Guest guest Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Arunachala Grace News - December, 2007 Arunachala Tidbits New Blogs Arunachala Grace Network has started two new blogs dedicated to supplying you with specialised information on various aspects of Arunachala and Tiruvannamalai District. Arunachala Land is committed to giving information and resources to ensure you find the RIGHT land or property at Arunachala. Arunachala birds is dedicated to sharing information about Birds and related ecosystem of Arunachala and surrounding countryside. As well as information about the species of indigenous and migratory Birds at Arunachala, the Blog will also supply news and developments that will affect the life of Birds and Animals of this area. Sri Nannagaru and Reforestation J.Jayaram (known to many as the Ramana Ashram librarian) and who has a long association with the ARS (Arunachala Reforestation Society) met briefly with Sri Nannagaru on the 27th November. During their conservation Sri Nannagaru remarked that everytime he looked at Arunachala he thought of the ARS and the work they are engaged in as he remembers how denuded and barren the Hill was previously and how luxuriant and green it is now. Incident at Mahadeepam It is estimated a crowd in excess of a million attended the 2007 Mahadeepam lighting function at Arunachala. However the occasion was not completely without incident. Just before the lighting of the flame which occurred shortly after 6 p.m. on November 24th, a flame appeared on the Hill directly below the area containing the Deepam cauldron. The flame was so large that some people even thought that it was the Deepam light itself. Miscreants allegedly set fire to the dry grass on the Hill, a few minutes before the sacred lamp was lit. Six photo-journalists, who covered the lighting of the Karthigai Mahadeepam on Saturday, found themselves in the midst of a fire which broke out on the hilltop. One photo-journalist said; "We were scared when the fire encircled us. There was no way of escape for us except to backtrack on our path. Luckily, it changed course. We reached the plains after a lot of difficulty since we missed the path while trying to avoid the fire," other devotees also faced difficulties due to the fire. Hotel Sparsa Tiruvannamalai The new luxury Hotel in Tiruvannamalai is now open. In addition to rooms being available, the restaurant and swimming pool are also now open. Finishing work on the Health Club, Shops and landscaping is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Have we changed the name? Because nobody has told me or anyone else here at Tiruvannamalai! If you go to the 'Wikipedia' site and type 'Arunachala' in the search box you will be sent to 'Annamalai Hill'. Which is an article supposedly maintained by the 'Tamil Nadu Work Group', to 'improve organisation and standardised look and feel of articles related to the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.' The Group has decided to abandon the name 'Arunachala' (Sanksrit) in preference for the name 'Annamalai' (Tamil). More at below link>>> Have we changed the name? Animal Shelter During the Deepam Period, I attended a beautiful puja at the Animal Shelter to celebrate the establishment of their new Trust; "Arunachala Animals Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter". The fundamental basis of the Trust is to alleviate the suffering of animals and its core objectives are: Sterilization and Anti-rabies: Through ABC i.e. Animal Birth Control, the Shelter endeavours to reduce the dog population. And also through their Anti-rabies drive works to eliminate rabies in dogs, and thereby eradicate the risk of rabies infection from dogs and small animals to humans. The clinic thus far has sterilized over 900 dogs. The Shelter hopes to start EAN (early age neutering at about 6 weeks of age) procedures in the future. The operation which is already well known in the West reduces the post operative recovery times for the dog. Clinic: Since its inception the Animal Hospital has treated 400 small animals/dogs. The Shelter only charges for pedigree and mixed Western breed dogs. In this respect 80% of dogs are Indian dogs and thereby receive free treatment. Emergency operations are performed at the shelter, which is currently manned by 2 highly qualified veterinary doctors and several assistants. Currently 25 puppies and about 20 dogs, are at the Clinic either recovering from operations or waiting adoption. Hospital: At this time 20 in-house patients. Sanctuary: The Animal Shelter provides permanent sanctuary to about 7-10 dogs, whose condition varies from non-use of legs, broken back, missing limbs, old age etc. Hospice: For dying creatures. The dying animal receives intensive care and is also put on a prayer list of Tibetan Buddhist Red Tara practitioners in order to receive all psychic support during the death process. Puja and Shelter Photographs Competition versus Creativeness If you were to take an average person living in the West, and ask him, "Who are you?" he would answer with either his name or his job or