Abode Of The Accomplished Ones

"Take only memories, leave only footprints."
— Chief Seattle. 

In a small village not far from the culturally rich town of Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, there is a remarkable spiritual vibration that endures to this day.

The town dates back 2,000 years to a period when Jainism was quite prominent in the region. The Jains are ascetic monks who practice extreme forms of deprivation, as evidenced by their hard stone beds carved out of rock. Similar to Buddhists, they beg for food in a nearby village and limit their intake to one meal a day. They also spend long periods in silence and meditation.

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
― Anita Desai

What surprised me was the security guard's knowledge of Nada Yoga. He demonstrated this by creating resonant tones inside the rock temple, once used by the monks. He accomplished this using a ventriloquist-like technique, producing sounds from various spots outside the main shrine. It was nothing short of extraordinary. He then showcased Nadi Sodhana—alternate nostril breathing—linking it to the resonance-producing process and invited those present to try it for themselves. The experience was marvelous; the resonance in that setting felt almost like a sound from another world.

The name of the village and the complex of caves is Chittanavasal, or Sittanavasal, which translates to "the dwelling place of the accomplished ones," resonating with the Sanskrit words siddhaḥ (accomplishment) and vāsaḥ (abode).

It is different to be traveling by ourselves without our loving group of students. We've always enjoyed the wonder in their eyes and the genuine delight with which they experience all things new and all things ancient. Our preparation, among other things, was to learn to see differently, and that is now something we continue as we discover India with new eyes.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
― Marcel Proust