Girivalam....

Sandra Maa Heber Percy, from Sienna, Italy, lives in Tirunvannamalai. That and her postings are what me knows of this lady. She is protesting along with many believers in Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi, an expansion of the Girivalam path at a cost of Rs.65 crore. A report in The Hindu, says the Girivalam expansion project will widen the path by 7 to 10 metres and a 12 minute video is in circulation of trees being uprooted; none speaks in the video; soft music as earth movers plough. Work will commence soon, says District Collector, A. Gnanasekaran. Is it necessary? IAS officers are trained on green grass and blue skies, in the Himalayas, if me am okay. Gnanasekaran at some time would have walked there. For years  pilgrims have walked the Girivalam path and today they do not perhaps need less trees and more paths. Too many projects are on shredding forests, humans and animals. A site www. Agathiar.Org talks of conditions to leg Giri (Hill), Valam (going round the Hill): prayers alone on the walk looking at the peak of Arunachala Hill; buy biscuits and the local porai to feed dogs and monkeys; bananas to offer cows; walk softly like a -- 'nirai maddha garbini ( a woman in the 9th month of pregnancy). A Zen walk perhaps, has been there for ages and seemingly does not need an additional investment of Rs.65 crore. Protests and talks are on; will Arunachala and Bhagwan Ramana be saved from investors? Do not know. Have never gone there. Am an on-off believer in Bhagwan; do not know when the gentleman walked into me life; perhaps when Arthur Osborne was principal in Hindi High School, where one went; father sometimes referred to Ramana Maharishi. But none provided firm gestures. Have read Osborne's book on the sage and liked it. Maharishi and Ramanujan had a matter common: their belief in Paramatman with Ramanujan finding it in numbers. Latest: The Hindu reports suspension of work by the District Collector; promise of an alternative route; aam admi protests and is protesting. The 14 km Girivalam path has a natural forest - Sonagiri - and earth movers had started hacking.Will Girivalam path be? Will Bhagwan Ramana help? For me it is less of god and more of forests. Its about trees and animals. A Ryokan poem:
My legacy -
What will it be?
Flowers in spring,
the cuckoo in summer,
And the crimson on maples
of autumn ....