Tag: Tiruvannamalai

Sri Ramana Maharshi was born on December 30, 1879 in a village called Tiruchuli about 30 miles south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu in South India. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended the American Mission High School.

At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized following what looks like a near-death experience. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He lived on and subsequently near Arunachala for the rest of his life, never leaving the place physically.

For several years he stopped talking and spent days in samadhi. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer.

With the years, he became world-famous and an ashram was built for him to which many westerners used to come.

He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70.

Radha Ma lives in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, the city of Ramana Maharshi, at the foot of the sacred Arunachala Hill.

She came to Tiru from Bangalore where she got married and had a successful career as a chartered accountant. At some point, she decided to renounce the worldly life. Actually, she claims that she was born in this "state" that she is in, and has always been in it. For some time she conducted a life of a female sadhu, sleeping in the streets while moving to the area of Tiruvannamalai and Arunachala. Soon, devotees began attracted to her and urged her to move from the streets to a house that was rented for her. Her husband himself became one of her devotees.

Radha lives in a house together with a very few selected 3 sannyasins. The house is located off the pradakshina road on the Northwest side of the Arunachala Hill.

Recently land was purchased on the south edge of Lake Samudra and work has already started on building a perimeter fence. Quickly planned will be the construction of five cottages for devotees and a large prayer/meditation hall. At this time no special facility on the land is being made for Radha Ma, who is taking an active interest in the development of the site and goes regularly to check progress.

Mooji was born on 29 January 1954 in Port Antonio, Jamaica. In 1969, he moved to the UK and he is presently living in Brixton, London.

Mooji is a direct disciple of Papaji, the renowned advaita master.

For a long time, he was well known as Tony Moo, but is now affectionately known as Mooji (Moo - his original family name, ji - a suffix in hindi expressing respect and affection).

Early Years

After moving to the UK and settling in London, Mooji worked in London's 'West end' as a street portrait artist for many years, then as a painter and a stained glass artist, and later as a teacher at Brixton College.

It appears that at some point, Mooji got married and had several children. His eldest son died of pneumonia in 1994.

Radical Shift in Consciousness

In 1987, a meeting, by chance, with a Christian mystic was to be a life-changing encounter for Mooji. It brought him, through prayer, into the direct experience of the Divine within. Within a short time, he experienced a radical shift in consciousness so profound that outwardly, he seemed, to many who knew him, to be an entirely different person. As his spiritual consciousness awakened, a deep inner transformation began which unfolded in the form of many miraculous experiences and mystical insights. He felt a strong wind of change blowing through his life which brought with it a deep urge to surrender completely to divine will. Shortly after, he stopped teaching at the Brixton College, left his home and began a life of quiet simplicity and surrender. A great peace entered his being, and has remained ever since.

Living in a State of Spontaneous Meditation

For the following six years, Mooji drifted in a state of spontaneous meditation oblivious to the outer world he formally knew. During these years, he lived almost penniless but was constantly absorbed in inner joy, contentment and natural meditation. Grace came in the form of his sister Julianne, who welcomed Mooji into her home.

Meeting Papaji

In late 1993, Mooji travelled to India and soon after arrival went in November to Lucknow to meet Papaji. It was to be an auspicious and profoundly significant experience on his spiritual journey. He gradually came to recognize that Papaji was his Guru. Mooji stayed with Papaji for several months. During one particular satsang meeting, Papaji told him: “If you desire to be one with truth, 'you' must completely disappear.” On hearing this, great anger arose within his mind, full of judgement and resistance towards Papaji. He decided to leave the master's presence for good, but later that day a huge dark cloud of anger and rebelliousness suddenly lifted, leaving his mind in a state of such peace, emptiness and a love towards the master, so intense, that he knew he could not leave. Through 'Papaji's' grace, his mind was pushed back into the emptiness of source.

In 1994, with his Master's blessings he travelled down to Sri Ramanasramam in Tiruvannamalai. This is the ashram at the foot of Arunachala, the 'Hill of Fire', where Sri Ramana Maharshi, the Sage of Arunachala and Papaji's Guru, had lived and taught. Mooji felt very happy and at home in Tiruvannamalai. He stayed there for almost three months before returning to sit at Papaji's feet once again.

Mooji visited Papaji again in 1997. It was to be his last meeting with his Beloved Master, who had by now become ill and frail in his movements, but whose inner light and presence remained undiminished. A month after returning to London, Mooji received news that the Master had passed away. Of this Mooji declares: "That Principle that manifests as the Master is ever HERE NOW. The True Master never dies, it is the mister that dies. The true Master, that Sat Guru* within, alone is the Real".

