My discovery of Sathuragiri has just begun.

When Velu Jayaprakash, the author of Swarnaprashna.org, brought up the idea of visiting Sathuragiri Hills, I found myself instantly agreeing to go on this journey. It was an idea thrown open to all members of our whatsapp group, that have come together to discuss ancient sciences and holistic parenting.

Unlike myself, to agree so readily to undertake a journey of this kind with people I have not met before, but the idea was very exciting and I had immense clarity that this is a trip that I must take.

I chose to drive from my home in Bangalore to Virudhunagar, a small village about an hour’s drive away from Sathuragiri Hills. I spent the night there at a hotel, waiting for the rest of the group, who were to arrive the next day morning.

I woke early next morning and waited for the group to meet me enroute. The drive from Virudhunagar to the base of Sathuragiri was itself very pleasant. This small village had plenty of temples, all washed clean while the incense of sambrani and camphor wafted through the air even before sunrise. Small houses with cow dung cakes on the wall had roosters crying out loud to welcome a brand new day.

We reached the base of the hills and were ushered into a beautiful mango grove, that was our base camp. The mango grove was a very relaxing place, filled with age old trees with trunks so large that I could not get my arms around them. Each tree was organically grown and was in prime health. Few friendly Rajapalayams (Indian Sighthound) scampered around me pouring out their love.

It was here that I finally met  people in the whatsapp group, who were till this point just intelligent posts and a display picture.

We were rejuvenated by a freshly cooked, healthy breakfast. Care had been taken that all meals we had were cooked with wholesome organic produce sponsored by HLP’s Community Store

A few minutes walk from the mango grove stood the majestic Sathuragiri Hills. There was a car park at the base with plenty of small shops around. These shops sold everything from sambrani, incense sticks, japa malas and figurines of almost every hindu deity that one could think of.

We began the trek and just a few steps ahead we found a small Ganesh temple. The priest showed aarathi to the deity and filled my hands with a generous amount of divinely smelling vibhuthi. I said a silent prayer that my experience at the hills would be blessed.

The path was lined with people in saffron robes begging for alms. While some looked extremely pious, it was certain that the rest were there only to make a quick buck. I did not feel particularly interested in any of them and simply walked past.

Initially, the trek seemed very easy. The track was neatly laid granite with a step up every hundred meters. “Not bad at all” I thought aloud. We soon encountered a small mound that we had to walk around and then more steps, although this time around, it was cut out of solid rock. Soon the steps stopped exposing a steep terrain of jagged rocks.

The path was fairly crowded. I was informed that the crowd was due to ‘Shani Pradosham’, an occasion according to the hindu calendar. Well, our group did not come here because of this auspicious time. So let us just assume that the universe intended for all of us to be at Sathuragiri at this very particular point of time.

It was just past noon and  was getting very hot. The group began to scatter, each one going according to his or her physical capability. The trek was gruelling at some points, very steep indeed, and then relaxes to an almost horizontal path. There were few small shrines along the path, some seemed very ancient while the rest seemed like recent add-ons.

Every half kilometer or so, one would find a temporary shop set up by the local people selling buttermilk, lime soda and bottled mineral water. I found myself having generous amounts of buttermilk to keep myself hydrated. Although, I must add here that these shops were only set up because of an expectation of large amounts of people visiting. Most often, they would not be present. However the entire group came prepared. We were even offered some organic treats along the way, courtesy… HLP’s Community Store

As I walked on, I reached the Naaval Ootru. A small pond most often filled with sacred water laced with miraculous herbs. Sadly, I saw an dry, empty pit. I expected Sathuragiri to have more water all along. I was hoping to see gentle brookes and a cascade of water falls here and there. But the stark reality of water shortage struck very hard. How we human beings are sucking the planet dry would call for another deep discussion. The picture below shows the roots of an old Jamun tree, usually these roots are submerged in the natural pond.

I then reached the Pathanjali Lingam, a cave with an age old lingam,that featured at the end of a very slippery terrain of rock.The only grip being some roots of trees. Much deeper, were some ropes tied together to help the adventurous folk along. There seemed to be some water flow in this region. I could not muster up the courage to jump in the water and wade my way to the cave. A decision that I regretted almost immediately.

