Tiruvannamalai

Was able to stay in Pondichery another night, so made it to the concert with the French jazz trio. Alain Brunet Trio with Indian classical musicians Manosh Bardhan who was brilliant on tabla, and Debi Prasad on sarod. He was very good too, but there wasn't really the same improvising opportunity for the sarod as there was for the tabla. I really enjoyed this concert.

Hired a bike on my last day in Pondichery - I thought afterwards, thank God it was Sunday and all was relatively 'quiet' on the roads (it's India - it will never be quiet!). What was I thinking?? I survived but how I don't know! Indian traffic just goes any which way; even the bus I was on today followed another onto the outside lane of the oncoming traffic on the highway so it could turnoff and then rejoin the highway by taking the off-ramp.

I travelled to Tiruvannamalai, where Sri Ramana Maharshi ashram is. This is a Shiva town, and it's overlooked by Mt Arunchala- a fire mountain which pilgrims cirumnavigate on the full moon which is tonight. Had to leave today because all accommodation was full with pilgrim bookings.

Sri Ramana meditated in 2 of the mountain's caves and I set off at 5.30am yesterday for the 4-hour return climb of the mountain. Met a group of Americans and Indians who live here at the base and we climbed the mountain and then spent the day together.

Sunrise over Tiruvannamalai

One of the Indians in our group described this view of the mountain on our way up as the dancing Shiva - can you see his raised left foot?

At the top

In the afternoon we went to a satsang at Werner's - a longtime Swiss disciple of Amma who spent seven of those years living underground before he realised God-conciousness. It was a great privilege for me to be part of this.

And now I've decided to have a little rest at the beach - still in Tamil Nadu at Mamallapuram. Arrived after a 3-hour bus journey which wasn't far as the crow flies, but took about 4 hours. I'm staying at the Siva guest house - couldn't resist it - just up from the beach.