Girivalam - Walking the Arunachala circuit!!

                                      pic courtesy : google images ...Arunachala mountain

Alert: a very lengthy post but i would appreciate if you read this. Thanks.

In the past many months especially 4-5 months, It had been my wish to go for a marathon or more than running I wanted to speed walk for 10Km. I regularly walk and  practice yoga but other than that the last one year I wasn't  confident of my physical fitness thanks to a health setback.Now that I have almost recovered, I wanted to test my endurance in any walkathon  and was waiting for an opportunity.

As if my wish was heard, my little sis said she would  be walking around the circuit of Arunachala hill (14km) . This is actually a spiritual yogic walk  called Girivalam or Giri pradakshina and must be having some significance, I don’t know . I didn't even bother to google  its benefits , I immediately said I wanted to join her in the walk too.

Now continuing with my previous post where I said I got up at 3 in the morning with just 1.5 hours of sleep, My sis and I  after a bath and just a sip of water, set out for Girivalam at the stroke of 3.45 from ‘Achalam’ our guest house, we walked to Sri Ramana ashram which was  some 500 metres(  or may be less than a km) away.  Traditionally, the girivalam starts and ends from the Shiva temple (Annamalai) but ours started  from  ‘ Sri Ramana Ashram’.  Needless to say, it was pitch dark sky but the pathway was lighted with Sodium vapour lamps which was  laid or donated  a few years back by Filmactor Rajnikanth( another great devotee of Sri Ramana)  to facilitate the walkers.

There were a few people at that unearthly hour who were also doing the girivalam but we slowly walked past them  and after a few kms, the atmosphere was eerie with  herbal forest and cemetry  on either side . I chanted ‘Om nama Shivaya” and walked as fast as my legs could carry .  I tried to  match up my sister’s stamina at all stages.

Traditionally, one has to walk in and out of all the 17 or 18 temples on the circuit, but like I said, I was not conforming to the rules and so just bowed  my head to all the gods I could see on the circuit.  All along the road now, I could see many sadhus, god men in ochre robes sleeping on the foot path with their alm bowls and a water bottle. How difficult it must be for them to sleep in such humid weather but they know not of AC comforts. 

There was no morning nip in the air,  not even one leaf rustled,  the trees were stand still, even then the still air was redolent with herbal aroma emanating from the  forest around.  A few people ( men) walked past us and  a few we left behind  but we continued our walk with the same pace as we started.

6kms into the walk we had an husband and wife  couple who walked right in the middle of the road while we walked on the side of the road and just then when I glanced sidewards, I could see the Arunachala hill showing up since the forest cover had receded. At the very first look, it mesmerized me and I could absorb  the vibes of  Arunachala. It surely was not like the regular mountain or mounds that I often come across in the rocky terrain area where I live. Neither did I feel anything, when  I see the many rocky hills and mountains at KRishnagiri enroute Tiruvannamalai.  But, this mountain, surely oozed grace, divinity and  one sure could be cloaked in bliss.

Again, the forest cover hid the mountain and all along my walk  the mountain was playing hide and seek, and I enjoyed the game  and chanting “Arunachala Shiva”  and slowly when the twilight appeared, a beautiful cloud was hanging and it was a terrific sight to catch, A photo would have done justice but I was walking bare hands.

 pic courtesy: google images. this is close to how it looked to me at twilight with a cloud hanging across in haze

With all these hide and seek, The dawn had cracked and we reached the main road. I had clearly completed 11 kms and more , Somewhere near the main road, we lost track of the couple who were walking with us( we never talked though, not even me and my sis).  At the main road, I realized,only  I was sweating profusely all along and my sister was totally dry. 

The city traffic caught on and the stray dogs were plenty on the  very broad main road, I had to negotiate carefully on the side walk where there was garbage all along and traffic of buses, cyclists and motorists. My pace slowed down although I continued walking with out a break. I was sure, a slight knock by a cyclist would have brought me down to ground. my legs were wobbly yet they were walking.   I sensed cramps in my lower half of the body and was slowly losing my confidence to walk another 3 kms. I was wishing the temple tower was in sight atleast that way I knew how much more I had to walk but the temple tower was nowhere in sight. I glanced sideways now and  could catch a full vision of Arunachala. Now  my sister was more than 100 meters ahead of me and I was almost hoping I would fall down , the city traffic was totally chaotic, add to that the many stray dogs which were fighting and coming closer to me. 