As I climbed higher, I found a tribal woman plucking some leaves from a tree. On looking closer, I found these to be Bilva patra (Aegle marmelos) commonly known as Bael. A traditional medicinal herb most often used in any ritual to appease Lord Shiva. I also noticed creepers and shrubs of Shankapushpi flowers (Convolvulus pluricaulis) growing wild. Their white and purple hues breaking the monotony of rock and green in all its splendor. These conch shell shaped flowers are also used in the worship of Lord Shiva. Sathuragiri Hills is a treasure trove of medicinal herbs, I hope to do a more detailed study of these herbs some day.

Further ahead, I caught a glimpse of Thavasi Paarai, the abode of siddhars, still known to meditate here. The route is fairly inaccessible. I tried to find out if there was a way to get there, but most people said it was too dangerous.

We finally reached the summit. It was very crowded On the right paved the way to the Sundara Mahalingam Temple and to the left, the Santana Mahalinga Temple.

I first chose to visit the Sundara Mahalingam temple. It was packed with people who were chanting bajans in praise of Lord Shiva. I chose not to go further when I heard the crowd would clear soon. We as a group intended to stay over night so I always had the option of visiting later and have a quieter moment.

Near the shrine there was a medium sized room with a back door that opens to a wash yard and open forest. This is called the kanji madam. This place was brimming with hospitality and gratitude. Every half hour, a volunteer at the temple would come out and extend a warm welcome to all passersby for a delicious meal. They addressed everyone as ‘Shiva’ here. The meal is absolutely free of cost, however one could leave an offering if they chose to.

We then went to the Santana Mahalinga Temple. I was able to visit this shrine right away. A simple and beautiful place. I enjoyed witnessing the aarathi and exited the temple feeling blessed.

It was evening now and it was getting dark very rapidly. The group had found a hall nearby to rest in, but however I felt the need to find a possibility of sleeping out in the open. I walked back to the Sundara Mahalinga Temple. Most of the crowd had cleared by then. I entered the shrine and found a beautiful Lingam at a slant, decorated with flowers and tulsi leaves. After aarathi, I left the temple and for no apparent reason, I looked up at the sky. It was sprayed with glittering stars. I have never seen the sky so spectacularly beautiful. Amongst the cosmic dust laid the crescent moon just four days before Amavasya.

I sprawled my bedsheet on the pavement outside the temple and gathered some rest. Not the best sleep, but it sufficed. At 3;30 am, I woke to find myself blanketed in mist. Again volunteers at the temple were inviting passersby, this time for some piping hot coffee. It was certainly welcome and soothing.

I found myself a spot directly opposite the Mahalingam. There were about fifteen people meditating there. I sat there and closed my eyes. I went into a very deep meditative state. Peaceful, Silent, Bliss are words that could come close in describing how I felt that very moment. I strive to get this state of meditation when I practice back home in Bangalore. At times I cannot even come close. I presume, that’s why the knowledgeable siddhars still choose to meditate on these hills.

After meditation I briefly met the group and started descending while it was still dark. Dawn breaking at Sathuragiri is spectacular. A feast for all senses. The sky broke into a deep orange and there were hundreds of birds all chirping at the same time. I just paused there to soak up every bit of this beautiful experience.

The descent was very rapid. At times I had to check my speed and slow down on purpose. After a very few breaks, I reached the base. I bowed down at the Ganesh temple where I stood the day before, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and achievement.

I was expecting myself to be overcome with fatigue but surprisingly, I felt rejuvenated. After a scrumptious breakfast at the mango grove, we were addressed by Dr. Selva Shanmugam, a professor of Siddha medicine. An honest and humble individual who explained how to incorporate the science of siddha into our day to day activities. The more I heard, the more I understood that although Siddha is such a deep subject, the philosophies are very simple and could be easily woven into my city bred life.

The time had come where I had to leave. On the drive back home, I was listening to some soulful music, while I asked myself… ‘would I do this again?’ My mind instantly portrayed a picture perfect of all the minor difficulties I had during the trip, but deeper within there was an assured feeling that I would most certainly return.

