Sri Swamiji visited Ayers Rock on 24,25 & 26 of October 2006. Uluru is known more by its other famous name - Ayers Rock. The Aborigines of the area hold the rock in great reverence. It is also said that the rock is the world’s largest monolith.
Sri Swamiji flew from Sydney to Ayers rock on 24th morning. The three hour flight shows the striking features of Australian outback. Interestingly Uluru is situated at the centre of the Australian continent.
In the late afternoon on the day of arrival, Sri Swamiji visited the nearby Katja Tjuta rocks. Sri Swamiji hiked along a trail with devotees and a guide. The guide explained in detail the geological formation of the area. It is said that at the times when all earth’s land mass was one, known as Gondawanaland, there existed at the centre of Australia, a big sea. A mountain on the sea side which grew rapidly could not contain itself and a stream of mountain rubble rivered in to the sea filling up a deep crater in it and the ensuing ice age compacted the mountain rubble in to a rock. So, in the present age , even in the stark and plain desert, mount Uluru stands majestically showing only its tip of 1100 feet, keep the rest of the rock of about 7 miles - deep under earth.
Sri Swamiji intently listened to the guide and asked a few questions. He then explained the aboriginal life, the flora, fauna and the animal life in the harsh desert conditions.
25th October 2006 - the important day of seeing sun rise cast its warm golden glow on Mount Uluru - was much looked forward by all. At 5 AM, Sri Swamiji and the devotees assembled at the designated spot where dozens of other tourist bus and its passengers had assembled. But unfortunately the sky was overcast with a thick layer of clouds and one could feel the sunlight but no sun rays. Some devotees chanted Aditya Hridaya, Saptashva Rudham, - praying for Sun rays to pierce the thick clouds and shine on the rock. Nothing happened. One by one the tourist busses left. All the while Sri Swamiji was sitting in the car. After about 20 minutes, Sri Swamiji got down and beckoned devotees to gather together. Then Sri Swamiji spoke -
This amazing message made everyone around to feel how lucky they all were to be seething this rock from the times of Varaha Avathara - with their Sadgurudeva. Amazing indeed. As Sri Swamiji concluded His brief message and turned to look at the rock, the thick cloud above burst open letting a gush of golden sunlight bedazzle Mount Uluru. Slowly the entire area was swathed in golden yellow light and the early morning chill melted. It was a wonderful feeling. This grand spectacle lasted about 5 minutes and the clouds slowly drew curtain blocking the sunlight. But t hose five divine minutes were electrifying.
In the evening Sri Swamiji visited a remote sand dune where a digeridoo player played the instrument deftly and with his cyclical breathing in a continuous fashion. Later an astronomer explained the salient feature of the southern hemisphere sky , the zodiacs and the stars of that evening - the shining star was mostly the thick cloud.
On 26th, Sri Swamiji visited the rock again in the morning and returned by flight to Sydney by evening. From Sydney, Sri Swamiji drove to Bundeena town, our camp quarters.
Aerial view of the awesome Northern Territories
Sadgurudeva standing in front of Katja Tjuta on 24 Oct 2006
The pass in Katja Tjuta Mountain
Sri Swamiji feels a rock
Rubbles stuck together
Pujya Sadgurudeva holds a stone
A slit in the crowd allows Surya Deva to shower Light
Sunlight flowing down like water fall on Mount Uluru
Pujya Swamiji in front of Uluru - Ayers Rock-25 Oct 2006
Close up of holes / fissures in Ayers Rock
Another face of Uluru
Sri Swamiji visited Uluru just before leaving for Sydney
