The divine abode of Arunachaleswara lays 206 Kilometers away from Bangalore and 101 Kilometers away from Pondicherry. Even before I heard about this place, the place used to wake me up during my overnight journeys from Bangalore to Pondicherry. Whenever the bus reaches Thiruvannamalai, I used to feel so hot unlike the climate in Bangalore. Thus my first awareness about Thiruvannamalai was as an indicator for the climate change between Bangalore and Pondicherry.
As I finished my studies, I gradually stopped my travels to Pondicherry and Thiruvannamalai faded from my memories. One day at my workplace, I found my friend, Priya getting so excited about her travel to Thiruvannamalai. I was just curious.
What’s so special about that hot place? What’s there to see more than once?
As for an ardent devotee of Remana Maharshi, these questions were enough. Priya became as eloquent on the magic of the place as she had never been on any subject. As she finished after two hours, I decided!
I’ve to visit the place once. Moreover when I visit the place, it has to be with Priya.
I strongly believe that the supreme power has some hidden ways through which he guides us. For person, who was not at all spiritual even in dreams, he had designed a path to follow. It’s a sheer coincidence that I became close friends with ardent spiritual followers like Poonam and Priya. Due to Priya’s inspiration and enthusiasm, we (Poonam, Priya, Anurupa and I) started our journey on 07/06/2007.
Let me confess my intentions here. I never knew that there’s something important going to happen in my life then. All I was interested in was a trip with my friends and an escape from the monotonous life at Bangalore.
The 5 hour travel in a local bus from Bangalore to Pondicherry was not at all hectic for me as I was enjoying my conversation with Priya and the Tamil movies played on the TV screen. The mighty hills of Krishnagiri and the mango orchards evoked a feeling of nostalgia as I started feeling anxious to reach Thiruvannamalai.
We reached Thiruvannamalai by 8p.m. The layout of Arunachaleswara stood as a benevolent power in the darkness of the night. As I stepped out from the bus, I started feeling excited as never before. Priya had registered for our accommodation at Remanashramam and entered the peaceful ambience. The caretaker with a kind face encouraged us to pay a visit at the Shiva temple inside the Ashramam. The divine ambiance wiped out any tiredness we felt during our five our travel.
The Ashramam authorities trusted us with the keys of three rooms and we were shocked to find the neat, comfortable and cozy rooms awaiting us. As the Ashramam gates get closed by 9 p.m and the dinner time was over in Ashramam, we soon rushed to the restaurant ‘Saravana Bhavan’ near the Ashramam and enjoyed its tasty food.
We reached the room back and took a refreshing shower. The night hours slipped unnoticed in Satsang. Then, we decided to wake up in the early morning hours to visit the Lord Shiva temple. As I drifted into sleep, I heard the song of peacocks and wished to see an unseen dance of Peacocks.
Continues in "Arunachaleswara Temple"
Continues in "Arunachaleswara Temple"