 I once again glanced sidewords  to Arunachala for inspiration and decided I must push myself and start walking although I felt my legs were heavy and I felt my hands were swollen( but they were’nt) .

Suddenly, my sister realized I was not close to her and turned back, when I told her, I have cramps and I felt my hands were crampy too.  She realized I was dehydrated due to  excessive sweating ( she is a nutritionist) and so she  told me to drink juice or water. Actually, I did’nt want to drink anything but did’nt want to swoon  either so I walked to the nearest kiosk and had a Ginger tea.  It was an instant energizer or atleast mentally for me.   A few twists , turns and steps later, We were now close to the temple tower,  Now my pace had definitely slowed  to where I started but I was still moving in good pace. I walked steadily now till I reached the Ashram premises. And we had clocked 6.50 when we entered the Ashram right in time for the breakfast at 7 in the dining hall.

When I stood still there for 10 minutes till the dining bell rang, I realized my whole legs had jammed, I had to walk with heavy steps   the whole day.

That I had walked  14 kms did’nt sink into me that time. I had  Walked 14 kms of which 11 kms nonstop with uniform pace and the rest of the 3 kms again almost nonstop but with slow pace with a 2 minute break for tea - all in 3 hours and 5 minutes.  Honestly, though many walk bare foot effortlessly, I walked with my shoes on.  But nevertheless,  I felt  I had accomplished something very great only a day later. The whole effort was humbling in the end yet a sense of pride reigned.

After breakfast,  I spent some time in the Ashram library”Ramana Granthalayam” which is a beautiful new building  with an amazing collection of books.  Then later, I walked down the ramp towards the shrine slowly watching the monkey's antics  and as I was crossing over……. guess whom I crossed path with?

Music maestro Illayaraja !!!  with no bouncers or bodyguards, he was moving around all alone. He is a regular here and a great devotee. We came face to face in the Ashram twice but nobody bothered to hound him for autographs or selfies . I then went to the main shrine again drawn to the chants of Vedaparayanam and the Aksharamana malai  chant was simply soulful.

WE had lunch at 11.30 and retired to our guest house and I think I must have slept like a log catching on the  previous night’s sleep and my weary legs must have cried for rest.

But now a week later, slowly the moments are sinking in  and  I am rejoicing  and recollecting my girivalam moments and am also amazed at my inner strength.  That lovely Arunachala hill and the Ashram moments come alive and float like those clouds  when i close my eyes. One of the most fullfulling experience I have had in recent times. Absolutely fantabulous…or say.....  those words don't translate my feeling.....I am at loss of words to describe the experience.  Girivalam – I want to do it again.

“There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.”
André Gide

P.S : I have walked more than 14 kms because we started off from our guest house  (more than 500 metres) and took a circuitious route after the tea near the temple to avoid traffic ( 200 plus steps)....so 14kms +500 metres and roughly 200 steps:)

Sri Ramanasram - A spiritual retreat

When I was given a choice to visit an organic homestay  “navadarsanam “or  “Sri  Ramanasram” spiritual retreat, I choose the former.  Although I am a spiritual seeker , I was’nt sure I would simply sit in disciplined sessions , listen to spiritual jargon of atma, soul , jnana , vasana, the veda chantings  etc which goes beyond my head. That certainly was not my idea of spirituality. For me spirituality is a way of life where I practice minimalism, try to keep things simple and try to silence my mind whenever possible and  try to keep away from the unnecessary(!)  material wants of life and try to keep away from competitivenesss( yes, all trying only) . That said, I still have a long way to go in spiritualism  and do buckle sometimes. Also “Ramanasram” was my second choice because I did not  want to travel from one hot weather to another.

                                                        

So, I would say it was destiny that willed that I visit Ramanasram or else how would one explain the fact that one needs to pre-book a month before to stay there and it was my mom’s call to the office just a week before that got us an accommodation at” Achalam” the ashram guest house.

