With the emergence of the reforestation work, ancient sacred sites are again honoured and new groves are planted, inviting the contemplation of the rich natural beauty surrounding us. Believing as i do in continuity between centuries now past and present, i invite you to consider the ecologically aesthetic appreciation and transcendental priorities of a culture able to extol a symbol for Fire incorporated with an iconic representation of Water, in a little antique painting on the wall of the Kalyani Mandapam in the big temple. This is "Arunasamudaran", one of the old names for this place, an old reminder of basics: fire and water. As you can barely see, since it is old and neglected, it shows a mound of rocks surrounded by nice little ponds, referring no doubt to the numerous ponds lining the hill-round-roadway on which pilgrims circumambulate the sacred mountain.

As you may know, the endeavour to reforest Arunachala spans us back through ancient texts compiled long before our natural resources became mis-managed by modern disrespect for natural processes. In contrast to the irresponsibility of modern times, ancient inhabitants of this area established an intimate relationship between a forested hill believed to embody Lord Siva, and the two main temples - one in the main town of Thiruvannamalai and the other older in the village on the other side called Adiannamalai. Another perhaps more amusing contrast between ancient and modern times is indicated in the recent archeological survey which describes the pradakshina of the mountain centuries ago as "a practice conducive in making one ascend to a space connected to the world of renouncement ".

The recent rains have provoked several locals to point out to me that Lord Siva obviously loves his new green outfit. "Yes, he does, doesn't he?" I reply, with much appreciation for this mythical aspect. Better than the idea that he loves a burnt black body, although I understand only recently that the notion that burning the mountain will result in the Lord being good to you is not because he is conjectured to like being burnt; it's because the pain cause by burning will alert him to whatever pain provoked the devotee to attempt to draw on his attention in the first place (like that his daughter needs a dowry) and hence in sympathy the great god Siva might do the needful. I'm speaking of an exceedingly unsophisticated strata of culture here which is nevertheless powerful on a huge mountain of tinder in the middle of summer in a Fire Place.

Nevertheless at present, the green provided by two years of excellent rains combined with much effort means that the tinderness of the body of the god is not dangerous. Not at present. And moreover, there are small but powerful signs that the psychological involvement of many people in the surrounding community is increasing. Listen, look:

Speaking of ancient times, let's embrace the obvious fact that although the hill is not a viable object of worship for Muslims as it is for Hindus, nevertheless for a very long time Muslims have lived amongst us here; we have had several responsible muslim rulars in this area. Moreover there are several dhargars where muslim saints are buried in Thiruvannamalai, perhaps the most famous of whom was a mere woman. Her name was Syedini Bibi. Photos of the darghar her tomb in the main street are below here, both from outside and within, where the custodian sits and where i have gone to rest and regenerate over many years.

Syedini Bibi was a Sufi saint. The story of how she became famous that has been handed down by word of mouth for two hundred years, is a curiously powerful one. She came from the middle east in the early nineteenth century and - like many sufis, she landed at Nagore on the coast to the south east, no doubt inspired greatly by what she found there, like everyone else both then and now. She ventured the few hundred kilometers towards Arunachala and settled for the rest of her life here. It was only some time after her death that any event has been recorded unfortunately; there are no details extant about Bibi's life, only the extraordinary one after her death, which made her famous.

The area adjacent to Sri Arunachalaeswar Temple was a muslim area; evidently muslims were employed by the Devasthanam for much of the work in the temple (other than that of priests). As the town grew it became desirable that the circuit road around the temple be widened to accommodate the crowds expected particularly on Big Car Day of the Deepam Festival. It was decided that numerous muslim graves would be demolished, however the population protested strongly that the tomb of Syedini Bibi should not be disturbed since she was a saint of some renown. So much protest occurred that the decision was postponed until after that Deepam Festival. However soon after the beautiful big temple cart began the traditional circuit route one of the huge wheels accidentally knocked the side of Bibi's tomb. The story is that the temple cart immediately burst into flames. Since Arunachala is famously the Fire Lingam, this story is intriguing; it's perhaps as near as we've ever been to communal tension, and the result is a little gem of communal oneupmanship.

Myth is a very potent aspect of life here for everyone. A merchant who has been having powerful dreams of Syedini Bibi since he was a boy, whose shop stands opposite to her tomb, told me that if a person sleeps the whole of one night in her little darghar, upon waking they will know everything in the unverse. "Everything!" he said. "In only one night!". Gosh. Impressed, I asked if he'd done that himself, thinking maybe he could tell me a thing or two, but he hasn't been brave enough to face the consequences yet: "I'm not ready" he told me with a little sideways flicker of his eyes. He teaches yoga; extraordinary asanas are photographed in a little plastic-enveloped booklet, so i guess he's on the way to being ready.

In 1880 the Darghar in Car Street, conspicuous as it is in the image above, was built by the Nawab of the time in honour Syedini Bibi and the awe in which her memory was held by the local population. The Nawab used frequently to visit Nagore.