4.4. In the Thousand Pillared Hall

The thousand-pillared hall today, in the background Arunachala. When the photo was taken in 2003 the hall was closed for renovation.

In the Thousand-pillared Hall and in the Patala Lingam Ramana first settled down in the thousand-pillared hall in the temple compound, which is on the right when entering the temple through the eastern tower. The hall, with its thousand richly-carved stone pillars, is a raised stone platform, open on all sides. Here there is a constant ebb and flow of pilgrims. Exposed to the gaze of the general public in a place of pilgrimage the strange youth soon roused the curiosity of the visitors. Street urchins started to pester him. No doubt they felt provoked by a youth the same age as them, or not much older, sitting motionless like a statue in silent meditation. They used to look for him to throw stones and potsherds at him and make fun of him.

SeshadriswamiRamana was, however, not their first victim. The ascetic Seshadriswami, who had also been living in the temple for a number of years and who was considered by people to be mad because of his often unusual behaviour, had had to endure a similar fate. As a result Ramana was also called Chinna Seshadri (the young Seshadri). But Seshadriswami recognized in Ramana a kindred spirit, whose exceptional depth of absorption he valued. He named him Brahmana Swami (saint of Brahmins). Seshadriswami himself had renounced the world at the age of 19. He was now 26. Later he and Sri Ramana came to be known as ‘the two eyes of Tiruvannamalai’, whose glance sanctified the place. The bond between them lasted the whole of their lives.Seshadri tried to protect Ramana against the attacks of the urchins, but his endeavours were unsuccessful and sometimes merely served to make matters worse.