both. Similarly, he has an impression of his own success, his own wealth, his own ability, and his own desirability, which he has gained not from looking within but from comparing himself with those around him. The essence of mankind is not competition; it is creativeness. In all this world there is no another you, nor has there ever been another you. Is it not ridiculous to attempt to mold yourself into a likeness of your fellows, to attempt to undo the work that God has gone? For you, as an especial part of the Universal Intelligence, are manifested here on this earth in the form you now occupy to do work that only you can do! No matter how humble your job may seem, no matter how unprepossessing your position in life, take heart! The Universe has sired no other person like you. Only you can be you. Only you can draw upon the infinite for those divine powers that are yours. There is a fine line of demarcation between competition and creativeness in the minds of everyone today. Yet they are black and white, complete opposites on the polar scale. Competition attempts to be like. Creativeness attempts to be unlike. Competition casts all humanity in the same mold, Creativeness makes of each man an individual counterpart of God. Competition exists on the plane that makes you want to have a better home than the next man, a better car than him, a better job than him. It leads you into the suffocating trap of not wanting the different but wanting the same, only better. It imposes upon you a scale of values that is not your own but belongs to a group. Creativeness and non-conformity are an expansion into Cosmic understanding while conformity and competition are death knells to the spirit. [by U.S. Andersen] Emerald Dove Chalcophaps Indica Green-winged Pigeon, Bronze-winged Dove Main features: Medium (25cm), metallic green mantle, wings; head, underparts rich pink. Male: Forehead, eyebrow, shoulder white; crown and nape greyish; bill red; feet crimson. Female: Same as male but duller; forehead, eyebrow grey; crown, nape brown; white shoulder patch absent or indistinct. Call: Described as a low cu-oo or tik-oo, repeated monotonously; soft deep tu-hoop. In flight: Green wings and mantle contrasts strongly with reddish underparts; two distinct black and white bars on lower back. World distribution: India across to China and the Philippines, Southeast Asia to eastern Australia. Classification: Family Columbidae. World 310 species. The beautiful Emerald Dove is the State Bird of Tamil Nadu. It is quite common in Tiruvannamalai District but as its very shy and secretive, is rarely seen. Emerald Doves feed on fallen fruit and seeds (including grass seeds, figs and bamboo). They also eat tidbits like termites. Unlike some fruit-eating birds, however, Emerald Doves destroy the seeds that they eat and don't appear to play a major role in plant dispersal. This bird usually forages on the ground, mostly under tree cover. Sometimes, they cautiously venture out onto open grassland to forage, but will scuttle back into the undergrowth at the slightest hint of danger. They fly low and quickly, zipping in and out among trees and undergrowth. They also visit mineral seeps in the forest. Unlike other doves, Emerald Doves forage alone, or in pairs. When several are drawn to a food-rich areas, each maintains a small feeding territory. Pigeons and doves do not have well-developed oil glands, which in other birds are used to waterproof their feathers. Instead, pigeons and doves have special plumes scattered throughout their body which disintegrate to produce a powder which cleans and lubricates the feathers. Emerald Doves appear to have a limited breeding season from April to September. Like other pigeons, the nest is a flimsy platform, often simply leaf litter that gathers naturally in a palm frond, stabilised by a few twigs. A nest may comprise a large leaf lying on a tangle of creepers. They only nest in the forest or closed-canopy woodland, 1-5m above the ground. Males perform a bobbing dance during courtship. 1-2 white eggs are laid, but usually only 1 chick survives. Only the female incubates. The eggs hatch in about 2 weeks and the young fledges in 12-13 days. Although Emerald Doves may travel long distances to forage for food and are somewhat nomadic (following fruiting seasons), they are not migratory. They are found in lowland and montane forests, secondary growths, mangroves; also in cultivated lands. Emerald Doves have adapted to feed in parks and agricultural land, but still require natural wooded areas to nest in. Because of their beautiful colouration and soothing call, Emerald Doves are often trapped and sold as cage birds. Pigeon's Milk The most fascinating feature of pigeons and doves is their ability to produce crop milk. During breeding season, special glands in the crops of both males and females enlarge and secrete a thick milky substance. The chicks drink this milk by poking their bills into the parent's throat. Thus, pigeons and doves can feed their young without having to incessantly hunt or forage for food. Instead of laying many eggs, they lay