The glory of Arunachala!

"Persons with minds free from attachment to riches, lands, relatives, caste and the like and, having become pure, seek benign grace at the red lotus feet of the Lord of Compassion abiding as Arunachala, rid themselves of their ignorance and, attaining the grace which shines like the rays of the rising sun, always abide in this world happy, sunk in the Ocean of Bliss." 
Sri Ramana MAharshi. the necklace of nine gems. Verse 3

If there is someone who can speak with authority and utmost coherence about the glory of Arunachala, that would be, of course, Sri Bhagavan... and he did... his poetry about the hill declares his love for it... as some people say, if he was "attached" to something it was to Arunachala. As for myself, I could only stand in awe, captive by its power and wonder... wandering about its secluded atmosphere, imbibed in its silence and austere surroundings... there is no more to ask.  The Ashram itself is glorious indeed, one can spend lifetimes in its rich granthalayam (library) worship on the shrine or temple, etc... but the Hill itself is the most tranquil place.

Coming from Chennai, I reached Tiruvannamalai in the morning... the first thing I did after visiting arunachaleswar temple was hiking up the hill of fire (Arunachala) you first pass through some villages and then you can see the glorious hill right in front of you. Is completely peaceful and beautiful... there are caves around where one can spend the night with no issues.

At the Ashram the reception was very kind, as a saddhu they allow you to stay for three nights without paying (meals included)... and the guest house is awesome! actually is quite luxurious... you have a very comfortable room with private hot water bathroom and a sweet balcony... You can see the influence of the westerners there and its great because this allows many people to come. I was so grateful!... I had a gorgeous time meeting some western advaita teachers and also some very known swamis from India. In the mornings and evenings you can just sit quietly and listen to the chants in sanskrit from the brahmin boys... Is very nice, the meditation hall is open from 4 am onwards, they serve breakfast at 7;30am, lunch at 11;30, tea at 4pm and dinner at 7;30pm... the dinning room is a huge hall where everyone sits on the ground and eats with hands in the manner of indian culture... they serve food on banana leaves or dried leaves plates... The whole complex is neat and extremely clean which is hard to see in other ashrams here in india, unless its a famous one. 

All of the big ashrams here have a Goshala (dairy farm) and they produce with its milk the most delicious sweets! here is no exception... the food also is very simple but delicious. I have some stories from my diary pages but I'm a bit tired now... actually I'm way behind my writings... after Tiruvananamalai I went to Auroville in Pondicherry but that's another story... Now im sharing a precious time in Sri lanka with my Theravada brethrens.


"Tear off these robes, expose me naked, then robe me with Thy love, Oh Arunachala!"
Sri Ramana MAharshi. marital garland of leters. Verse 30

'All stones in that place [Arunachala] are lingams. It is indeed the Abode of Lord Siva. All trees are the wish-granting trees of Indra's heaven. Its rippling waters are the Ganges, flowing through our Lord's matted locks. The food eaten there is the ambrosia of the Gods. When men move about in that place it is the earth performing pradakshina around it. Words spoken there are holy scripture, and to fall asleep there is to be absorbed in samadhi, beyond the mind's delusion. Could there be any other place which is its equal?'

- Arunachala Puranam