My discovery of Sathuragiri has just begun.

Author: Prasad Naidu

Prasad is father of two loveable boys. Runs a spa in Bangalore. Loves gardening, reading and meditation.

The abode of Siddhars – Sathuragiri

Holding the worlds apart, as the Heavens high He spreads;
Himself the scorching Fire, Sun and Moon,
Himself the Mother that sends down the rains
Himself the mountains strong and oceans cold.
– A poetic verse no.10 from Tirumantiram

Shiva, the mighty god of gods, is revered since many yugas in India. Shiva, also represents the higher consciousness which is present in all of us. India has always been a land of seekers, a place where people have questioned life, wondered what it is beyond the world projected by the five senses. From the various yugas, the mystery of life has been questioned and debated. Few of them turned inwards to understand. Such mystics who have spent their whole life and various births to solve this riddle, consider india to be such a blessed land which has given them opportunity to delve deeper into their self. The seers/yogis/mystics who have transcended their mind and bodies have found shiva as a subtler form of higher consciousness within them.

Space intermingling with space,
Nectar drowning in nectar,
Light dissolving in light-
The elect are they, the siva-siddhas.
Who these splendid visions perceive
– Poetic verse no. 124 from Tirumantiram

Siddhars, are such seers who have risen to their higher selves across many ages. They have attained few siddhis and are regarded to have magical powers and they bring forth their knowledge to common folk to help them through the samsara of life. Many such siddhars are still believed to live in their astral bodies in one mystical mountain called Sathurgiri, in south India, which is considered as the embodiment of Shiva himself. Many spiritual aspirants from all over the world come and seek blessings of the lords and siddhars. The picture above depicts siddhar Agastiar on a bark of a tree.

This mystical mountain is square shaped and is surrounded by four hills – hence the name chathuragiri (chaturam – square, giri – hills). These four surrounding hills, also represent the four vedas.The legend has it that, when lord Hanuman was passing by Sathuragiri with the Sanjeevani hill, Siddhars requested him to give a fragment of Sanjeevani mountain to them. It is due to this fragment which lord Hanuman happily gave them, this hill contains many medicinal herbs and plants.The center point of the hill is also known by the name of Sanjeevamalai. Sathuragiri still houses many rare and kaya kalpha herbs. Siddhars in their various works have mentioned the preparations of these herbs to heal and transcend the body and mind.

Those that are destined to be
Let them be;
Those that are destined not to be
Let them not be;
Those that are destined to go
Let them go;
Those that are destined to come
Let them come;
The mighty Nandi shows all
And witnesses all;
All things appropriate,
He does
To those of tender love for Him.
– Poetic verse no.504, Tirumantiram

It is believed that only when one gets a calling, can the devotee successfully make it to the hill. The devotee needs to surrender himself to the hills and trek through the tough rocky terrain of the hills which is about 7 kms walk from the foothills of Sathuragiri to the hilltop where SundaraMahalingam and Santhana Mahalingam temples exist.The only authorised entry point to Sathuragiri is through Thaniparai town in Virudhunagar district. There are three other routes from Theni and other towns, but it is illegal to take other routes as it may disturb the wildlife and also due to safety issues of the devotees. The pilgrims are allowed only during six auspicious days of the month – i.e. on Amavasya, Poornima and Pradosham days. There are various mattams on the hill top which provide food and shelter for the devotees who throng the hill on these auspicious days. Devotion to their personal god, gives people strength to overcome many obstacles. To take blessings of their lord who sits high upon a mountain, people take on tedious journeys. A varied range of devotees are seen – some get a calling to seek blessings of the hill in their meditations and some bhaktas carry their small child in a doli made of sugarcanes and a cloth and the parents hike the hill along with their infant or toddler.

 

This mystical hill is a hidden treasure for a spiritual aspirant – from
exploring the many hidden caves to meditate or just to breath in the air filled with aroma of herbs, it is one-of-a kind  journey people embark upon.