one or at most two eggs. Emerald Dove Asoka Asoka, i.e. Saraca asoca (indica) of the family Caesalpiniaceae, is the `Asoka maram' which refers to the legendary Ashok Vatika, where Sita was kept in captivity. Native to India it is also called "Sorrow-less tree" because ashoka means "sorrowless". That is why the tree is regarded as a symbol of love and is dedicated to Kama Deva, who is known to kindle passion and love in the human heart. Numerous legends are attributed to this tree and it is sacred to the Buddhists and the Hindus who plant this tree around their temples. Buddha is believed to have been born under this tree. It is also seen sculpted on ancient Buddhist temples in Sanchi and Mathura. Being a sacred tree, married Hindu women eat the flower buds of Saraca asoca on the "Ashok Shasthi day" to guard their children against grief and sorrow. Saraca Asoca is a slow growing, small, evergreen tree with a smooth grey, brown bark. Though the flowers are seen throughout the year, it is from February till May that the profusion of orange and scarlet flowers transforms the tree into a startling beauty. The clusters consist of numerous, long-tubed flowers, which open out into four lobes having the appearance of petals, which in fact is the calyx. At the summit of the corolla tubes, are the fairly long and conspicuous stamens. These flowers are highly fragrant in the night. The young leaves are soft, red and limp and remain pendent even after attaining the full size. The red, straight pods are stiff, leathery and fleshy. The bark of Saraca Asoca contains the estrogenic compound ketosterol, which is effective against menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids and internal haemorrhoids and also enhances the restoration of the endometrium and stops bleeding. Saraca asoca is a vital component in the ayurvedic medicine U-CAP, capsules used for uterine disorders. The womenfolk of Chattisgarh boil the bark in cow's milk, add sugar and consume it once a day for three days and repeat the course after three months to prevent gynaecological disorders. In ancient medical and historical literature, this tree is reputed to be a great healer for mental disorder conditions and protective against negative environmental influences. It is also reputed to protect against ill-fortune and astral attacks of negative conditions and evil spirits. The Ashok has often been mistakenly identified as the Mast Tree (Polyalthia Longiflolia). To read more refer to link at bottom right of this newsletter. Information on Asoka Tree Deepam Day At about 4:30 a.m. this day November 24th, Bharani Deepam, the small main sanctum of the massive Arunachaleswarar Temple, is packed with souls who have been waiting in line all night. The chief priest has just finished a simple ritual called Bharani Deepam and now ceremoniously waves a huge camphor flame in the direction of nearby Arunachala mountain. Although he is chanting Sanskrit slokas, he cannot be heard amidst the deafening furor of devotion that surrounds him. Finally, he touches the flame he is holding to the wicks of five huge, earthen, ghee-filled pots, representing the sacred elements earth, air, fire, water and ether. As these five flames loom up with red-yellow light, the famous, one-day, South Indian festival of Krittika Deepam officially begins. Right Click To Read More Dos and Donts A charming extract of "Dos and Donts" appearing on an official Deepam website which I am reproducing without any editing - as it makes for much better reading that way! 1) Devotees are advised not to throw wastages on the wayside of the Girivalam path. 2) Devotees are requested to not to go far away from Girivalam path for attending the call of nature and advised to use the toilets and lavatories constructed for use of devotees on the wayside of girivalam path. 3) Devotees are requested not to wear too much of precious gold jewels on the day of Maha Deepam to avoid thefts. 4) Devotees are advised to maintain the cleanliness and sacredness of Lord Arunachaleswarar by not consuming any alcoholic drinks during Dharshan, Girivalam and climbing of hills on the day of Maha Deepam. 5) Devotees are advised to use the regular and prescribed path for climbing of hills. 6) Elder persons, sick patients of Heart ailment, Diabetes, Blood Pressure are requested not to climb hills. 7) The hill climbers (Devotees) are requested to co-operate with police personnel enroute hill top as the hill top is not a plain surface having slope rocks with insufficient space. At the time of litting Deepam all devotees are requested to keep a distance from the burning point to avoid congestion and fire accident. 8) During hill climbing the devotees are advised not to lit fire the greeneries which will destroy the whole hill greeneries. 9) Devotees are instructed to maintain traffic discipline by not over taking one another, by not parking on road sides and co-operate with Traffic police personnel by obeying traffic rules and signals. 11) Devotees are advised not to engage autos for girivalam on the day of Maha Deepam as plying of autos inside T.V.Malai Town and Girivalam path is not allowed. 