Arunachala Land

Initiative to save Water Bodies

2012-01-23T01:06:00.000-08:00

A very encouraging report has just appeared in Tamil Nadu newspapers about a state-wide initiative to save water bodies; which includes irrigation tanks, ponds and springs

Local NGO’s have described the state government’s proposal as ‘path breaking’ which is to restore water bodies across the state. According to media reports, the state government would undertake to restore around 70,000 water bodies comprising 21,000 minor irrigation tanks, 48,000 ponds and springs. The project proposes to target approximately 1,487 water bodies in Vellore and 3,277 in Tiruvannamalai district.

A plea to the state government, on the need for a restoration project, emanated, when the Chennai-based Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) (along with a group of NGOs from across the state) organised a special meeting which focused on the revival of tanks and water bodies and the strict enforcement of laws to protect water bodies.

Water bodies in Tamil Nadu used to provide irrigation to over 1.7 million hectares in the 1950s. Most of these structures still exist but the area irrigated by these sources has come down drastically to 0.7 million hectares as on 2002.

Tanks are traditional rain-water harvesting structures which not only provide irrigation, but also act as a buffer during droughts as they help recharge groundwater. Sadly, hundreds of tanks, foreshore areas and their catchments have been encroached upon by private individuals while many others have been occupied officially for various urban activities such as housing, industrial estate, government buildings, etc. At the present pace of industrialisation and urbanisation in the state, most of the tanks may disappear in the next couple of decades.

Environmental activists welcomed the government’s move to restore water bodies, but wanted rivers to be included, as tanks had a direct bearing on river systems. Citing the case of the Palar river which is on the verge of dying due to lack of surface water, illegal encroachments, and unabated sand mining, it was suggested that the state government present a white paper on the status of all rivers in the state.

Solar-powered houses

2012-01-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

The below interesting information on the development of Solar-powered houses by the State Government, recently appeared in State newspapers. Its certainly heartening to see such an ecologically-friendly initiative from the State Government.

The articles state that:

“Six months after the announcement in the Assembly, the chief minister’s solar-powered, green-powered scheme, that replaced the previous regime’s ‘Kalaignar housing scheme’, has gained momentum with the government issuing work orders to 60,000 rural beneficiaries. Many of them have also started constructing their dream houses.

“In the first phase, we have identified 60,000 beneficiaries across the state for 2011-2012. With 4,333 identified beneficiaries in Villupuram, which has more number of huts in the state, tops the beneficiaries list and 3,719 beneficiaries have been identified in Vellore district, while Tiruvannamalai district stands next with 3,038 beneficiaries,” sources in the government told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday.

Similarly, 1,897 beneficiaries in Madurai, 2,801 in Salem, 2,427 in Tirunelveli, 1,531 in Thoothukudi will soon start constructing their houses.

Green houses will be constructed either replacing the existing structure or on land owned by the beneficiary elsewhere in the village panchayat.

Under this scheme, Rs 1.80 lakh will be allotted for each beneficiary with Rs 1.50 lakh for constructing a house measuring 300 square feet and the remaining Rs 30,000 for purchasing a solar-powered home lighting system, which will be installed by Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA).

All the houses must have rainwater harvesting system and be in cream and maroon colour. Unlike earlier schemes, this one provides for the entire cost to be borne by the state government.”

Arunachala Homes

2011-10-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

There are currently many recently constructed homes ready for purchase located in areas close and convenient to Ramana Nagar and the central point of Sri Ramana Maharshi Ashram.

To view a selection of these one and two storey homes, please view this album at this link here.

All the houses in the album are moderately priced, have been recently completed and have straight-forward title. If you wish to meet with an agent and arrange to view any of these homes, please email at the above address.

If you wish to see more photographs of any of the homes, or wish to see photographs of the interiors, please email at the above address.

Devyandal Farm

2011-09-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

This week visited a very beautiful land parcel comprised of two adjacents farms and totalling just under 5 acres in size. The land is to be sold in one unit, but has an electrical connection and water tanks (driven by petrol motors) on both pieces of land.

One Tank

Two Tank

The land is close to a water catchment area and government land that can never be built on, thus providing a secure buffer zone on one side of the land parcel. Open hills are a short distance to the land parcel.

For more specific details and pricing, use the 'contact me' facility at top left hand corner of this page.

The land is located on the northwest side of Arunachala abount one kilometre west of Adaiyur.

Tree Species for Tamil Nadu

2011-09-26T02:24:00.001-07:00

Tamil Nadu Forest Department has listed the below trees species as highly suitable for cultivation in Tiruvannamalai District. To find out more about tree research in the forests of Tamil Nadu, go to this link here.

Right click on photographs to view enlargement.

Under each photograph right click on tree name to be guided to relevant link with additional information on that particular tree.

Anthocephalus Cadamba

Kaya Senegalensis

Ailanthus Excelsa, Tree of Heaven

Melia Dubia, Golden Neem

Casuarina Junghuniana

Melocanna Baccifera

Alstronia Scholaris, Devil Tree

Albizia Richardiana

Acrocarpus Fraxinifolius, Pink Cedar

Paddy Yield Increase

2011-09-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

A number of farmers in the Tiruvannamalai District are now experimenting with an unconventional method of paddy cultivation. Early results report that conventional methods on a 10 acre farm which previously yielded 2.4 tonnes of paddy an acre are now producing 3.3 tonnes of paddy an acre.

This increase is a result of Tegra seedling technology developed and patented by Syngenta, a Swiss company with a model farm in Vandavasi, Tamil Nadu. In this process paddy seedlings are grown in a tray in a special media comprising straw, soil, nutrients etc. Thereafter the seedlings continue their growth in a nursery and are replanted after 15 days into the paddy field, with a special transplant machinery. Once transplanted the seedlings take root and begin to grow.

The technology costs Rs 75 a tray and an acre requires 70 trays. The cost includes Syngenta Company growing the paddy seedlings chosen by the farmer (or considered appropriate for the area). The Company then transplants the cultivated seedlings in the farmer's field with special machinery and thereafter offers counsel until harvest.

Officials at Syngenta have pointed out that their system is not the same as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) as SRI is done manually while Tegra technology is done mechanically.

Tamil Nadu Wetlands

2011-09-19T01:29:00.000-07:00

The National Wetland Atlas, prepared by the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has classified Tamil Nadu as a wetland-rich State with 6.92% of its geographic area classified as wetlands. Lake/pond and tank/pond are the dominant wetland types found in all the Districts, accounting for 61%.

The atlas was prepared to protect wetlands from development and encroaching populations.

Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai was found to have a wetland area of over 50,000 ha. (hectare = 2.47 acres).

Land 5 Kms from Arunachala

2011-08-28T00:56:00.001-07:00

Some information and photographs below on beautiful agricultural land located 5 kms from Arunachala. The water table is good – around 80 feet – but there is no current well or electricity on the land. There are four pieces of land, fully Patta, owned by the one man which comprise: 1.66 acres, 1.37 acres, 3.66 acres and 2.5 acres (total 9.19 acres available). The owner is willing to sell one or any number of the 4 adjacent plots.

To view more photographs and information please check out my link at this address.

A wide access road of around 30 feet in length (leading to the Municipal road) has just been created which runs directly onto the land. The seller will ensure passage upon purchase of one, or any number of the four available parcels.

Sketch of Land

5 Acre Parcel (#1) Sirupakkam

2011-04-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

The below series of photographs is of a 5 acre parcel of red soil land situated at Sirupakkam. The current owner has full patta title.

The land which is both suitable for organic and traditional farming, has a large agricultural well that has abundant sweet water throughout the year. Arunachala darshan is excellent.

To avoid any complication with access the owner of this land wishes to sell it in conjunction with the 5 acre parcel mentioned in the next posting (5 Acre Parcel #2 Sirupakkam) at this link here:

All serious independent parties interested in more information, including price, are invited to get in touch using the 'contact me' facility at the top of this page.

5 Acre Parcel (#2) Sirupakkam

2011-04-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

To avoid any complication with access the owner of this land wishes to sell it in conjunction with the 5 acre parcel mentioned in the previous posting (5 Acre Parcel #1 Sirupakkam) at this link:

All serious independent parties interested in more information, including price, are invited to get in touch using the 'contact me' facility at the top of this page.

11 Acre Agrcultural Land Parcel - Sirupakkam

2011-04-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

The below is a series of photographs of a 11 acre parcel of agricultural land located at Sirupakkam (which lies southeast of Arunachala). The land has clear patta title and the owner is ready to sell immediately to a serious purchaser.

The land, which is red soil is exceptionally suitable for organic farming, although over the last years has been used for traditional farming such as paddy.

The darshan of Arunachala is excellent. There are two agricultural wells on the land which, even in hot summers, have abundant sweet water.

For more information regarding location and price, please use the 'contact me' facility at the top of this page.

