Sadhu on the Hill

One day during one of my several trips to the ashram I decided to climb the great hill of Arunachala. It is a moderate hike of about two hours. That particular day was a little cloudy so the heat was not unbearable. After I reached the top of the hill I stopped to meditate for a few minutes. There one finds the remains of the fires, the bricks and pottery, which are burned yearly on the full moon of the month of Karttika, which is sacred to Lord Skanda.

While sitting by these I suddenly saw an old figure dressed in orange taking very wide strides and coming up the hill. He stopped in a few places and picked a few berries from the sparse vegetation. Then he came to within about fifty feet and looked at me, giving the siddha gesture with his hand. At that instant the whole of space opened up behind me. I could feel the infinite void extending in all directions and my entire life felt like a bubble within it. It was like a moment out of time. Then he continued with his wide strides and went to the other side of the hill and disappeared.

I am not certain who the sadhu was. He did not look like Ramana but more like a old wandering Swami. Ramana said that Siddhas dwelled on the hill. I could say from my experience that this was the case. India still has such mysterious figures that one can contact, sense or intuit at times. That is part of the blessing of visiting the land.