12) Devotees are advised not to use the plastic materials and throw it on the wayside of the Girivalam path. 13) The devotees are requested not to lit the camphors at all over the places on the Girivalam path. 14) The devotees are requested to keep Phone/Contact numbers and address slip in the pockets of their children for handing over them, in case of missing in the crowd. Arunachala Grace Network Aum! Let us listen with our ears to that which is auspicious, adorable one. Let us perceive with our eyes what is holy and auspicious. With strong, stable body and limbs, may we seek the Divine Grace and accept the noble order of all our life.************************* Arunachala Grace Network Arunachala Grace Newsletter www.arunachalasamudra.org http://arunachalagrace.blogspot.com http://arunachalabirds.blogspot.com http://arunachalaland.blogspot.com contact: arunachalana We are including a facility on this newsletter for readers who do not yet have their own subscription. [Please remember to adjust your 'spam' recognition to facilitate acceptance of the Newsletter]:Click Here to Subscribe Greatness of Deepam Festival Sage Gowthama said: "I shall describe to you the glory of that which liberates people from all sins and bestows all prosperity. In the mount of Karthika, on the day of the star Krittika during pradosha (i.e. thirteenth day country from the new moon/full moon) the fortunate ones who perform giripradakshina are not born again. All karmas are destroyed on performance of giripradakshina. It is customary to circumambulate the Hill for a Mandela or forty days. One who is not able to do this may perform giripradakshina at least for eleven days. If even this is not possible, then one should go round the Hill on the day of Deepam. This is equivalent to performing crores of Yagnas. (note: one crore 10 million). He who worships the Deepam lit atop the Hill derives countless blessings. A person residing elsewhere may light lamps in front of any shrine of Siva, atop His temple towers or on the peaks of other hills and he will be blessed. Whatever may be the attitude of the devotee, the mere lighting of the lamp on this day with any type of oil available confers great merit on him. He who as darshan of this light on Arunachala Hill acquires the merit of having performed great charity and of having bathed in the sacred rivers. Who can express in words the benefits enjoyed by the one who has darshan of the peak of Arunachala with the beacon light glowing?" The Glory of Arunachala [skanda Upapuranam] ********************************** Deepam Festival - Another Legend Long ago, King Vajresan of Panchala who was childless, was blessed with a son after having darshan of the Arunachala Deepam in the month of Kartika. The son was named Shatrujith. The prince grew up to be lecherous man. He once eloped with the wife of a Vedic scholar and came to Tiruvannamalai and entered the Temple of Arunachaleswarar. It was the day of the festival of the beacon. The paramour made a wick out of her sari and lit the lamp with castor oil. At that moment the Vedic scholar came there and in a fit of rage stabbed his wife and the prince. And in turn the prince killed him. Since it was a gruesome murder committed in the sacred precincts of the Temple the three were about to be taken to hell by the messengers of Yama, lord of death. At that moment the messengers of Siva intervened and claimed the prince and the woman as their own and took them to the abode of Siva. Their blasphemous acts were condoned by Arunachala Himself because the wife made a wick and the prince helped her to light the lamp for the Supreme Lord. But the Vedic scholar was puzzled, as he was held by the messengers of Yama. The prince, moved by the plight of the Vedic scholar, ordered the vessel used for lighting the Karthika lamp to release the scholar. Immediately the Vedic scholar was liberated. Thus all the three, despite their misdeeds, were taken to the abode of Siva, as the merit gained by the simple act of lighting a lamp on Kartika day in his Temple outweighed their devilish acts. The Glory of Arunachala [skanda Upapuranam] Monks in Pleasure Garden Once upon a time, there was a high class rich man who gave up his wealth and his easy life in the ordinary world. He went to the Himalayan forests and lived as a homeless holy man. By practicing meditation, he developed his mind and gained the highest knowledge. Dwelling in high mental states, he enjoyed great inner happiness and peace of mind. Before long, he had many pupils. In a certain year, when the rainy season was beginning, the pupils said to their teacher, "Oh wise master, we would like to go to the places where most people live. We would like to get some salt and other seasonings and bring them back here." The teacher said, "You have my permission. It would be healthy for you to do so, and return when the rainy season is over. But I will stay here and meditate by myself." They knelt down and paid their farewell respects. The pupils went to Benares and began living in the royal pleasure garden. The