Becoming a Spiritual Teacher

Since 1999, Mooji has been sharing satsang in the form of spontaneous encounters, retreats, satsang intensives and one-to-one meetings with the many seekers who visit him, from all parts of the world, in search of the direct experience of truth.

His style is direct, clear, compassionate and often humorous. Once caught in the grip of his questions, there seems to be no place to hide.

Aum Amma is originally from Kerala. No much information is known about Amma's childhood and the occurrences that brought her to her current state.

She is called Aum Amma after the sacred Aum symbol (ও) since at some point the symbol appeared on her forehead (see the video in the "View Video" tab).

Before 2001, she lived in Tirupathi and traveled at least once to Varanasi.

During 2001-2003, Amma lived in a cave on the sacred Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai (this is the reason for one of her names "Cave Amma"). People used to visit her for darshans in that cave (called "Cave Amma").

In 2003, she left the cave and traveled to Rishikesh and then returned to Tiruvannamalai. Since then, she has lived in Tiruvannamalai in several houses and has been attended by her devotees.

She gives darshans at her house every Sunday (see the location tab).

Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar (also known as Siva Sakthi) is a short elderly woman living in her ashram in Tiruvannamalai.

She kept silent for many years and attained the Self about 18 years ago. She is attended by her devoted son.

In her younger years as a house-holder, Sri Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar was an ardent devotee of Lord "Siva". She would spend day and night in worship and devotion, leading her to ignore the mundane things in life. Being disillusioned and always frustrated, her longing to merge with the Divine ever increased. She loved to be left alone, and in deep states of meditation the SELF was revealed. She went to Perumal Hill, a (holy) hill in the Salem district in Tamil Nadu, in south India, where she spent some years in silence. In 2003 she came to Tiruvannamalai, where an ashram was set up. Since her arrival, Ammaiyar, the respectful name for mother, gives daily darshan to people in pure silence.

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May 22, 2010

This being summer (in India), Ammaiyar is again taking personal time for herself; so there will be times when there will be no Darshan. If you are thinking of coming during the summer months, it would be best if you call or email before coming to know the current situation.
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January 03, 2010

Sri Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar will be giving Darshan in the MORNING'S ONLY at 10:00 am.

No evening Darshan until further notice.

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*December 6th, 2009

"MOTHER OF THE WORLD"

SRI SIVA SAKTHI AMMAIYAR

Message to the World

The rotation of the earth is slightly faster. This is the reason for the changing climatic conditions.

THIS ACCELERATION OF THE ROTATION IS DUE TO PEOPLE'S KARMA.

As more calamities occur throughout the world, there will be more loss of lives.

People living on river banks and near volcanoes, should be more careful.

People living in the Himalayas need to be more careful.

Animals and poisonous insects will come out.

In the year 2012 the earth's rotation will increase again and then gradually return to its normal speed.

Through God's Grace and Blessings, the areas which will be most affected by this powerful change in rotation will be deserts, forests and rivers.

From the year 2022 the world will prosper and people will feel good and will be blessed with wealth and prosperity.

EVERYONE SHOULD HOLD ON TO THE FEET OF GOD AND BE PATIENT AND AT PEACE.

(This message is a continuation of the October 4th message below.)

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*October 4th, 2009

* Message from WORLD MOTHER SRI SIVA SAKTHI AMMAIYAR

to the People of the World

Throughout the world there will be more natural calamities through water: floods, tsunami's (tidal waves), severe rain storms, etc, and air: cyclones, hurricanes, tornadoes, severe high winds, etc. There will be earthquakes and tidal waves throughout the world. People living on Islands, especially in the coastal areas, will need to be more cautious and careful. Those who are traveling by air need to be more careful. The destruction will be more abroad, than in India. Those who are in business will need to be more alert and careful.

For India: More and heavy rains and winds will come and bring more damage.

For Pondicherry: Those people living on the coastline need to be very careful.

(Two months prior, Amma had mentioned the upcoming danger involving water. This morning she elaborated on it when speaking at Darshan.)

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On October 9, 2008, Vijaya Dashami day, Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar broke her silence. After many years in silence (5 since she came to Tiruvannamalai, 6 1/2 all together for this stretch), she will now, occasionally, speak, give Spiritual discourse, through an interpreter. When, is not known. We shall see how this unfolds.

On January 30, 2009, Amma started giving "Private Darshan". A few people on a designated day, can sit privately with her (one at a time) in a cordoned off and screened area of the Ashram hall. Whether she speaks or not is up to her. If she does, her son interprets what she said. To make advance booking, you have to speak with her son, Velan.

