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 11th
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