Author: Smitha Ravi

After working as software developer, I shifted my lens to more soulful work which includes freelancing and teaching computer science. I am passionate about our indian culture and holistic living. Being part of swarnaprashna group, gives me a chance to work along and meet people who share the same passion and learn along the way. You can reach me smitharavi97 AT gmail DOT com

SATHURAGIRI: Penance in Motion

Sathuragiri – the benign looking quaint hills tucked away near the picturesque sleepy town of Watrup (Virudhnagar) belie the arduous journey that lies in wait. At its onset the cemented, mildly elevated pathway appears beseeching, shrouded with thick green vegetation on either side, giving you no clue of the soul-stirring, mind-numbing climb up ahead. But then – to seek oneself one must take a leap of faith into the unknown…

So about a month ago, in blissful oblivion I enrolled myself for this promising spiritual retreat into the Sahyadris.  It not just exceeded my expectation – it actually uplifted me physically, spiritually in a way that cannot be explained – only experienced. And I’m sure the 60 others – old, young, younger – who participated came back ‘richer’ like never before!

Virudhnagar – Watrup,  is not used to city-bred visitors – so it has no resorts or even hotels. Our stop-over after an over-night train journey (that ended at 4am) was at a freshly constructed Kalyan Mantap. The adventure began with the challenge of completing our ablutions in newly constructed basic toilet-cum bath in the courtyard of the Kalyan Mantap.

70 year old mango tree

Soon after, we were transported to a mango farm with trees that are almost 700 years old. This was going to be our abode for the rest of our stay. After a sumptuous breakfast of ponga-rice idly, horse-gram chutney, vada, drumstick sambar and, of course, kesri bath, we were finally set to meet the task master Sathuragiri – or so we thought!

Cemented Pathway

We started off for the foothills equipped with our pouches (backpacks were wisely handed over to porters) and a walking stick treading across the insignificantly elevated cement pathway. Soon an uneven rugged towering rock surface seemed to stare squarely at us! The only way forward was one-step-at-a-time.

Stony Jagged Path

The steep jagged stony path consisted of rocks of uneven length set-up to create some semblance to a pathway, complemented only by a dry ridged roughly cut path created by, perhaps, running water. One wrong step and you could land yourself a sprained ankle. Yes, raw, ruthless and unyielding….as natural as it could get.

Intense Captivating Hills

The strenuous climb put to test our mental strength and determination – shunting out conversation not just with co-climbers but even with oneself! Yes, it was powerful enough to silence even those unhindered thoughts that plague us everday… Our meditative mind contrasted with the forced rhythmic steps, not allowing the body to give up as one negotiated the rigours of that climb; with only enough energy to focus on one goal – reach the summit. Thus, the Sathuragiri hills, to my mind, are an embodiment of the intense and demanding Lord Shiva – a penance in itself. Surrendering in spirit to that journey is the only way to benefit from this extraordinary experience.

Finally - The Shrine

On reaching the summit we met with the twin shrines of Sundar Mahalingam and Chandana Mahalingam which were reverberating with devotees on the auspicious occasion of Shani Pradosham. I could not fathom how people got here ever so often (for regular rituals, poojas…) and felt so humbled, almost embarrassed that I’d made the climb out to be such a Herculean task. Yet, it was…

And just when my body was going into rigor mortis (so it felt) and I couldn’t imagine taking another step – there lay a flight of 300 odd steps to reach the most sacred spot on these hills – the Siddargal Sannati  – the Chandan Mahalingam temple, spectacularly designed with a naturally flowing ‘Ganga’ cutting through rocks within the temple.  This is the most revered space for spiritual seekers – consists of a cave that has been inhabited by 18 Siddas that resonates with cosmic energy. A few minutes of meditation here –the treasure of a lifetime…

As most devotees are locals – there are 2 chowltries (huge hall) constructed at the entrance to provide a place to rest in. The public toilets are unspeakably ill-maintained. We, being novices and city-breds were offered, in an act of kindness, the exclusive priviledge of staying close to the temple is an elongated room – that appeared to be a makeshift cowshed with an uneven dung-seasoned floor – a luxury – as we discovered later that night. Once the crowds poured in – the chowltries were bursting at their seams while we got to sleep fairly soundly on our blue-tarplouline-sheet -lined floor.  Life in these places is simple and one learns to appreciate all those basic amenities that are taken for granted in city-life. What an eye-opener…