In May of 2009, after Amma's first break of the year (time off for herself-no Darshan), she came back having cut off her 12' long Sadhu jata, (her long hair-dreds). Her son said she had grown this hair for at least 18 years.

it is now September. Amma is again giving Darshan twice daily. We cannot say that Amma won't take another break, but for now, she is giving Darshan twice daily, as usual.

Amma's website, Sri Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar, has been updated.

Surya Amma was born in Israel. She got married and had a regular household life.

In 2000 she firstly embarked on a spiritual trip to India. During this trip she was drawn to the Arunachala Hill in south India and since then lived in Tiruvannamalai at the foot of the hill most of the time.

SRI SESHADRI SWAMIGAL was born in Kanchipuram in the Kamakoti family to the couple Vardarajan and Margathammal. The kamakoti families, about 30 in number, were specially brought to Kanchipuram by Adi Shankara, from Central India, to spread the Sri Vidhya Cult.

Seshadri as a boy of four, following his mother to the temple, took an idol of Sri Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) in his hand, from a shop, saying he will do pooja to the idol. The shop keeper, appreciating the child's interest, gave the idol free to little Seshadri.

Next day, as Maragathammal and Seshadri were going to the temple, the shop keeper prostrated, placed child Seshadri's hand on his eyes and cried "golden hand! golden hand!". He explained that the sale was extraordinarily high after the child touched the idols. From that day onwards, till his maha siddhi, he was popularly known as `Thangakkai Seshadri' (Seshadri of golden hand), for whatever he touched turned into gold (flourished).

He renounced material life at the age of 19, left Kanchipuram and came to Tiruvannamalai. He never left Tiruvannamalai till his nirvana in 1929. He was a great upasaka (worshiper) of Shakthi.

He roamed the streets of Tiruvannamalai like a mad man, entering a shop and dumping the cash from cash box on the floor or throwing the flour kept for making dough into the water and so on. However, his strange behavior was known to the town people and they never minded. On the contrary, they eagerly awaited his visit, for his visit meant that their business would flourish.

Sri Seshadri Swamigal, as mentioned earlier, was a worshiper of Shakthi. Recital of Mantrams, that is, sacred syllables (mantra japa), was his path. He was a contemporary of Sri Ramana Maharshi.

In fact it was Seshadri Swamigal who rescued the young Ramana when the latter was immersed in penance in the underground vault called Patala Lingam located in the Thousand-pillared Hall of the Arunachaleshwarar temple, while ants and other insects were gnawing away at his body.

It was Sri Seshadri Swamigal as well, that brought Sri Ramana to the notice of the world and that a great soul resided in him. Ramana, younger in age used to be called Chinna-Seshadri (Little Seshadri). Sri Seshadri was called Mother Parvathi and Sri Ramana as Skanda (Lord Subramanya). There were instances when devotees have experienced that Seshadri was Ramana and Ramana was Seshadri. They were contemporaries and each knew the greatness of the other. When Sri Seshadri's body was interred, Sri Ramana's personal approval of the script and reading of Seshadri's biography showed Ramana's reverence for this great Mahan. Many were his beneficiaries. Sri Vallimalai Swamigal, Ganapathi Muni, and Bhanu Kavi are to cite a few. Even men of ordinary walk of life had their several ills-mental and physical cured. Several had initiation in mantras according to their eligibility. Sri Ramana was moved from Patala Lingam to Gurumurtam following the suggestion of various people expressing concern with his overall well being. When Palaniswami stepped forward to become Ramana's personal attendant, Sri Seshadri stepped aside basically without comment.

The paths of Sri Seshadri and Sri Ramana were different. There used to be friendly arguments between them. Sri Seshadri Swamigal possessed many Siddhis and performed many miracles like curing chronic diseases etc., openly. However, Sri Ramana Maharishi, though he performed miracles sometimes such as the bilocation experiences described by Ramana himself as well as Ganapathi Muni and Paul Brunton, he never officially acknowledged them or attached importance. He always advised seekers to focus on the ultimate goal of Self Realization and not to be distracted by minor achievements like siddhis or miraculous powers.

Seshadri Swamigal ashram is next to Sri Ramanashramam between the second and third Lingam on the circumabulation route. Regular pujas are performed at the samadhi of Sri Seshadri Swamigal. There are a few platforms for meditation in the open, in a beautiful garden, under the cool shade of trees. One can do meditation facing the holy hill Arunachala, from this garden. A book stall in the ashram sells photographs and books. Accommodation is available and food is served by a canteen inside the ashram.