vision and ambition to go on a sabbatical  to a pilgrimage center and be in solitude for some time. Last Karthikai  Deepam time my grand daughter selvi  Netraa wanted to go to Thiruvannamalai temple since she had her dance performance at LORD  ARUNACHALAESWAR A  temple at Thiruvannamalai and she thus wished to visit the temple once more. I quickly joined her troupe with her class mate and friend Gayathri, her mother, and of course my D.I.L  and her father Mr.Sengodan, while Selvi Netra and her friend choose to climb up the hill to view the Deepam ,we preferred to walk around the Girivalam  route. It nearly 4 hrs to complete the 14 k.m circle road. We returned the same night to Coimbatore although very late arriving at 2.30 a.m.

Since coming back I have trying to get an accommodation at Sri.Ramna Ashram but due Covid -19 issues the ashram was not open to public. 

Through chain of contacts,Mr.Kanthimathinathan,MrJayan of Hydrabed,Mr.Shanmugam at Thiruvanamalai, and finally with Mr. Vadivelu,  I booked accommodation in guest house located near the Grivalam route, reached he guest house by 3.30 p.m.New building but unfortunately it has no wash basin, this I realised only after confirming  the room, otherwise it is comfortable, with Geyser, fan and of course no mosquito. I said to myself, an opportunity without a wash basin for me to accept, adjust, given to me while I am on a sabbatical pilgrimage a learning curve to understand life. With Mr.Vadivelu I went to the temple, had good divine dharsan of Lord Arunaleswara, had fruits and nuts , retired early to bed. Next Morning by 5.30 a.m stepped out of the room ,on my way for Girivalam, walked with medium pace chanting Om Namasivaya, completed the 14k.Im route in about 4 hrs. Indeed I felt a sense of calmness,peace and happiness after completing the Grivalam ,had couple of Iddlies wh In the evening escorted by Mr.Vadivelu went to the temple had a good dharsan of Lord Siva. Went to bed  early after a couple of biscuits and two plantains.

Next Morning Vadivelu drove my car and we went to very old ancient temple of LORD PERUMAL at Adhi Thiruvarangam about 27 k.m from the guest house. There is a small rivulet which I was told is the stream let out from the nearby Sathanur dam for irrigation purposes.

 After washing our feet we entered  the temple .which looks very ancient. LORD PERUMAL is in the lateral recumbent lying position, while worshipping the LORD  the pujari told us there I am due to visit the ancient temple ,and that is the reason you have come here to day

When the Pujari told me about my Karma offered my gratitude for bringing me here at your feet, and prayers to LORD PERUMAL and sought his blessings

   This is the one very old architecture near the compound  wall of the temple, it doesn’t appear to be the sanctum sanctorum of Lord, but the different architecture is very impressive

Now I am reading “Kriya Yoga” book by Paramahamsa Harharananda a wonderful book on Kriya Yoga. In the evening visited the temple for the second time and had very good dharsan of LORD ARUNALESWARA. My original plan is to walk the Kirivalam daily, but due to the cramps I had the first day,I decided to skip the kirivalam

On the third day the 11^th of Feb, Thursday, I wanted to visit the nursery in the morning, but the acting driver vadivelu arranged for me, wished to start early since he wanted to catch the 3.30 train at Coimbatore for his return journey. I said O.K, and decided to have LORD dharsan early morning at 5.30 a.m.. Leaving my sandals at the front entrance I entered the temple through RAJGOPURAM entrance, not much crowd, had a good dharsan. went around the temple, worshipped Lord GIGANTIC NANDHI, found a place of solitude sat down and recited the “SIVA PURANAM” compiled by Thiruganasambander for ten mins. Happened to see a board “PATHALA  LINGAM” went inside, a small LINGAM  located about 15ft,below.It is  the LORD LINGAM which I believe that Sri.Rmanamaharishi worshipped for years forbearing the termite and insect bites, and latter attained his MAHA SAMADHI. This Sanctum was renovated and inaugurated by the then Governor general Sri Rajagopalachariyar in the year 1949. Offered  my prayers for some time sitting in the steps leading down the basement.

 The temple has high rise compound walls on all four sides with an entrance on all four sides. Being new, I was not properly orientated  about the exit ways, I was passing  by, trying to find the exit, a one I found ,I said no, I should find my way out only through Raja gopuram, so retraced my steps, looking hither and thither for some one to guide me,  all around it barricaded with brass separator to form a queue system. Suddenly one couple pushed the barrier and entered to worship  LORD NANDHI, o.k I said and  eased myself found elderly gentleman sitting in chair ,covered with a shawl  all by himself, I decide to ask  him to guide me to Rajagopuram entrance , before I could open a conversation, with the elder gentleman , another devotee came and I enquired about the way to Rajagopuram, he promised to show me, offered me milk abisakam , I religiously sipped it, he later told that this milk abisakam is being performed first in the morning for nearly 40 years, and the milk is procured by the elder gentleman quietly seated, his name is SriRanganathar. I touched his feet and  took the blessings of Sri Rangamnathar. I was guided to the Rajagopuram until then I totally forgot that I left my sandals at the entrance my earlier intention to find Rajagopuram was not to get back my sandals,I just wished to go out through Rajagopuram. Easing myself at a corner as I offered my prayers reciting Sivapuranam  . It is then my thoughts flashed to my mind , loitering within the temple to find my way out, why did I wished to go out through Rajagopuram only ? ! Definitely not to find my  sandals. Why I did  choose to retrace my steps, what guided me to  meet the SriRanganathar seated alone ?,how come I was blessed  with the milk abisekam that is being performed meticulously for 40 years by a devotee ,most certainly it is not simple accidental incident, but the divine blessings of LORD  ARUNALSWARA. I have not told anyone about the happenings and my perception of the events for they will brush off as Oh. It is just a coincidence, I believe it, that is what it counts ,thus I journal  the happenings for my own peace and which will enable me seek self realization and bonding with cosmic consciousness.  I most certainly wish to go again, pay my respects to Sri Ranganathar and take his blessing with a drop of milk abisekam