Dennis

Sri Arunachala Bhakta Bhagavat, Mrs.Joan Greenblatt, Dennis Hartel, Bhaskar Singh, Evelyn Kaselow, Matthew Greenblatt

Devout Devotees

Pay Homage to The Master

The Arunachala Ashrama, started in New York about eight years ago by the devotee of Sri Bhagavan, Sri Arunachala Bhakta Bhagavata, is doing yeoman service for those interested in the Maharshi in U.S.A. and Canada. Recently the ashram opened a country retreat in Nova Scotia^[1] – a long cherished hope made possible by the dedicated striving of a few members.

Seven members of Arunachala Ashrama arrived at Sri Ramanasramam on August 15 and stayed for three weeks. The party consisted of : Sri and Smt.Arunachala Bhakta Bhagavata and their son, Sri Bhaskar Prasad Singh, Mr.Matthew Greenblatt and Mrs.Joan Greenblatt, Miss Evelyn Kaselow and Mr.Dennis Hartel.

They interrupted their stay to pay homage at the birthplace of Sri Bhagavan in Tiruchuzhi and at Madurai where He had His Final Experience.

Before finally leaving Sri Ramanasramam the group were presented with two large coloured photos of Sri Maharshi and Arunachala by the Ashram President, Sri T.N.Venkataraman. On their last day (September 5) they were profoundly moved by a showing of the cine film of Sri Bhagavan. To ensure future contact they placed a large order for books, thus intending to spread the message of Ramana further afield.

The Ashram gratefully accepted a gift from Mr.Matthew Greenblatt of a Speed Graphic Camera, which will be very useful, mainly in copying old photos of Sri Bhagavan for which original negatives are lost.

Altogether they were thoroughly overjoyed by their stay at the abode of Sri Bhagavan. It was so full of interest and absorption that one of the members, Miss Evelyn Kaselow, wants to share the following with our readers:

Our Pilgrimage to Arunachala

“Although it seems like long ago, it was really only about three years back that we saw for the first time the picture of the beloved Arunachala Mountain, saw the face of Sri Bhagavan, and heard the chanting of Arunachala Siva in the small store-front known as Sri Arunachala Ashrama – Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Center, Inc. in New York City. Long before we knew about India and the lives of different sages and saints and even before we became acquainted with the life and teachings of Bhagavan, the chanting of Arunachala Siva and Arunachala itself had begun to captivate our minds and hearts. Thus in a mysterious way, even without our knowing, Sri Bhagavan had begun to attract us. Naturally the longing spontaneously arose within us to go to Arunachala, but lack of funds and other circumstances prevented this trip at the time. However, in due course with the guidance, friendship and support of Sri Arunachala Bhakta Bhagawat, who founded the New York ashram, our plans were made. It was decided that we four young devotees would travel with Bhagawat, his wife and son to the home of Sri Bhagavan at the foot of the holy mountain we knew only from hearsay and pictures.

One verse of Sri Arunachala Patikam seems really to be true of us: “This Hill, the lodestone of lives, arrests the movements of anyone who so much as thinks of It.” For, simply by hearing the name of Ramana-Arunachala we were drawn here as though by a magnet from the other side of the earth.

“When, during this summer we finally made arrangements, our parents and friends were mystified how we were intending to visit India with no funds. Our story is the greatest testimony to Sri Bhagavan’s Grace, for, not until after the date of pilgrimage was set and reservations made for passage, were funds donated by various friends – and the journey, which all viewed as impossible, got under way.

“The early morning hours of Wednesday, August 15 find us walking for the first time through the streets of Tiruvannamalai towards Sri Ramanasramam with the mountain to our right. We are thinking that this is the beginning of our first pradakshina. We hoist the New York City ashrama banner at the gate of Sri Ramanasramam and with the cries of 'Sanatana Dharma Ki Jai! – Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Ki Jai!', we proceed to the old meditation hall where the manuscripts of Sri Arunachala Bhakta Bhagawat are put before Bhagavan.

“Who can describe the feelings of joy upon reaching our real home, radiating peace and harmony? Although the letter advising our day of arrival has not yet arrived, we are provided with accommodation immediately and served breakfast (prasad) in the old dining hail where Bhagavan ate with His disciples for many years.

“Later we visit the room of Bhagavan’s Mahasamadhi where Swami Satyananda shows us Sri Bhagavan’s relics and offers us prasad. In all this we feel Bhagavan’s grace and solicitude for which we give thanks.

“One day soon after our arrival we are ushered into the small room of Swami Vishwanathan where he tells us of his first coming to stay with Sri Bhagavan the day before His Jayanti in January of 1923 at the age of 19. He tells us also of how one morning he made pradakshina of the hill and then to its top. Upon returning, Bhagavan requested he take some visitors to Skandashram. Finally he heard that Bhagavan would be making pradakshina that night and unable to pass up the opportunity started out on a second pradakshina. Over half-way round he began to feel tired and left the party to go ahead with word for Bhagavan. Only then did Sri Bhagavan find out that his young disciple had been walking all day without rest.

“Swami Vishwanathan took gracious interest in our small group, leading us on three pradakshinas and on several trips up the mountain and to the temple, Gurumurtum and the tank where Bhagavan had His first shave – as well as to the Durga Temple.

“All our expectations were surpassed in the company of the Swami. It was as if Sri Bhagavan’s life was unfolding before us in his stories; as though we were walking with Him and seeing Him move among us.

“On these treasured walks with Swami Vishwanathan, overflowing with stories of Bhagavan, we also became His intimate companions and felt Bhagavan’s presence through our guide.

“We are also blessed with a visit to Bhagavan’s birthplace Tiruchuzhi and to Madurai, both of which we were greatly looking forward to see. Sri M.S.Nagarajan was kind enough to accompany us and help us in all possible ways. The room in which Bhagavan was born has become a beautiful shrine so filled with peace that family members who maintain it and visitors, while talking, sit on the steps outside the room in reverence. In this tiny room devotional chanting of the Vedas takes place every evening. We were very grateful for the warm and gracious welcome we received at Bhagavan’s first home.

“In Madurai, the house in which Bhagavan lived is shown to us and we imagine how He, as a slender boy, quietly lived His exceptional life unnoticed at the side of Mother Meenakshi’s temple. We are indeed moved by our visit to the place where Bhagavan attained Liberation.

“We are taken for the darshan of Mother Meenakshi in the temple on the first evening of our arrival in Madurai. We understand it is not usual for Westerners to be permitted in the sanctum sanctorum and take this to be Bhagayan's Grace that we were led with no trouble at all to the fect of the Mother. ‘Not because you were born Hindus but because of devotion you can go to the Mother, the temple officials tell us after seeing the Arunachala Ashrama brochures and hearing we have been brought half-way across the earth.

“On August 28 we take the evening train south to retrace the steps of Bhagavan “in search of my Father!”^[2] Pictures are taken to mark the event.

“At Tirukoilur the final leg of our journey begins as we board the train and see beloved Arunachala loom larger and larger before us as Arunachala Siva resounds in our minds and hearts.

“Our stay at Sri Ramanasramam and visits to the places connected with Bhagavan’s life are the most memorable events of our lives with Bhagavan’s Grace and with the blessing of His disciples. it is beyond our power to express our gratitude to Ramana for making us His own and bringing us so far to our place of refuge – Arunachala.

“We would like to express our deepest thanks to the President, the management and all the ashram devotees who have made our stay so wonderful.”

Sri T.N.Venkataraman, Ashram President, presenting the portrait of Sri Bhagavan to the members of Arunachala Ashrama.