Happy Earth Day -- April 22, 2011

2011-04-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Earth Day was founded on April 22, 1970 and now is celebrated on that day throughout the world. It is intended as a day to promote awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. To learn more about the history of Earthday go to this link here.

To find out more about Earthday and also to measure your ecological footprint on the planet go to this link here.

Chant for Peace

May the Goddess Waters be auspicious for us to drink. May they flow, they flow, with blessings upon us.

May the Earth be pleasant and free of thorns as our place of rest. May She grant us a wide peace.

May the Divine Waters which grant us blessings, may they sustain us vigor and energy, and for a great vision of delight.

May we partake of that which is their most auspicious essence, as from loving mothers.

May the Heaven grant us peace, and the Atmosphere. May the Earth grant us peace, and the Waters. May the plants and the great forest trees give us their peace. May all the Devas grant us peace; may Brahman grant us peace. May the entire universe grant us peace. May that supreme peace come to us. May that peace dwell in me.

Take this firm resolve: May all beings look at me with the eyes of a friend. May I look at all beings with the eyes of a friend. May we all look at each other with the eyes of a friend.

Shukla Yajur Veda (36.12-15, 17-18)

5 acres near Perubakam

2011-04-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

This land is located about 2 kms from the rustic area of Perubakkam.

The 5 acre patta agricultural land is located from Arunachala by road about 7-8 kms and as the bird flies, about 5-6 kms from the Hill.There is a good direct access road to the land.

The land in this posting is 5 acres and adjacent to a small Temple Shrine dedicated to the Goddess. Also adjacent to the land is the start of a large tract of protected reserve forest.

Edge of well viewing boundary with
Temple and priest cottage

The land is owned by a lady who has not cultivated due to personal circumstances. The land has a well and plentiful sweet water.

For information as to pricing, please get in touch at the ‘contact me’ facility on this blog.

6.4 acres at Perubakkam

2011-04-18T08:16:00.001-07:00

This rustic, unspoilt agricultural area of Perubakkam by road is about 7 kms from the Hill, and as the bird flies, located at around 5 kms from Arunachala. There is a good direct access road to the land.

The cottage with crops belongs
to neighbouring farm

Good direct access to land

The land in this posting is 6.4 acres and comprises two sets of land being sold at one time. The smaller piece is 1 acre and has its own well, the larger piece is 5.4 acres and also has a separate well. This patta land must be sold as one parcel of 6.4 acres.

One of the wells

The soil is red loam and has plentiful sweet water. Currently ground nuts and sugar cane is under cultivation.

The seller is ready to sell without delay. For information as to pricing, please get in touch at the ‘contact me’ facility on this blog.

Earth Democracy

2011-03-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

“We need once more to feel at home on the earth and with each other.”

In 1984, the organisation Navdanya was started by Vandana Shiva to help India’s small farmers develop organic farming methods and ensure biodiversity.

Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 16 states in India and, so far, has helped set up 54 community seed banks across the country, trained over 500,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over the past two decades, and helped setup the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country.

Navdanya has also set up a learning center, Bija Vidyapeeth (School of the Seed) on its biodiversity conservation and organic farm in Doon Valley, Uttranchal, north India.

Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people's knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalisation and climate change.

To read more about the excellent work this organisation is involved in, check out this link here.

Perumbakkam Land

2011-03-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

A farmer at Perubakkam 6 kms south of Arunachala, is selling his five acre patta farm. Already 2 acres of this five acre parcel has been sold to a family who plan to make and live on a small farm, thus the remaining three acres of this parcel is being offered for sale.

Darshan of Arunachala is spectacular, and the area is a traditional, quiet, rustic Tamil agricultural area.

There is good direct access to the land.

And an excellent water supply.

The fencing marks the boundary of the two acres that has already been sold, the three acres adjacent to the fencing, is the land that is currently up for sale.

For details and information as to pricing, please get in touch usingthe 'contact me' at the left hand top of this page.

Purchase of Land -- Checklist

2011-03-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

To learn about all necessary checks in connection with land transactions read this recommended article, which starts:

Purchase of Land – Legal Checklists

Owning a house is an important thing in one’s life. However, one needs to be careful while buying a property to avoid falling into legal hassles. Before buying a land, a number of checks need to be done to confirm that the land has a clear and marketable title. The legal status of the land is one of the first issues that should be addressed before confirming a property.

Title deeds

The first step is to see the title deed of the land, which you are going to buy.

Confirm whether the land is in the name of the seller and that the full right to sell the land lies with only him and no other person.

It is better to get the original deed examined by a lawyer. This is to check details like whether the seller has permitted any entry/access to others through this land and whether any other fact has been suppressed/left undisclosed by the owner of the land.

Along with the title deed, you can also demand to see the previous deeds of the land available with the seller.

In some cases, more than one person may own the land. So before registering, check if there is more than one owner, and if there is, get release certificate from the other people involved.

The article then goes on to cover the following categories:

Title deeds
Conveyance Deed or Sale Deed
Tax receipt and bills
Encumbrance Certificate
Pledged land
Measuring the land
Purchasing land from NRI landowners
Power Of Attorney
Agreement
Stamp Duty
Registration
Changing the title in Village office

To read the article in full go to this link here.

Unnatural Farming Processes

2011-02-23T00:52:00.000-08:00

In my Bird and Ecology Blog, Arunachala Birds, which generally concentrates on matters specifically pertaining to Tiruvannamalai and surrounding countryside, I have made an interesting posting about GM crops and how they are affecting the lives and livelihood of farmers in this country. It is essential that all of us, NOT JUST FARMERS, have full, up-to-date information about GM crops and other unnatural processes.

For the first part of the narrative which is entitled:

"Is Monsanto Responsible For 200,000 Farmer Suicides?"

go to the link Eat Real Food.

And for information counteracting the remark GM supporters often make, "that bio-crops are the only way to feed the world's booming population in the future," go to the link entitled "The Problem with Franken Food."

If you have information about organic and natural farming techniques being used, or being planned to be used in the Tiruvannamalai area, please send me details so I can make a posting on this Blog. Also if you are a farmer and have organic produce for sale and would like me to mention it on this Blog, again send information to Meenakshi Ammal at the contact address, top left of this Blog.

Sharon Muench's Arunachala Memories

2010-06-29T01:25:00.000-07:00

“I first came to Ramanashram in December 1973. In essence little has changed since then. On the surface, much has changed for better and for worse! The Hill, back then, was bare with no trees. It was covered, for most of the year, in feathery green lemon grass, as tall as a small child. Women and children would swarm over the lower hills, cut down the grass, bring it down in bundles on their heads, bigger than themselves. Even the smallest child who could walk carried a bundle. After the harvest they set fire to the Hill. It burned for a while, then turned black till the new grass grew. Now the Hill is tree-covered, delightfully green.

The Ashram has expanded. The dining-room has been extended, the office relocated to the forecourt. More traffic. More noise. More people. That winter season, there was only a handful of foreign visitors staying at the Ashram. They had all been coming for years, knew each other well. Ramana Maharshi back then, was the world’s best kept spiritual secret. Everyone stayed for months at the Ashram, but I was given only a few days. I was devastated. I’d come all the way from Guyana, South America, overland; this was my home, and I planned to stay forever. I couldn’t believe they’d throw me out that quickly; for what? Bhagavan was my Guru!

One of the Westerners stood out from all the others. He was tall, well-built, in his forties and carried himself with easy authority, and radiated a natural joy. I was shy and insecure; to me, he seemed a spiritual giant. I heard he was known as Doctor Hugo, and had lived many years at the Ashram. One morning, sitting on a large stone half-way up to Skandashram, I saw Hugo and four or five other foreign devotees walking slowly up towards me. Hugo was talking to Phillip, an Englishman with whom I’d spoken a few times. I had the uncanny feeling they were speaking of me. Indeed – when he reached me, Hugo stopped. “I hear you’re looking for a place to stay,” he said, “try so-and-so.” He mentioned a name and went on his way.

Sharon Muench at
Ramana Ashram, June 2010

A few days later I moved into Brunton’s Cottage in Palakottu. Back then there were three simple huts in Palakottu, grouped around the water tank. There was direct access to the Ashram through the back wall. None of the huts had plumbing. And we fetched water from the street taps and walked out to the Hill for our toilet.

Soon after that I joined this little group. Every morning we trooped up to Skandashram, sat beneath the Mango Tree at the top, and Hugo would talk. He was a brilliant speaker. Every word came from his heart. He spoke of the Path and the urgency of it. The pitfalls of meditation, the tricks of the ego, the beauty of God, and His Grace. He told stories. Hugo had been the personal doctor of Papa Ramdas for many years, and had many an anecdote. Often he laughed, a deep, rolling, infectious laugh that had us all laughing too. But most of all he infected us all with his deep, abiding devotion to Bhagavan.

