“Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sri Ramanayah,” the chanting reverberated to transform one into trance. Arunachala hill stands tall and forms a picture-perfect backdrop to Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi’s ashrama in the quaint holy town of Thiruvannamalai. A certain aura encompasses this town, which he fondly chose as his abode to live a life amidst nature and realise the Ultimate Truth. The same spell entices every bhakta who alights here.
On our recent visit in December 2022, my wife and I found disciples in a blissful state of happiness. Everyone finds a deep purpose here: meditating with closed eyes, being deeply involved in the seva, bringing copious hot food in large vessels and lovingly distributing it, reading books on Bhagwan under the shade of a tree, purchasing memorabilia, or making offerings.
Spells of rain and sunshine gave a new purpose to our 14-kilometre circumambulation around the hill to seek darshan at the Ashtalingas. Drenched in rain, or should we say in Bhagwan’s blessings, as we made in-and-out of our car in our barefoot walk as if in a divine alignment with hundreds of disciples. The vagaries of the weather are never a deterrent in Bhagwan’s abode.
Next morning, at the Arunachala temple, seeking the blessings of Shiva and Parvathi was a perfect launch for our day’s proceedings. We decided to climb to experience the divinity on the hill. On damp ground with small, wet boulders, each step was taken with caution and courage. We experienced the bounty of nature in all its glory, either under the sudden spells of rain or the bright sun rays shining through the tall green trees. It was bliss. Chanting his hymn and folding our hands to exchange namaste with others on the trail, our mind was watchful of and focused on each step for mindful living.
Meditation at Skandashrama atop the hill in a hall adjoining the room where Bhagwan’s mother sat for her meditation, next at the Virupaksha cave where Bhagwan meditated, and finally at the Sri Gugai Jeeva Samadhi premises—it all seemed like time stood still.
Mindful living for the entire day and a half, specifically around the three-hour time to ascend and descend the hill, gave us the experience that time does not exist in this holy town. Imagine if we could always be in
that state.
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