Shifting to the spiritual Annamalai - is it only geographical?
Certainly not! Any shift entails meeting and adjusting/accommodating new people, new surroundings, climate, things available and the list goes on.
Here, people are curious as to the reason for the shift. I keep saying whatever my mind picks up at that moment. Why? I myself have not thought of one single reason to move here. The thought suddenly appeared and moment to moment it became a certainty and a natural choice.
I can say Annamalayan called me or Bhagavan Ramana's life and teachings pulled me here! But I wouldn't know that - I mean I am not that spiritually evolved to recognise such a pull if at all it is there within me. (Though I wish to say it is so!)
And I can't deny the underlying calm and that light sense when the burdens roll off slowly. Don't I miss the hectic schedule of Chennai? I do, at times. When I come to know of the different music programmes, a sense of longing hangs heavy around me. I miss the contact and association with children and miss seeing their faces lighting up when something dawns on them and I miss their laughter, questions, mischiefs - yes, That I do.
I tell my mind - " Easy. All will happen in time." I am trying to find the rhythm of life here and then will get in touch with schools and find the energetic teens to challenge me.
But every person that I meet here adds depth and layers to my experience here. The town is a paradox - a strange mix of spiritual with the material, simple warm and helpful people with its share of the crooks and criminals and posh guest houses and apartments next to simple traditional houses with garbage strewn everywhere and the drains overflowing, humans and cows happily sharing the roads with bullets and SUVs and the good old bicycles thrown for more colour!
The moment you hit the district road, on your left you see the board welcoming you to Tiruvannamalai district. Then as we proceed, Arunachalam appears and I feel as if there is an imperceptible nod as if to say, "Come, I'm here". Believe it or not, that is the feeling I get when I get my first view of the mountain and then it is a sense of déjà vu.
Here, I am not trying to analyse the cause and reason for all the actions. I am merely trying to describe my feelings.
Wherever I go, I meet interesting people, friendly people, helpful strangers, caring vegetable vendors and many more.
There is an urge to put down my impressions about their attitude, smiles, quirks and views in words. The words and ideas clamour for attention but invariably in the daily routine, this urge sort of dims and takes a back seat.
I may do it in a while as I want to share those wonderful moments when I briefly am in harmony with the entire world around me; when I break free of the hold on this physical identity for a fleeting second.
I feel I may not be able to do real justice in sketching the character traits of different personalities whom I come across here. But they have a profound impact on me.
Certainly not! Any shift entails meeting and adjusting/accommodating new people, new surroundings, climate, things available and the list goes on.
Here, people are curious as to the reason for the shift. I keep saying whatever my mind picks up at that moment. Why? I myself have not thought of one single reason to move here. The thought suddenly appeared and moment to moment it became a certainty and a natural choice.
I can say Annamalayan called me or Bhagavan Ramana's life and teachings pulled me here! But I wouldn't know that - I mean I am not that spiritually evolved to recognise such a pull if at all it is there within me. (Though I wish to say it is so!)
And I can't deny the underlying calm and that light sense when the burdens roll off slowly. Don't I miss the hectic schedule of Chennai? I do, at times. When I come to know of the different music programmes, a sense of longing hangs heavy around me. I miss the contact and association with children and miss seeing their faces lighting up when something dawns on them and I miss their laughter, questions, mischiefs - yes, That I do.
I tell my mind - " Easy. All will happen in time." I am trying to find the rhythm of life here and then will get in touch with schools and find the energetic teens to challenge me.
But every person that I meet here adds depth and layers to my experience here. The town is a paradox - a strange mix of spiritual with the material, simple warm and helpful people with its share of the crooks and criminals and posh guest houses and apartments next to simple traditional houses with garbage strewn everywhere and the drains overflowing, humans and cows happily sharing the roads with bullets and SUVs and the good old bicycles thrown for more colour!
The moment you hit the district road, on your left you see the board welcoming you to Tiruvannamalai district. Then as we proceed, Arunachalam appears and I feel as if there is an imperceptible nod as if to say, "Come, I'm here". Believe it or not, that is the feeling I get when I get my first view of the mountain and then it is a sense of déjà vu.
Here, I am not trying to analyse the cause and reason for all the actions. I am merely trying to describe my feelings.
Wherever I go, I meet interesting people, friendly people, helpful strangers, caring vegetable vendors and many more.
There is an urge to put down my impressions about their attitude, smiles, quirks and views in words. The words and ideas clamour for attention but invariably in the daily routine, this urge sort of dims and takes a back seat.
I may do it in a while as I want to share those wonderful moments when I briefly am in harmony with the entire world around me; when I break free of the hold on this physical identity for a fleeting second.
I feel I may not be able to do real justice in sketching the character traits of different personalities whom I come across here. But they have a profound impact on me.