In April 1975 I left India for Germany. I settled here, and embarked on a life in the West with all the ups and downs. That year, Hugo, with an Indian friend, bought a large plot of land on the giripradakshina roadway. It was scrubland, bare, uninviting, filled with stones and thorny bushes. A few years later it would be a paradise. They built two simple huts on it, and moved in. That was the start of what was to become The Shantimalai Trust, the most comprehensive charitable trust in the District.

It began with the early morning queues. Long before dawn they would form. By 6 a.m. there would be snakes of poor Indians squatting on the road outside, waiting for medical treatment. Hugo and his friend Kurt had been Homeopathetic Practitioners in Germany, and it was their seva now to treat the Indians. From those beginnings, big things grew: A full-blown Medical Centre offering free treatment. An English medium school offering a first-class primary and secondary education An orphanage. A child sponsorship programme. A farm. Cows were donated, sewing machines were donated, wells were dug. Women were trained in handicrafts. Young men found industrial training and jobs. Villages were restored.

Friends of Hugo, Westerners, donated whatever they could, money and time and expertise. They came in the winter, joined this project or that, helped in whichever way they could. Those were glorious days indeed. In recent years Shantimalai has scaled back its activities, passed on its projects to other sponsors.

Some of us have moved on; our lives have taken new turns. In my case, it’s been a bumpy road, with ups and downs. I’ve written novels, seen them published through Harper Collins. In recent years, my husband has become crippled by disease. As parkinsonism takes its toll, I look to the future. He now needs 24/7 care, and we’ve reached the point where it is physically impossible for me to continue. The idea of putting him in a home is unbearable, he is only 66 years old! – and more and more my thoughts turn to Arunachala.

Why not create my own facility? Not only for him but for others – Indian and Western devotees alike. A retirement home consisting of 8-10 double cottages set in a beautiful garden with day and night Indian carers. A haven and a home.”

For more information about this developing project, please contact Sharon at:
sw.maas@gmail.com

[Narrative by Sharon Muench]

Report on Housing Costs, Economic Times

2010-01-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

I'm posting the below article which recently appeared courtesy of the Economic Times, India, just to show how much more expensive cities are in India. The below prices fairly takes one breath away! And what kind of jobs do the apartment purchasers do exactly that they can afford such prices?! And we thought it was getting expensive in Tiruvannamalai!

“An apartment on the 100th floor of 'Burj Khalifa', the world's tallest building and one of the most-sought after addresses in the world today, comes at a price of Rs. 38,000 per sq ft. But if you think that's a soaring price, consider this; the real estate price in Delhi will beat that by a mile, reports Economic Times

The apartments on Prithviraj Road and Aurangzeb Road in Central Delhi are much more expensive. While, the per sq ft rate of apartments in Marble Arch and Tata Apartments on Prithviraj Road is around Rs. 65,000 per sq ft, Ansal apartments on Aurangzeb Road have a price of Rs. 55,000 per sq ft, according to Senior Broker Hemendra Sharma.

In Vasant Vihar and Chanakya Puri in South Delhi, apartments built on smaller plots of 400-800 sq metres are commanding prices of around Rs. 45,000 per sq ft. In fact, there are not many luxury condominiums available in central and south Delhi. However, there are several bungalows on independent plots of around three acres with a permitted area of construction of 3500 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft. These plots are commanding a price of Rs. 200 crore to Rs. 500 crore. So the per sq ft cost of these bunglow comes to a whopping Rs. 5 lakh per sq ft.

Condominiums in Mumbai are even costlier. The per sq ft rate in Mumbai's NCPA Apartments at Nariman Point is between Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 1 lakh.

Gulam Zia, National Director, research and advisory services of global property consultants Knight Frank says, "In the posh upmarket localities of Delhi and Mumbai, where there is a scarcity of land, property prices have shot through the roof." Adds Zia, "Property prices in Mumbai's western and central suburbs of Worli, Lower Parel and Prabhadevi are upwards of Rs. 40,000 per sq ft."

Real estate prices in India are inverse to the country's image of a developing nation. "Mumbai and Delhi command one of the highest per sq ft rates in the world," says Anshuman Magazine, CMD, CB Richard Ellis, South Asia, a leading global property consultancy firm.

In India while the land cost itself is high, the cost of quality is even higher. If one is paying Rs. 38,000 per sq ft for an apartment in the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, for the same price or more in Mumbai or Delhi one will only be paying for the location and not for the construction or amenities. In terms of amenities and quality there is just no comparison. Magazine adds that, in the U.S. when a buyer looks to buy a home, he or she first looks for the amenities on offer that would suit his or her lifestyle, whereas in India it's all about land and location for the buyer.

While Mumbai and New Delhi are in a zone by themselves as far as realty pricing is considered, other big cities like Chennai and Bangalore are yet to see such pricing, though the rates have dramatically shot up in the recent past.”

Land Contact

2010-01-27T23:57:00.001-08:00

Below I have just posted information on three separate agricultural parcels of land which are currently available for purchase in the Tiruvannamalai area. In all cases, planning permission for projects will be easily available. Please Right Click on all photographs to view an enlarged version. For more information, particularly rate, please get in touch with me direct at the contact link at the top left corner of this page.

Ashram or Community

2010-01-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

Right Click to view enlarged version of all photos

The below agricultural parcel is ideal for an Ashram or Community Resource. The land is set in a very tranquil area south of Arunachala. Water is plentiful and the size of the parcel is 5 acres.

To reach the land you go down the Sathanur Dam roadway for about 7 kms and then turn right into the Arunachala countryside.

Serene Countryside

2010-01-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

The below series of photographs are of pristine, agricultural land located south of Arunachala. Take the Sathanur Dam roadway for about 7 kms south and then turn right into the countryside -- which lays at the back of the Samudram Erie.

The land is flat except for a hilly mound surrounded by trees in which currently stands the shell of a simple house and a cow shed.

Water is in abundant supply and can be found at an easy level.

The beginning of Reserve Forest lies a couple of fields away from the land, making the whole area open and peaceful.

The land is about 10 kms from Tiruvannamalai which means it will be spared from developers, but is only about 6 kms from the base of Arunachala (as the crow flies).

This land parcel consists of 4.8 acres.

Tharadepet Village

2010-01-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

Right Click on photos to view enlarged version

This beautiful agricultural land is located on the outskirts of Tharadapet Village and is about 12 kms (as the crow flies) southwest of Arunachala but about 18 Kms by roadway. The land is reached by leaving Tiruvannamalai on the road to Sathanur Dam and then turning right after about 10 kms into the surrounding countryside.

Arunachala is clearly visible from the land but on the day we visited the Hill was surrounded by mist so wasn’t able to take a photograph of Arunachala from the land.

The land has two agricultural tanks (one appears in the photos). The hand drawn sketch of the land will give an idea of its location and shape. Apparently some of the land has not been farmed for several years so in places is overgrown.

The size of the land for sale is 10.40 acres.

Tiruvannamalai 18 Kms East

2009-08-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in getting out of the Tiruvannamalai area, the below photographs are of a place near Kondam Village off the Tiruvannamalai-Vellore Highway. The land which is located around 18 kms from Arunachaleswarar Temple is in a peaceful setting.

The below photograph is of the Vellore Highway with ancient Tamarind Trees on both sides of the road.

Seasonal crops are being raised throughout the year. Rice, Groundnut and sugarcane are the major crops. The red soil is fertile and is maintained in pristine condition. A massive well and pump set, is used to facilitate irrigation. Under ground tubes are used to carry water from the well. A 5 horse power motor is used to pump the water from the well.

The next two photographs are of the trees framing the Vellore Highway and the 2.60 acre land parcel on offer, is located 150 metres distant.

For information about the cost of the land please get in touch with me direct at:
arunachalagrace@fastmail.fm

8 Kms from Arunachala

2009-08-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Am posting the below photographs of a beautiful agricultural farm comprising 5.8 acres and currently available some 8 kms from the base of Arunachala.

The access road to the land is excellent. Turn left and it takes you direct to the Bangalore Highway, turn right and it zig-zags its way through the countryside to Perumbakkam Road and Ramana Nagar.

At the entrance to the land stands a beautiful ancient Kali Shrine.

Encompassed with an ancient Tamarind Tree.

The water table at the land is around 40 feet. There are two agricultural wells located on the land and the water is sweet and abundant. The land has not been cultivated for over three years - so it has had time to divest itself of pesticides and chemicals.

Surrounding lands are cultivating paddy, sugarcane, vegetables, dhals and spices and are abundant with coconut trees.

The land is ideal for an ashram or cultivation. To find out more about this beautiful agricultural offering, please get in touch with me at:
arunachalagrace@fastmail.fm

Buying a home?

2009-07-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

Found an excellent article entitled, 'Buying a home? 6 vital steps to follow', by Pankaj Anup Toppo., and which was originally posted in Outlook India (Money). The article starts starts:

"When the real estate sector was on a dream run from 2002-03 till around January 2008, home buyers in most cases overlooked many issues that are coming to the fore now. Avoiding some common mistakes can make the process of selecting and buying a house a little simpler.