As we set out at the crack of dawn on our descent, to the accompaniment of charmingly mesmerizing chirping of birds – we felt enriched, eternally grateful and invigorated encompassed by the morning fresh air and scenic hill sides. The descent for me was as challenging as the climb, as I engaged every muscle to balance, but it left me awestruck as I witnessed several shocking sights ahead: an old toothless lady chanting fervently as she climbed, a stout mother balancing a two-year old on her hip as she climbed, several devotees with 5 kg bags perched on their heads as they climbed and finally a young man precariously balancing a 15kg gas cylinder as he strode up the hills!! Apparently, food and amenities have to find their way to the temple on foot!

Defiant Descend

I have nothing but ADMIRATION for these locals! Being an auspicious Amavasye (no moon night) hoards of devotees of varying ages and sizes ascended, aspiring to visit the Lord that day; while I was using all four limbs to negotiate the precarious descent with my wobbling jelly legs….

A super sense of achievement and a wave of relief engulfed us as we made it beyond the entrance arch to return to the arms of our mango farm. A memorable dicky-ride in an auto and an even more memorable Totti Bath (like maidens of yore, ladies were guided to a small tank filled by a sump pipe in a secluded, sufficiently private for a refreshing bath) amidst coconut farms and mangroves overlooking the Sathuragiri hill range. Soon after we were treated to one more a nutritious power breakfast.

The very special auto-dicky ride

The blue tarpaulin sheet laid beneath an age old mango tree, seemed to beckon us to rest our aching bodies – but it was time for the second highlight of the show – A workshop on traditional food and practices by the famous Dr. Selva Shanmugam. So, yoga master Ganesh, came to our rescue and put us through a quick rejuvenating Yoga Nidra session.  That was aptly followed by a Kriya meditaion conducted by mentor Velu, leaving us all fresh as morning dew.

Lord Shiva is known for his benevolence – and so our atoning climb was duly rewarded with the ‘Var’ of a life-changing workshop by Sidda expert Dr. Selva. What sheer coincidental fortune to have been graced with his presence on that trip. Multiple topics ranging from tips on daily activities to dealing with debilitating common diseases – we lapped it all up coming from that fountain of knowledge!

Now that’s an experience of a life-time and no words can capture the eternal gratitude I have in my heart for this amazing opportunity. To all those who aspire for such an experience, all I say is, wish fervently and open your heart to the generosity of the Universe! All else will follow….

HAR HAR MAHADEV!

Author: Priya Barua

I am a Bangalore bred Konkani married to an Assamese with 2 invaluable assests aged 8 and 13 years. Passed out of Mount Carmel College, worked with Himalya Drug co. as a sub-editor., Citibank in phonebanking customer support, Bausch and Laumb as a window merchandiser, NEXT as a preprocess and soft skill trainer, Academy for Creative Teaching as a teacher trainer and with Buddhischool as a High school IGCSE English teacher, currently a Corrector with English First...

Celebrating Benefits Breastfeeding week, Aug, 1st – 7th.

breastfeeding info graphic poster

Breastfeeding is a divine mothering tool.It’s a natural facet of motherhood that ensures optimal nutrition to cocooning the newborn with emotional connectivity.

This can be achieved by providing proper information, guidance and support by families, health professionals, employers and the social community.

To bring this awareness to light, we are celebrating BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS WEEK from August 1- 7th through our whatsapp community and Facebook media. This is a call for expectant and new mothers and their families to join hands to receive and share as well their stories and experiences supporting each other. We will be also be joined by doctors and healers sharing their knowledge to support the cause.

What are you waiting for join here!

Author: Velu Jayaprakash

Velu Jayaprakash is a social entrepreneur, product manager, techy, photographer, meditator, father of two angels, ancient wisdom seeker, holistic adviser and Soul coach. You can reach him at velu.jayaprakash AT gmail DOT com