next day they collected alms in the villages outside the city gates. They received generous gifts of food. On the following day they went inside the city. People gladly gave them food. After a few days, people told the king, "Oh lord king, some forest monks have come from the Himalayas to live in your pleasure garden. They live in a simple way, without luxuries. They control their senses and are known to be very good indeed." Hearing such good reports, the king went to visit them. He knelt down and paid his respects. He invited them to stay in the garden during the whole four months of the rainy season. They accepted, and from then on were given their food in the king's palace. Before long a certain holiday took place. It was celebrated by drinking alcohol, which the people thought would bring good luck. The King of Benares thought, "Good wine is not usually available to monks who live simply in the forests. I will treat them to some as a special gift." So he gave the forest monks a large quantity of the very best tasting wine. The monks were not at all accustomed to alcohol. They drank the king's wine and walked back to the garden. By the time they got there, they were completely drunk. Some of them began dancing, while others sang songs. Usually they put away their bowls and other things neatly. But this time they just left everything lying around, here and there. Soon they all passed out into a drunken sleep. When they had slept off their drunkenness, they awoke and saw the messy condition they'd left everything in. They became sad and said to each other, 'We have done a bad thing, which is not proper for holy men like us." Their embarrassment and shame made them weep with regret. They said, 'We have done these unwholesome things only because we are away from our holy teacher." At that very moment the forest monks left the pleasure garden and returned to the Himalayas. When they arrived they put away their bowls and other belongings neatly, as was their custom. Then they went to their beloved master and greeted him respectfully. He asked them, How are you, my children? Did you find enough food and lodgings in the city? Were you happy and united?" They replied. "Venerable master, we were happy and united. But we drank what we were not supposed to drink. We lost all our common sense and self-control. We danced and sang like silly monkeys. It's fortunate we didn't turn into monkeys! We drank wine, we danced, we sang, and in the end we cried from shame." The kind teacher said, "It is easy for things like this to happen to pupils who have no teacher to guide them. Learn from this. do not do such things in the future." From then on they lived happily and grew in goodness. The moral is: A pupil without a teacher is easily embarrassed. The Screen Desire gives you suffering. Whenever any desire arises, you want to go near it, you want to achieve it, and you do. Then you are happy, isn't it? You may think that it is the object of desire that made you happy, but really it is the momentary absence of desire that follows immediately after the satisfaction of a desire, the moment of emptiness, that makes you happy. Being empty of desire is happiness. Return to your own Source and you are happy. This is the trick of happiness When you go to a theatre you see pictures projected on a screen. Some are of mountains and rivers, some of romance and some are people being attacked by robers. When the movies is over the screen has not wetness from the river, nor aroma from the romance, nor bullet holes form the robber's guns. The screen is immaculately clean. This manifestation is all a projection of your desire that falls across your mind and causes you to identify yourself as the projected watcher of the picture. You are not these projections, you are the Screen. If you identify yourself with the Immaculate, Unchanging, Eternal Screen itself, which is the same before, during, and after the show, you will not change and so you will not suffer the changes but enjoy them. [HWL Poonja] Poems and Inspiration Believing is a fine thing, but placing those beliefs into execution is a test of strength. Many are those who talk like the roar of the sea, but their lives are shallow and stagnant, like the rotting marshes. Many are those who lift their heads above the mountain tops, but their spirits remain dormant in the obscurity of the caverns. [Kahlil Gibran] Man struggles to find life outside himself, unaware that the life he is seeking is within him. [Kahlil Gibran] No gate too straight, no journey too far When the path is lit by the gleam Of the radiant rays of teh guiding star Of love, the law that's supreme [unknown] There is no existence for that which is unreal; there is no non-existence for that which is real. [bhagavad-Gita] Links: Arunachala WebsiteArunachala BlogArunachala LandArunachala BirdsArunachala ArchivesAsoka TreeMast TreesHave we changed the Name?Deepam DayPuja and Animal PhotosDeepam NarrativesSri Nannagaru WebsiteEmerald DoveHWL Poonja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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