Before you buy. Most mistakes happen at this stage.

Home search. A typical home search starts with scanning advertisements. But, this means you will have to check everything on your own - the developer's credentials, his ability to deliver on time and the approved building plan. Not easy to do. Developers aren't usually forthcoming with this information. Even if they are, analysing it is tough, especially if you are a first-time buyer.

If you find a house on your own and at a price that suits you, getting a loan from a bank or a housing finance company isn't easy. The institution will do its own due diligence before approving the loan, which means you will have to wait for some more time. And, if the lender finds a problem with the project, it may not sanction the loan.

A simpler way is to approach the bank or the HFC from where you plan to take the home loan. Most of them have a list of pre-approved properties. They include properties on which the necessary checks have been done. If you choose from this list, loan approval will be faster. The only hitch is that these properties will typically cost a little more."

The article goes on to discuss; payment mode, developer agreement, property dealers, choosing the Bank and facts to consider after the purchase.

To read the article in its entirety, please go to this link here.

Harvesting Rain

2009-07-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Though we usually tune out the pitter-patter of rain on the roof, water flowing down the gutters and into the storm drain is a valuable resource. We not only depend on water, we also pay for it. So, why not put that rainwater to use?

Nearly any homeowner can collect rainwater, since the roof and gutters do most of the work. Furthermore, they can harvest huge volumes. An inch of rain, falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof, produces 1,200 (4,500 litres) gallons of runoff, which is enough to supply a family of four for about two weeks.

Using rainwater has obvious budgetary benefits, but there are reasons to do it besides putting a dent in the water bill. For those facing water shortages, harvesting rain can help keep the lawn green, or even provide water for indoor use. However, water to be used indoors, whether for washing or for drinking, must be thoroughly treated.

There are a slew of benefits that come with the purity of rainwater. Plants prefer it, especially if tap water has been treated with softening salts, which dampen plant growth. The lack of minerals in rainwater make it more effective for washing hair or doing dishes. Furthermore, reducing or eliminating mineral deposits in pipes and water heaters can extend their life, requiring less maintenance and associated costs.

Collecting rainwater also reduces pollution-causing runoff, and if it is collected and used without the aid of pumps or other powered equipment, provides a carbon-neutral water source.

The simplest form of rainwater collection is also the most affordable: a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. The barrel is typically fitted with a spigot at its base to fill a watering can or attach a soaker hose (which bleeds out water all along its length, providing effortless drip irrigation), and a filter or screen at its top to prevent a buildup of leaves and other debris.

With a little work a barrel’s capacity can be increased. When the barrel is full, runoff is directed through a spout near the top of the barrel called an overflow port. This spout can be made to flow into another barrel, increasing capacity.

However many barrels are connected, though, a downspout must be attached to the last overflow port. This attachment directs overflow away from the building, preventing water from pooling around the barrel’s base.

With a few simple materials and a bit of ingenuity, a rain barrel can be built at home. There are countless tutorials online on how to do this. Check out Google for links. Though buying a premade barrel is easier, it is also more expensive.

A world apart from rain barrels are the more complex setups that provide water for indoor use. These systems use cisterns that hold thousands of gallons, and have treatment systems to remove sediment and harmful organisms from collected water.

There are several methods for treatment, but one of the most common is a combination of filters and ultraviolet light. These very fine filters remove particles, some organisms, and can even absorb bad odors and tastes. After filtration, an ultraviolet light shines on the water as it flows through a clear quartz tube, killing any remaining pathogens.

The prices for these systems can vary widely depending on your needs, and are not do-it-yourself projects. Above-ground is generally cheaper. Unlike rain barrels, either option (on a large enough scale) can make a household totally water-independent.

[Extract from emagazine]

In next month's Arunachala Grace Newsletter there will be a narrative on rainwater harvesting concepts utilised in Tamil Nadu. If you wish to receive a copy of this free bi-monthly Newsletter, check out the subscription facility at the left hand column of this page.

Ashoka Apartments External

2009-06-09T00:19:00.000-07:00

Below are the initial drawings of the external view of Ashoka Apartments. The final drawings will be similar to the below except for small details.

Still to come are aerial views looking down into the apartment block which will show the lift and stairwell in the centre surrounded by a garden with the backs of all apartments looking over the garden.

The lift starts from the garage and goes up to roof. The roof will include a general room for the use of meditation and as a quiet area. The basement will include a coin-operated laundry facility available to all residents.

Expect to post more details the next week. To view plans of each floor of the apartments go to this link here.

Right Click on all photographs to view enlarged size

Devananthal Plots

2009-05-21T02:52:00.000-07:00

Right-click on all photos and plans to view enlargement

This posting is about land at Devananthal which is available at reasonable rates for housing. This area is just passed Vediyappanur off the Girivalam roadway. For this reason it is area which will probably maintain its integrity far longer than other spots in equal proximity to the Hill. The darshan of Arunachala is spectacular.

The land is available for sale in the dimensions stated at the bottom of this posting. The developers will also, when requested build a house for the land purchaser. They have already built one house (the red house, fifth photograph down).

I am including (in this posting) the plan of a smaller more inexpensive model house of the developers. Artistic representation of the finished house is also included in this posting.

For fuller information regarding pricing of both land and house prices, please get in touch with me at:
arunachalagrace@fastmail.fm

Larger house already built

Land Area

Plots in Square Feet

Plot 1 – 26,535, Plot 2 – 5,562, Plot 3 – 5,587, Plot 4 – 5,612, Plot 5 – 7,413, Plot 6 – 7,000, Plot 7 – 7,000, Plot 8 – 7,000, Plot 9 – 7,000, Plot 10 – 7,000, Plot 11 – 6,475, Plot 12 – 11,343, Plot 13 – 9,187, Plot 14 – 9,089, Plot 15 – 9,778, Plot 16 – 8,016, Plot 17 – 7,308, Plot 18 – 7,182, Plot 19 – 7,056, Plot 20 – 8,883, Plot 21 – 6,562, Plot 22 – 6,511, Plot 23 – 6,885, Plot 24 – 6,787, Plot 25 – 6,345, Plot 26 – 6,400, Plot 27 – 6,400, Plot 28 – 6,058, Plot 29 – 5,885, Plot 30 – 5,636, Plot 31 – 10,695, Plot 32 – 10,118, Plot 33 – 9,599, Plot 34 – 8,211, Plot 35 – 7,970, Plot 36 – 6,068, Plot 39 – 6,383, Plot 40 – 7,777, Plot 41 – 6,687, Plot 42 – 6,612, Plot 43 – 6,537.

Small Model House

Plan For Above Model House

Ashoka Apartments Information

2009-05-21T02:40:00.000-07:00

I've been provided with information regarding pricing and facilities at the Ashoka Apartments - so to those who have already been in touch requesting additional information, its on its way.

Please note that I have now substituted the original plans with new ones (in the previous posting) which are clearer and easier to view. The apartment sizes remain exactly the same. Also please note that the square foot of each apartment is calculated on 'plinth' not 'carpet' square foot i.e. it includes the balcony.

I'm waiting to receive plans of the apartment complex (hopefully within the next week) from several different angles including a view looking into the central part of the complex, (which includes the lift, staircase and garden). I will post the additional drawings when received.

Ashoka Apartments

2009-04-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

[Plans updated on June 25th, 2009]

Right-click on plans to view enlargement

In response to requests from readers of Arunachala Land, I am now posting drawings of the plans of the Ashoka Apartments, Ramana Nagar to be built opposite Sadhu Om Colony down the road from the Post Office.

The Ashoka Apartments will have 15 apartments, 6 of which will be for direct purchase and the remaining 9 apartments will be available for rent on 3 year Long Leases.

The Complex is 3 storey with secure perimeter gate. Each apartment will have a balcony facing outward and will be facing inward towards a centre arboreum (garden). Special facilites offered at this Complex include: meditation hall on roof, lift, 24-hour security, basement car parking and laundry room in basement.

Ground Floor

1st Floor

2nd Floor

Apartment Specifications

Ground Floor

Apartment A = 397.4 sq ft

Apartment B = 343 sq ft

Apartment C = 473 sq ft

Apartment D = 1219 sq ft

First Floor

Apartment E = 467 sq ft

Apartment F = 349 sq ft

Apartment G = 488 sq ft

Apartment H = 488 sq ft

Apartment I = 349 sq ft

Apartment J = 467 sq ft

Second Floor

Apartment K = 467 sq ft

Apartment L = 349 sq ft

Apartment M = 488. sq ft

Apartment N = 488 sq ft

Apartment 0 = 348 sq ft

Apartment P = 467 sq ft

Plinth Area in Square Feet (i.e. carpet area + balcony)

Please keep checking back as I will be posting more information, including drawings of what the completed apartments will look like. For specific enquiries please email me direct:
arunachalagrace@fastmail.fm

Beautiful Arunachala Land

2009-03-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

The below is a sequence of photographs of a four acre parcel of land up for sale. The land is located about 7-8 kms (as the crow flies) from Arunachala and is located in a peaceful, rural unspoilt area.

