Blogs from Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia
May 25th 2011
So, nach zweimaliger Umrundung des Arunachala gibt´s jetzt wieder einen kleinen Reisebericht und ein paar Fotos. Bin immer noch in Tirvannamalai und am Fuße des Arunachala. Lt. Wissenschaftlern und Geologen das älteste Stück Land auf Erden. Auszüge aus dem Buch „Arunachalam“ an endless Experience: Arunachala, as we know, is amongst the oldest pieces of land on earth today, as has been confirmed by geologists. Scientists say that it dates back to the very creation of the Earth. The hill is said to be Siva manifest. Eminent Scientists have established the Deccan plateau to be the oldest land of the earth. It is interesting to note what an American geologist states: „Arunachala should have been thrown up by the earth under the stress of some violent volcanic eruption in the dim ages before even the coal bearing ... read more
Tirupathi, Sri Kalahasti, White Field, Tiruvannamalai
Published: May 17th 2011Asia » India » Tamil Nadu » Tiruvannamalai
May 17th 2011
Nach nun fast 2 Monaten in denen ich unterwegs bin, gibt’s jetzt den nächsten Bericht. Zum Ende meines Aufenthaltes in Puttaparthi hab ich noch einen Ausflug zum 300 km weit entfernten Ort Sri Kalahasti und Tirupathi gemacht. Beides sind wichtige Orte für indische Pilger und in Tirupathi ist einer der heiligsten und größten Tempelanlagen Indiens. Unglaublich, welche Menschenmassen dorthin pilgern. Und absolut undenkbar für Europäer wie sich Inder verhalten, wenn sie in solchen Massen zusammenkommen. Ein Gedränge und Geschiebe ohnegleichen! Sollte jemand Platzangst haben, ist er dort an solchen Orten definitive an der falschen Stelle. Ob die Tempelanlagen dort kraftvoll sind oder nicht kann ich nicht wirklich beurteilen, denn ich hatte nicht mal Raum zum Atmen geschweige denn Raum um in die Anlagen hinein zu fühlen. Man stelle sich ein Fließband vor das nicht wirklich exi ... read more
pictures from Tamil Nadu and questions on politics and religion
Published: February 8th 2011Asia » India » Tamil Nadu » Tiruvannamalai
February 8th 2011
Am suffering from writers block so this will be short with mostly pictures. The first are set from the Rock Fort in Trichy. In order to get to the top you have to walk up hundreds of stairs. The sign said that the mountain was "3500 billion years old," and that "it is a proven fact that women who worship here have an easy child birth." The second group are the Brihadishwara Temple in Tanjore. This is by far my favorite temple complex I have visited. The massive Shiva Temple included many paintings, hundreds of words written in old Tamil scrawled on the walls, a large statue of an elephant (and a real elephant) among others. I stayed with a friend in Trichy for a week and used the time to try and discover more about ... read more
January 30th 2010
As our time in Tiruvannamalai draws to an end, it seems appropriate to share more of the spiritual side of this journey with you. Once again, not your typical travel blog! Lucas shares a story which originated with Eckhart Tolle.. It is the story of a great Guru who one day announced to his following that he was finally prepared to share his secret to enlightenment. His disciples came from far and wide to hear their teachers secret. As the day approached, the excitement grew. When the day finally arrived, the Guru’s disciples filled a great hall. The Guru entered and sat in silence for many moments as the anticipation filled the air. At last he uttered the words that all had waited to hear. “I don’t mind.” Lucas and I reread Herman Hesse’s, Sidhartha while ... read more
January 27th 2010
Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Some you unwrap, others you simply receive with open arms. Tiruvannamalai, is a special place for Lucas and I. It is our home away from home and it is so difficult to describe the pull to keep coming back. Having said all of this, we must have left an impression because this year Daniel and Kelsey (Lucas’s son and daughter-in-law) decided to meet us here to see what it is all about. They showed up on our doorstep on 29th, tired after a 7 week tour of the middle east and a long sleepless night of travelling. They showed up exhausted and with open hearts, ready to experience the Tiruvannamalai, we love. The night prior to arrival Lucas and I created an agenda for their stay. We assumed that ... read more
January 19th 2010
Good-Bye Middle East - Hello India! After 3 take-offs, 3 landings and 3 hours in the back of a taxi we arrived at our first Indian destination - Tiruvannamalai or Tiru for short. It’s located three-hours south-west from Chennai on the south-eastern side of India. If we turn back the clock six-years, that’s when my Mom and Dad told my brother and I that they were going to India. “What?” It wasn’t the first place we thought they would go for a “holiday.” As the departure date drew near, my Mom decided not to go - I think she finally realised where she was going and decided staying at home would have been better for her; but the curiosity for my Dad however was too strong and he went on his own, going to Tiru and ... read more
December 26th 2009
Today is December 26th and we have just spent the last two days enjoying Christmas in India. On or about December 23rd, the Christmas decorations began appearing in India storefronts, businesses and on Indian houses. There were stars a plenty, multicoloured streamers and even the occasional strand of Christmas lights. However, not a Christmas palm tree to be found! Christmas Eve was a full day for us. It began with a Christmas concert at Arunachala Village School. This was not what one might expect, Cheryl and Lucas sitting contentedly watching the children perform, rather it was Lucas and Cheryl and others from AHAM performing for the children. We had the shear pleasure of looking out into a sea of beautiful faces, while Vivian read a Christmas story in English as two of the teachers simultaneously translated ... read more
India - Week 4 - Going with the Flow
Published: December 22nd 2009Asia » India » Tamil Nadu » Tiruvannamalai
December 22nd 2009
I wasn’t sure what to title this week’s blog. I considered “A Day in the Life in India”, or “Trials and Tribulations” and finally decided on “Going with the Flow”. India is a lesson in acceptance. Time does not exist in India in the same way that it exists in the west. The exercise of planning is at best an exercise in futility, at worst a total waste of time. As relatively short term visitors the lesson in acceptance is relatively easy, for those who choose to remain here it becomes their sadhana or spiritual practice. We experience this weekly when we have the cottage cleaned and the laundry done. The first laundry experience was perhaps our most interesting. We came home looking forward to the fresh smell of line drying laundry on our roof top ... read more
Week 3 - India - The Colour of Love
Published: December 13th 2009Asia » India » Tamil Nadu » Tiruvannamalai
December 13th 2009
It came to me as I began to write this week’s blog that if I am going to provide a fair description of this amazing country and the experience of being here, I need to share in equal measure the good and the bad. Some of you may wonder why I am drawn to this country and this weeks blog will a look at the India that Lucas and I see. The India that is both on the surface and below the surface. The India that stays hidden from western eyes and the western mind. The India that you will see when you see it with your heart. It came to me as I walked around Mt. Arunachula that the India I see is an India seeped in love. The very act of circumambulation of Arunachula, ... read more