Sri Ramana's ashram- It was to this spiritual center in an unique location that we set out on a hot morning. Tiruvannamalai is an old temple town nestled at the base of a sacred mountain Arunachala or Arunagiri in southern Tamilnadu.The mountain has an history that dates back to thousands of years and home to many mythological legends. This is the place where countless rishis, sages and siddhas have lived and meditated in the past. Notable among them is Sri Ramana Maharishi, whose ashram I was visiting.

Although I was visiting this place after 18 years, I could see there was no change in the Archway, we went in got our keys to guest house, which was a 3 minute drive from the ashram on the opposite side of the road.

The guest house was spic and span and would put a 5 star hotel to shame.  Ofcourse, There was no show or pomp , no modern day  frills or necessity like net onnectivity, A/c, TV, but otherwise the basics like a wardrobe, clothes hanger, dresser table, mirror everything were all in place and the wash rooms were excellent despite the frequent usage.It felt like home.

After resting awhile, we came back to the ashram at 4 to have our tea and milk, as an ashram guest or invitee, we are allowed  to have food in the ashram dining hall. It was a huge glass of milk/ tea and the milk is directly from the goshaala of the ashram. 

After the tea/milk, I wandered into the open ground  beside the dining hall at the foot hills of  skandasram ( arunachala hill). I , my niece and little sis were so enamoured by the  peacocks and they were so close to us and I was watching its plumes in close range and clicking away to glory with my mobile( I was on digital detox with occasional cheats but to this ashram I bought the mobile only to click photos) . I turned around to see the  place where my great grandfather lived in one of the cottages and was one of his earliest disciples. I clicked the photo of that place again which was then a thatched roof.

I sat on  the  rough granite steps  in front of the Samadhi of Lakshmi , the cow( Ramanas favorite cow)  at the foot hills of skandasram and watching the peacocks wander, dance, call and hoot and watching the monkeys dance,  and do all the naughty pranks and dropping all the tasty mangoes of the tree.  It was one of the most wonderful experience sitting in  a natural wooded environment where nothing seemed to have changed since my last visit,  with  all brick, mortar, wood and thatched awnings like age old times, no glass or chrome, no landscaping.  The few moments were magical, I felt the place  which was clean and rustic was simply diffusing all that a peaceful mind could ask for and I was absorbing them with delight. I was also clicking photos only to realize that I was the only one clicking and hoarding a mobile. All the ashramites  ( many of them foreigners) were simply absorbed in a book or sitting still. I at once, decided I will not use the mobile any more in the ashram. The ashram does not have any restriction saying “no mobile”, but I think it goes without saying .

At 5, in the evening, the vedaparayanam( veda chanting) started at Ramana shrine, I thought, I would’nt sit though it and wander away into the ashram, but that was not to be. I sat through it like a person in trance, refused to move infact I was drawn closer to the shrine.   Ofcourse, many times, in between, my mind and eyes wandered and I saw so many foreigners in Indian attire ( men in veshti( dhoti) and women in white cotton sareees and kurtas) were so engrossed. It was delightful to see a Japanese women chant Aksharamana malai ( a hymn composed by sage ramana) . I was amazed to see this especially at a time, when many ridicule or denounce anything  eastern( read Indian), it was great to see west adopt eastern mysticism although in few numbers.

The oldest meditation hall again was full of westerners and they sat so simply, only my mind was wandering in awe. I had to work hard to bring my mind under control.

  

Even in the dining hall, the westerners sat down squatting on the floor and ate with their fingers eating the "vazhelai sappadu"( typical tamil vegetarian food served on plaintain leaf)and the food so yummy.( i should'nt be reviewing this)

After dinner at 7.30( we have to stick to the ashram timings), we went around the arunagiri mountain (giri pradakshinam) in the car and retired to our guest house and I had a sleepless night due to the heat. This is a very hot place in tamilnadu. I slept at 1.30 and got up at 3...... this post is getting lengthier .... more in  my next post…

My next post will be the highlight of my  visit.

                                        The 2nd cottage was where my great grand pa lived after retirement. He was one of the earliest followers of Sri Ramana and authored a book on Mahayoga culled from his talks with Sri Ramana which is on demand on Amazon..

                     They were all around roaming unafraid and dancing away to glory. A visual treat.

                                                To the left is the entrance to ths shrine while the below is the place where he attained Nirvana.