The land is in pristine condition and is currently under paddy (rice) cultivation.

Water is sweet, plentiful and easily available.

The land is surrounded by other farms also under cultivation. The area is unspoilt and there are no quarries, electricity pylons or polluting industries nearby.

The land is easily accessed by a direct, well maintained village roadway.

The view of Arunachala is spectacular.

The area is surrounded by reservoir areas and Forest Hills -- so future development of this area will be limited thereby the land and surrounding place will retain its pristine, unspoilt rural ethos.

For further information please get in touch through email -- information at the top left corner of this page.

Changing Scenario

2009-03-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

In a recent article in Property Plus, The Hindu -- it is stated that:

“The current economic slowdown has changed the housing market scenario significantly and has forced home buyer sand developers to re-orient their strategies.

Buyers are now getting calculative and want to probe factors such as the falling prices of cement and steel, construction cost and reduction in service tax and want to know how these are reflected in offers. Buyers are also now examining the actual carpet area that they get in comparison to the area that they pay for.

In addition buyers are looking at the terms of payment and penalties carefully and want a fair deal. They ask for compensation for any delay in delivery of the completed apartment commensurate with the loss of income or the rent. Some have even started demanding that payments be linked to the construction stage, and not make it time bound, as they want cash flow to reflect progress of construction.”

Local Planning Authorities

2009-02-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

The Tamil Nadu Government have recently authorised the composite local planning authorities (LPAs) and the eight regional deputy directors of town and country planning to approve certain projects, but kept the Chennai metropolitan area outside their purview. This will speed up the approval process of upcoming medium housing and commercial projects across the state.

Hitherto, though LPAs were the approving authorities the projects had to be cleared by the directorate of town and country planning (DTCP). This caused a lot of delay, thereby causing an increase in the overall cost of projects by Rs.250 to Rs.400 per sq.ft.

As per the revised norms, residential group developments and special buildings up to 12 dwelling units, with floor area not exceeding 15,000 sq.ft., can be cleared by the LPAs. In the case of commercial buildings, marriage halls, community halls, godowns and lodges with a maximum of 20 rooms, the LPAs can clear projects up to a maximum of 12,000 sq.ft.

More Farming Land, South Arunachala

2009-01-29T02:25:00.000-08:00

Below are photographs of some beautiful, fertile agricultural land located about 8-10 kms from Arunachala. As well as being set in tranquil surroundings, it is also flanked by reserved forest government land - providing a buffer of forest that will never be developed.

The land for sale is two and a half acres (2 1/2) which is a portion of the six and a half acre (6 1/2) farm pictured in the below two photographs.

In the below photograph, on the right side are acacia bushes and trees at the border of the farm and to the left is a roadway at the edge of government reserved land.

The next photograph is another of the government reserve land which becomes filled with water during the rainy season. In the background is a hill range which is designated as Government reserved forest land.

This beautiful agricultural land is far from the noise and urban sprawl of the township of Tiruvannamalai, however it is close enough to allow one to be able to enjoy both the power of the Hill and also its unique darshan.

To view more photographs of the area check out this earlier posting I made of my visit to the nearby farm of my friends.

For information regarding the pricing of this land and to arrange a visit, please email at the above contact address at the top left corner of this page.

Farming Land, South Arunachala

2009-01-29T02:07:00.000-08:00

In an early posting, I mentioned visiting friends at their farm about 8-10 kms south of Arunachala, (east of Sathanur Dam roadway) and that nearby land is available. In this respect below are two photographs of a four and a half acre parcel of agricultural land available in that area. The land is highly fertile, with good road access and abundant water supply.

As you are looking towards Arunachala the land is on the right side and on the left is reserved government land which cannot be built on.

The area is tranquil and peaceful, far away from the noise and smell of traffic and industrialization. For more information about this beautiful agricultural land which is available at a reasonable rate, please contact at email address top left of this page.

Ramana Grace Apartments

2009-01-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

Currently underway is a project to construct a 12 unit apartment complex named ‘Ramana Grace’, five minutes walk from Chengam Road and Sri Ramana and Sri Seshadri Ashrams. The floor plans of the three storey complex are pictured below and the square footage of the apartments are as follows:

Flat 1 -- 640 sq ft, Flat 2 -- 640 sq ft, Flat 3 -- 690 sq ft, Flat 4 -- 690 sq ft, Flat 5 -- 800 sq ft, Flat 6 -- 850 sq ft, Flat 7 -- 950 sq ft, Flat 8 -- 950 sq ft, Flat 9 -- 800 sq ft, Flat 10 -- 850 sq ft, Flat 11 -- 950 sq ft, Flat 12 -- 950 sq ft.

Click on all maps and specification to view enlargement

First Floor

All the above apartments are for sale. For further information please contact through email address at the top left of this page.

Compulsory Purchase

2009-01-25T07:25:00.001-08:00

I am posting information about land in certain areas of Tiruvannamalai District that are currently slated for compulsory purchase and/or development. If you are in the process of buying land in any of these areas please check carefully before purchase.

Land for Industrialization

A 2,300-acre land parcel has been identified for acquisition by the State Industries Promotion Corp. of Tamil Nadu Ltd, or Sipcot, a government-owned entity. But Sipcot is now facing problems with some villagers protesting the proposed acquisition. Purchasing land for industrialization is not a problem limited to Tamil Nadu and in this respect there have been protests by farmers across the country in the past couple of years against setting up of industries on farm land.

The current dispute concerns land in nine villages of Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram Districts, at which place land owners are still protesting even as Sipcot has started surveys marking the land for acquisition. The nine villages are Chellaperumbulimedu, Kunnavakkam, Ayinjalpattu, Perumbulimedu, Mangal, Akoor, Karanai, Ukkamperumbakkam and Mathur.

Iron Ore Mining Tiruvannamalai District

Confronted with severe resistance from environmental activists and farmers, private sector steel giant Jindal has pulled out from its proposed iron-ore mining plans at Kanchamalai (Salem). However, the Company is in no exit mood in its other areas of interest as it had expanded its steel plant at Potenery, Salem District from one million tonnes to two million tonnes. In this respect Jindal is vigorously pursuing the Tiruvanamalai District iron ore reserves over an area of 325 hectares in the forested Kavuthi Malai and Vediappan Malai in Imam Karianthal village in Chengam taluk.

South of Hill

2009-01-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

This week I visited friends who have a farm south of Arunachala. They have been inviting me out for a long time and had I realized the area was so charming would have made the trip much earlier.

The below photographs are of my friends five acre farm. The land is fertile and water abudant.

Sign posts declare that the Hill is 10 kms distant, however I expect it is much closer as 'the crow flies' - I think more like 7-8 kms.

In the below photograph I have taken a closeup -- check out the right-side to see the Arunachaleswarar Temple Gopurams. The Gopurams are clearly visible by the naked eye from my friends' land.

While I was out in the peaceful, charming countryside took my friends' cattle dogs for a nice walk. The area is surrounded by protected forest lands which act as natural reservoirs during the rainy season.

And in the distant some interesting hills, which again are protected reserve forest.

There is agricultural land available in this area. If you require information please drop me an email at the address top left corner of this Blog page.

Adi Annamalai More Plots

2008-12-21T01:45:00.000-08:00

Further to a previous posting about plots at Adi Annamalai, I have been informed that in the same area there are an additional five plots, each measuring 20' x 70' available for purchase. The plots are adjacent to one another and can be bought separately or in any combination thereof.

Water is abundant and found at around a depth of 40 feet. Below is the view of Arunachala from the land.

Below is the nearby Adi Annamalai Temple.

For more details of this land please get in touch with me at the email address located at the top left hand corner of this page.

Adi Annamalai Plots

2008-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

A friend living North of Arunachala has asked me to let you know he has several plots of land available at Adi Annamalai. The three plots in size are: 30' x 60', 30' x 60', 10' x 60. The plots are available for purchase singly or in a combination thereof. Plentiful water is found at about 40' depth. For more information regarding price etc., you can get in touch with me at the contact link found in top left of this page.

View of the Temple from the land. To see an aerial photograph of the Temple and the surrounding areas, check out this 'wiki' map here.

In the below photograph darshan of Arunachala.

And a view of the land and surrounding area.

India and the World's Cold

2008-11-24T07:20:00.000-08:00

As many professional and business people read Arunachala Land, I am posting the below in its entirety as it helps explain how the World's financial crisis is impacting upon India. Understanding the current financial situation is relevant to those hoping to buy land or homes in Tamil Nadu.

"House prices are plummeting, credit markets have become frozen, business and consumer confidence are collapsing, the auto industry is at a standstill, and the stock market is off more than 50 per cent.

Sounds like old hat? Only this is not America or Britain, but India, an economy which until a few months back was still booming and whose apparent resilience to the banking crisis was thought an antidote to the travails of more advanced, Western counterparts.

Even the emerging markets, it now seems, are not going to escape the crippling embrace of the credit crunch. Still motoring along at a growth rate of 9 per cent plus as recently as August, the Indian economy has experienced a sharp slowdown in the last couple of months.

To the apparent bewilderment of policymakers and business leaders here, the banking crisis has arrived with a vengeance, with credit markets in disarray and demand across a broad swath of industries in free fall.

The decoupling theory lies in tatters, and though there is no talk yet of outright recession, for growth to slow even by a couple of percentage points in a country where 10 million are entering the workforce every year is grim enough.

As in Britain and the United States six to nine months back, political and business leaders seem slow to recognise the economic doomsday machine coming towards them. Palaniappan Chidambaram, Minister of Finance, blames the slowdown partly on media scaremongering, and urges business and consumers "not to join the doom and gloom bandwagon".

After a relatively brief hiatus, which even he acknowledges will reduce growth to something close to the most recent IMF forecast of 6.3 per cent next fiscal year, he expects a rapid bounce back by the second half to former 9 per cent plus levels of economic expansion.

K V Kamath, chief executive of ICICI Bank and president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), seems to agree. Speaking this week at the Indian Economic Summit in Delhi, organised jointly by the CII and the World Economic Forum, Mr Kamath insisted that the present dislocation in credit markets was a temporary phenomenon that would last no more than six to eight weeks.

"Loss of confidence has occurred because of external factors including the collapse in commodity and oil prices. Many customers are not picking up stock because they don't know where the price will settle, and that has caused demand in certain industries to evaporate.

"The Government is encouraging industry to help facilitate the price discovery process by cutting prices and he [the finance minister] has indicated that he will look at excise duties if industry plays its role. Interest rates need to be cut by two hundred to three hundred basis points and public spending brought forward."

Mr Kamath was confident that with the right signal from the authorities in terms of monetary and fiscal action, banks would soon start lending again. In contrast to their western counterparts, Indian banks were well capitalised, he said, with relatively low levels of gearing, almost none of the toxic assets of the American sub-prime crisis, and a low level of underperforming loans. What's more, he says, the banking system is almost wholly financed internally from rupee deposits.

This sanguine analysis of the strengths of India's banks may or may not be correct – others are less flattering in their appraisal – but even if true, it hasn't prevented a liquidity crisis and accompanying collapse in business and consumer confidence which now almost exactly mirrors what happened in the developed West. As it is, foreign-owned banks here are reporting a rapid rise in asset impairment for consumer, credit card and mortgage lending.

Ministers talk about policy action, and there is certainly no shortage of high-level meetings to address the crisis, but other than some limited support with liquidity and interest rates, there is scant evidence of it.

To the contrary, despite all the fine words at last weekend's G20 in Washington on reviving the Doha round and the iniquities of protectionism, India yesterday slapped a 5 per cent import duty on steel and 20 per cent on crude soya oil, ostensibly to make up for revenues lost because of the decline in demand, but also self-evidently for the purpose of supporting local producers against foreign competition.

The great fear is that tit-for-tat protectionism could turn a bad recession into a depression, and here we seem to have some early evidence of it.

Outside forecasts for the Indian economy are notably more gloomy than that of business and political leaders, and are seemingly being cut almost by the day. Goldman Sachs last week reduced its estimate of growth for next fiscal year to below 6per cent, a number that would have been ridiculed only a few months back, but already looks if anything to be on the optimistic side.

Pramod Bhasin, chief executive of Genpact, India's leading call centres business, accuses policymakers of complacency and delusional thinking. "I strongly believe we are in the midst of a serious crisis which the data doesn't reflect," he says. "Ask small to medium-sized enterprises whether they can get credit, whether they are being paid, and so on, and the picture is dismal. Corporate and political leaders are either in denial or completely unaware of the reality on the ground."

Mr Bhasin, one of India's most highly respected entrepreneurs, goes on to demand urgent action. "We are not immune, we are not decoupled. At the moment, we are on the back foot, but what we need is direct action and crisis mode. We urgently need a fiscal stimulus. The Government still controls the larger part of the economy. The statistics they are working on are historical. This is not something we can deliberate on for three months."

As with European governments six months ago, India's political leaders have taken to blaming external factors for the collapse in confidence and insist that India's supposedly strong economic fundamentals will ensure that the economy pulls through in better shape than elsewhere.

Says the finance minister, Mr Chidambaram: "We are experiencing the spill-over effects of the financial crisis in the advanced countries. We are not the cause of the problem, but are being asked to be part of its solution.

"About a half of our economy is agriculture, which continues to grow strongly. We have had a good monsoon and we will have a bumper crop. This in itself will ensure reasonable growth.

"There are some liquidity problems in the small business sector, but we are determined to give the system the liquidity it needs.

"There is a slowdown, but why is growth of 7 per cent a reason to wear sackcloth and ashes? We are not facing a recession, or anything like that, either this year, or next year, or the year after".

Like Mr Kamath, he seems to believe that the main cause of the collapse in confidence is commodity prices, and he insists that part of the solution is for industry to cut prices. "Hotels must cut tariffs, airlines must cut prices, real estate must cut rates of apartments and homes they sell, car makers and two-wheeler makers must cut prices," Mr Chidambaram told the Indian Economic Summit. As a quid pro quo, the government might be prepared to consider cuts to excise duties, he added.

Unsurprisingly, this has gone down like a lead balloon with business leaders, who point to still rising costs and impaired profit margins. Yet the way things are going, companies might find themselves obliged to cut prices in any case to support demand and defend market share. So what are these strong economic fundamentals that Mr Chidambaram alludes to? On the plus side, the Indian economy is driven not by exports but by domestic demand, and exports should, any case, be helped by the weak rupee.

The savings rate is strong relative to Western counterparts at around 35 per cent of GDP, and the country has accumulated substantial reserves of foreign currency during the good times. Interest rates are relatively high, giving ample scope for monetary easing, and the economy is still dominated by the agricultural sector, which should be unaffected by the crunch. Housing and finance remain relatively small parts of the economy.

Yet there are negatives aplenty too. Inflation is still high, at around 9 per cent on some measures, the fiscal deficit gives limited scope for stimulus, the crisis in liquidity and confidence is now biting hard, and once-substantial inflows of foreign capital, chasing India's growth story, have gone sharply into reverse.

Despite Mr Kamath's confidence in the strength of the Indian banking system – which is still dominated by state-controlled banks implicitly underwritten by the taxpayer –some parts are quite highly geared, and are therefore likely to be forced into the same deleveraging process as Western counterparts. Foreign banks such as Citi will already be attempting to reduce their Indian exposure.

One possible panacea for India is infrastructure spending, which in a country desperately in need of it offers potential for a natural reflationary boost. The government already has plans for an additional $500bn of spending on transport, power, water and telecommunications, which in theory could be accelerated.

Yet more than a year after the grand strategy for upgrading India's broken infrastructure was announced, there is scant evidence of progress. Consultants and design engineers have not yet been commissioned for almost any of it. Given that roughly a third of the money is meant to come from the private sector, for which read foreign investors, the five-year plan now faces even greater headwinds.

To the traditional Indian diseases of corruption, bureaucracy, vested interest and lack of transparency must now be added a new virus: the credit crisis. In the current flight to safety of international money, there is little appetite for Indian infrastructure spending.

All business in India represents a triumph of hope over adversity. As Genpact's Mr Bhasin puts it: "Such are the difficulties you face in getting anything done that you cannot be in business in India unless you are an optimist – otherwise you would wake up in the morning and slit your throat."

There are still plenty of optimists about India. Most Western companies say they are here to stay and expand, despite the problems back home. The demographics of this vast nation make it a land of unparalleled market opportunity. What's more, India needs to grow, and at breakneck pace too, to satisfy the aspirations of its overwhelmingly youthful population.

If optimism is one Indian characteristic, another is resignation, or passive acceptance of one's lot in life. India may need both in equal measure to get through the tough times ahead. The boom of recent years seemed to promise a better future for all. But it has proved a credit-fuelled illusion. For India, hope is again postponed. "

[By Jeremy Warner -- Independent Newspaper, U.K.]

Karianthal - 14 kms from Big Temple

2008-07-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

If you cannot see the below video, please check that the cookies on your computer are enabled on your browser at tools>internet options>

The small parcel of land for sale is the brown, uncultivated land on the below video.

A young student (to gain funds for further studies) has been in touch with us wishing to sell a small part (i.e. 40 cents - 0.4 of an acre) of his family’s agricultural land at Karianthal which is about 14 kms from the Big Temple. The land is parallel to the railway line that connects Tiruvannamalai-Vellore and the railway line is 400 meters off the Tiruvannamalai to Vellore National Highway. The land which has neither electricity or running water is priced very reasonably for a quick sale.

For further information please use the contact facility at the top left hand margin of this page.

Apartment Water Supply

2008-07-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

The more educated you are regarding the way the apartment is handling water, the better decision you are likely to make and one that will benefit you immensely in the long term. The builder does not have a natural incentive to think about wise water management as most of us don’t consider this seriously when buying an apartment. If we demand better water management from the builders, they will automatically respond.

About planning for the water supply:
What is the builders’ estimate how much water the building likely to consume daily? What has been the basis for calculation of different water requirement? Where is the water supply for the building going to come from? What is the realistic picture for the availability of water from different sources that they are planning for? What is the backup in case the planned option runs into difficulties? If Municipal water supply, what has been the trend of supply in that area ? If water tankers, where is the tanker supplier getting the water from ? Is the supply likely to be viable in the longer term ? What about potability of water source, have they tested the water quality ?

To continue reading report click here

What's the Best Distance?

2008-04-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

(Nandikesvara tells Markandeya)

"There is in the Southern Region, O ascetic, in the land of Dravidas, a great sacred place named Aruna associated with the Lord with the crescent-moon for his crest-jewel.

It extends to three Yojanas. It is worthy of being adored by Sivayogins. Know it to be the heart of the earth, attractive and thrilling to Siva.

There the Lord Sambhu himself has assumed the form of a mountain. He has the name Arunachala. He is conducive to the welfare of the worlds."

[Chapter 4, The Greatness of Arunachala
Skanda Purana -- I.iii(U).4.12-23]

Siva said:
"I ordain that residence within a radius of three Yojanas of this Hill shall be itself suffice to burn off all defects and effect union with the Supreme."

[Skanda Purana]

A yojana is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars with distances generally being given in the order of 7-8 kilometres.

The etymology of the word ‘yojana’ is derived from the same root that gives us both the English word ‘yoke’ and the Indian term ‘yoga’. It is thought that ‘yojana’ initially meant ‘being yoked’, and that it was used as a unit of measure to indicate the approximate distance that a cow could pull a cart to which it was yoked.

The yojana is used extensively in ancient descriptions of Buddhist cosmology (and, presumably, Hindu cosmology as well). The size of layers of the Earth, the heights of mountains, and the depths of seas are all described using yojanas.

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In earlier postings I have explained the reason why land has become so expensive at Arunachala. Nowadays it is very difficult indeed to find land within two kilometres of the Hill sold at any price other than by the square foot. Devotees eager to buy land are shocked to hear prices such as Rupees Twenty Lakhs (i.e. one Lakh is U.S. $2,500) an acre. But even these prices are dwarfed by land prices near the Hill of up to Rupees One Hundred Lakhs an acre. Such prices are not meant for ordinary purchasers -- they reflect the value of land to property developers and speculators, who after purchase will partition the land into plots of around 40' by 60' to be sold at between Rs.500-Rs.1000 a square foot. Incidentally, I have not heard of any land within a couple of kilometres of Arunachala that is being sold by the square foot, at a price less than Rs.200 a square foot.

Experts say that land at Chennai and Bangalore (closest urban city areas) are overpriced and will eventually come down - that may be so, however Tiruvannamalai is not the same as these other places, probably because land until two years ago was seriously undervalued. Even now with the mind-numbing prices mentioned above, land at Tiruvannamalai is priced at a tiny fraction in comparison to other tourist/famous areas in South India.

Yes, three to five years ago it was possible to buy very nice land within one kilometre of Arunachala at the shocking bargain prices of Rs.One Lakh an acre. Not anymore. Those bargain basement days are gone never to return.

In my opinion close to the Hill, is not the place to set up a new Ashram, commune, facility, organic farm, or residential community (even if finances permit) as frankly areas around the Hill are getting noisy, congested and dirty and remember this it WILL ONLY GET WORSE.

If you are determined to get land close to Arunachala then make sure the seller is willing to sell at an acre rate, that there is plenty of water, that the proposed multi-lane ringroad isn't scheduled to go through the land in a couple of years, and also that there are natural buffers like a water reservoir or hills protecting the land from encroaching development. In this respect I have already mentioned very nice land that fits into such a category -- you can get more information about such land at this link and here.

SO HERES THE GREAT NEWS. It is still possible to buy beautiful land, silent, pristine, undeveloped and countrified close to Arunachala and at AFFORDABLE PRICES.

This website, Arunachala Land will be posting information of beautiful land all within 30 kms of Arunachala that would be perfect for an ashram, farm, country living, community or animal facility. Today we are posting information about two such great parcels of land. The first within ten kilometres of Arunachala with a beautiful view of the Hill and comprising up to thirty acres of pristine land. The second parcel of land is approximately twenty five kilometres from Arunachala and comprises up to ninety acres of immaculate land with impeccable water supply. In both cases it is not necessary to buy the whole parcel.

At the beginning of this post I quote from the definitive scriptural work 'Skanda Purana' about the area of power radiating from Arunachala as being three Yojanas (approximately 30 kilometres). So heres the best thing of all, YOU CAN AFFORD to live in a large, unspoilt environment and also be in the ambit of Arunachala's Grace.

IF YOU ARE A PROPERTY DEVELOPER OR SPECULATOR DO NOT SOLICIT FURTHER INFORMATION OR TRY TO ARRANGE A VIEWING, ALL LAND WE MENTION IS MEANT FOR INDEPENDENT PEOPLE OR GROUPS - NOT DEVELOPERS.

10 Kms from Arunachala

2008-04-23T22:30:00.001-07:00

These are photographs of the land which is around 10 Kms from Arunachala. The hills are reserve forest land which belongs to the Government.

This land has NOT been cultivated and there are no agricultural water tanks - it is just sitting quietly - waiting! Depending on your wish up to 30 acres are available at Rupees 2.5 Lakhs an acre (One Lakh is U.S.$ Rs.2,500). Water is plentiful.

I know this area as I have been out in the hills behind the land for walks. Its so peaceful, so quiet, really lovely. Totally different energy for closer to Tiruvannamalai - and I think an ideal place to have an ashram or facility.

From the land there is a very nice darshan of Arunachala. (p.s. The car in front of Arunachala is the one we were using).

For more information about this land, located ten kilometres from Arunachala, please email: arunachalana@fastmail.fm

25 Kms from Arunachala Hill

2008-04-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

All the land in this sequence of photographs are part of an estate up for sale. The Estate has three large agricultural water tanks, a large warehouse, underground water pipe system, a private road going through the land - which all belongs to the Estate. The entire Estate is surrounded by a Government forest range - so totally isolated, private and cannot be comprised.

Because of its position, Arunachala cannot be seen from the land. In all cases the Hills extend hundred of miles and are part of Government protected Reserve Forests.

The possibilities of purchase are:
35 acres
55 acres
Or 90 acres

The total size of the estate is 90 acres - so if you were able to buy it all, everything in the photos as far as you can see, except for the Government Hills would belong to your organisation. However you DONT have to buy the whole of the estate. You can cherry pick.

Regardless of how much or how little you were to buy the price is the same i.e. Rupees 2.7 Lakhs per acre (i.e. One Lakh Rupees is U.S.$2,500)

The water table throughout the land is excellent.

The next couple of photographs show the private road which runs through the 90 acre estate.

The below is part of the excellent irrigation system on the land, which comprises three very large agricultural tanks and many ancillary smaller supply tanks. There is also an underground pipe system supplying the whole estate.

The land has been well maintained and is in impeccable condition. Even now most of the land is under cultivation.

For more information email: arunachalana@fastmail.fm

History of Money

2008-04-06T04:30:00.000-07:00

In Indian National papers there have been articles discussing whether Gold is a safe haven for investors. With western countries undergoing serious financial meltdowns and banks failing – people are seriously questioning the intrinsic value of money in the form of currency. I recall about fifteen years ago Sri Sathya Sai Baba is reported to have advised students that: “In the future there will be a world financial crisis, so don’t leave your money in Banks or Trusts, decide where you want to be and make yourself as self sufficient as possible.’

In this respect Land and Property are the two items with the most intrinsic value – because with them you have a place to live and where to grow food. It certainly would be grand to have that safe haven situated here at Arunachala! Anyhow curious as to the history of gold and the financial underpinning of ‘society’, I decided to do some research:-

The history of money consists of three phases:

(1) Commodity money, in which actual valuable objects are bartered
(2) Representative money, in which paper notes (often called 'certificates') are used to represent real commodities stored elsewhere; and finally
(3) Fiat money, in which paper notes are backed only by the traders' "full faith and credit" in the government, in particular by its acceptability for payments of debts to the government (usually taxes).

Money is a crucial command post of any economy, and therefore of any society. Society rests upon a network of voluntary exchanges, also known as the "free-market economy"; these exchanges imply a division of labour in society, in which producers of eggs, nails, horses, lumber, and immaterial services such as teaching, medical care, and concerts, exchange their goods for the goods of others. At each step of the way, every participant in exchange benefits.

Direct exchange of goods and services, also known as "barter," is hopelessly unproductive beyond the most primitive level, and indeed every "primitive" tribe soon found its way to the discovery of the tremendous benefits of arriving, on the market, at one particularly marketable commodity, one in general demand, to use as a "medium" of "indirect exchange." If a particular commodity is in widespread use as a medium in a society, then that general medium of exchange is called "money."

Throughout history, two commodities have been able to out compete all other goods and be chosen on the market as money; two precious metals, gold and silver (with copper coming in when one of the other precious metals was not available). Gold and silver abounded in what we can call "moneyable" qualities, qualities that rendered them superior to all other commodities. They are in rare enough supply that their value will be stable, and of high value per unit weight; hence pieces of gold or silver will be easily portable, and usable in day-to-day transactions; they are rare enough too, so that there is little likelihood of sudden discoveries or increases in supply. They are durable so that they can last virtually forever, and so they provide a sage "store of value" for the future. And gold and silver are divisible, so that they can be divided into small pieces without losing their value; unlike diamonds, for example, they are homogeneous, so that one ounce of gold will be of equal value to any other.

But "gold bugs" are not fetishists; we don't fit the standard image of misers running their fingers through their hoard of gold coins while cackling in sinister fashion. The great thing about gold is that it, and only it, is money supplied by the free market, by the people at work. For the stark choice before us always is: gold (or silver), or government. Gold is market money, a commodity which must be supplied by being dug out of the ground and then processed; but government, on the contrary, supplies virtually costless paper money or bank checks out of thin air.

But if government manages to establish paper tickets or bank credit as money, as equivalent to gold grams or ounces, then the government, as dominant money-supplier, becomes free to create money without cost and at will. As a result, this "inflation" of the money supply destroys the value of the dollar or pound, drives up prices, cripples economic calculation, and hobbles and seriously damages the workings of the market economy.

To read more about finances and gold check out ‘Taking Money Back’ by Murray N. Rothbard and ‘Mundell on Gold’ based on the theories of Robert Mundell.

Prices by the Square Foot

2008-04-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

To give a general rundown of land available for housing plots near Ramana Nagar and the more famous Tiruvannamalai Ashrams, previously the place of choice has land behind Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram. The area which used to be a collection of fields, is now densely packed middle-class urban housing. Sadly the whole development has proceeded randomnly, so its difficult to know how it will fare in the future and don't recommended it for anyone wishing to buy a housing plot. Four years ago the land sold for around Rs.80 a square foot, and at that time many locals and businessmen built houses for rental purposes and thats exactly what has happened. The area is popular with Western visitors and middle class Indians and rent can be as high as Rs.5,000 - Rs.8,000 per month.

Consequently land in this area is priced at anywhere from Rs.450 - Rs.800 a square foot, and I've heard of land going at even higher rates. To the south of this developed area, are agricultural fields adjacent to Vana Durga Shrine. It has been reported that land there has recently changed hands for a crore per acre (a crore = 100 Lakhs). Its not known at this time as to what realtors plan on charging once the land has been surveyed and made into individual plots. I will post photographs of all the areas I am writing about over the course of this upcoming week. So keep checking back.

However the below sequence of photographs are of a small village that I do recommend. It is close to the Hill and located on its southside. Certainly this area will get developed in the future, but I believe less randomnly and will maintain a better ethos and atmosphere. Currently prices per square foot, are a much better value than land elsewhere.

I will post more photographs of this particular area soon. But if any readers have specific questions, please email me at the email address at the top left of this page.

In answer to recent questions about current square foot land price. I would suggest that it is practically impossible to buy land anywhere within 2 kms of the base of Arunachala for less than Rs.250 per square foot. Currently land is being sold at that price just off the Perumbakkam Road, which although looks very promising, much of the land will be blighted with severe water shortage. The reason being is that throughout the Arunachala area, there is sometimes a rocky shelf underneath the land, and once water has been depleted out of the shelf basin, there is no more until the next rainy season.

In my area, there is a farm to the south that has such a rocky shelf under their land and their agricultural tank and water supply always runs dry in a hot summer. However a farm to the east of me, is fortunate not to have the rocky shelf under their land, so has an excellent water supply that so far has never run dry.

In other words just because land seems economical it doesn't mean that its a bargain. A 12,000 litre tanker of water costs a minimum of Rs.500 - so any savings made on the land purchase would be quickly lost in paying for an independent water delivery service.

The suggestion being work through a land agent you trust and if in doubt pay to have a water survey done of your chosen area.

Email Update for Shantivanam Land

2008-04-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Our previous post details land available on the northside of Arunachala. The owner of this land has recently informed us he is currently building two Western style homes on the 10 acre land, each with its own twenty cent compound (i.e. one fifth of an acre). He is prepared to do the same for other interested parties or sell the remaining land in customised parcels to suit the individual needs of purchasers.

We will be posting sketches of the two homes currently under construction in the course of this coming week. So please check back.

Sorry if you are having problems with the fastmail address. If you wish to get in touch for more information about the Shantivanam Land, please contact:

shantivanam@rediffmail.com

Shantivanam

2008-02-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

There is a large 10 acre parcel of land for sale outside a village on the northside of Arunachala located about 2 kms from the base of the Hill. The land is pristine, in excellent condition and suitable for either a farm, ashram or private homes and most importantly is located in a quiet, silent area.

The owner of the land is willing to sell the parcel in its entirety or by the individual acre, or even in smaller amounts (i.e. 1/4 acre) suitable for an individual home with large garden.

Already work is underway fencing the complete 10 acre parcel of land, to ensure security and privacy. The name of this protected area will be known as Shantivanam (i.e. forest of peace) and specially suitable for both Westerners or Indians who live away from Arunachala during part of the year.

There are 2 excellent agricultural tanks on the land. Also, ground water is only about 40 feet deep, thus sweet, clean water is easily available via individual borewells.

The land has been cultivated over the years so is in a well maintained, fertile condition.

At one end of the land is currently a young banana plantation.

Directly to the east of the land is a 230 acre 'poramboke' reserved Government land which is used as a catchment area for water that drains of Arunachala in the rainy season. Thus regardless of Arunachala land development elsewhere, in this particular area, there will be large tracts of protected, open land.

In addition to open areas of nearby land, within a couple of hundred yards, is reserved government hill lands, which are available for hiking and walking.

The land owner, who is a local professional living at Arunachala will be happy to build homes under contract on behalf of land purchasers. For more information and details about this beautiful Shantivanam land, you can get in touch with us at: arunachalana at fastmail dot fm

Know the Land Title

2007-11-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

There are two basic types of land ownership in India - Patta and Peremboke; Patta land is privately owned and can be sold and purchased freely. Peremboke land is government owned property given to poor farmers to grow crops on or to live on. Farmers can pass peremboke land to their children to continue to farm from generation to generation, but they cannot sell it. It is a crime to do so and a crime to purchase it.

All peremboke land that is not being used for its original purpose of farming by the poor, will be repossessed by the Government. Those selling land or property illegally will be prosecuted and those who have purchased it will have it seized back by the Government.

There are numerous ways in which fraud is perpetrated. A lot of fraud involves Peremboke land mixed in with Patta land. There is also government land which is offered for sale by purported owners, but this is of course complete fraud.

I am posting these beautiful photographs of very nice land at Samudram Lake to show how difficult it is for someone not familiar with an area to know the separation of patta and peremboke land. Under no circumstances buy peremboke land – if the farmer refuses to sell his patta land without you buying his peremboke land – walk away – and avoid potential serious difficulties.

Some of the patta land in these photographs is in fact up for sale, if you would like to find out more about the land please get in touch for details.

A hint to potential land purchasers at Tiruvannamalai, be specially alert around water catchment areas, because oftentimes the land surrounding such spots is peremboke land. In the case of Samudram, the 700 natural reservoir direct south of Arunachala, the whole lake is ringed with peremboke land. Check very carefully if buying in this area.

Enquiries Welcome

2007-11-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

Information and resources will be regularly posted on this Blog to help you find the land and/or property at Arunachala that you are looking for. If you have any general enquiries or questions about buying land in this area do please get in touch at the email contact address at the top of the left hand margin of this Blog.

Cow House

2007-11-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today I walked about an area close to Arunachala and the Ashrams of Ramana Nagar, enjoying the unspoilt, pristine agricultural views. Within the next couple of days I will post information on land available in this area, but for now am just posting a very nice traditional cow house of a local farmer.

In the below photograph the young son of the farmer having a look at what I was doing inside the cow house.

Check back for some photographs of the land in a couple of days.

Land for Sale/Lease

2007-10-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Agricultural Land, which can be developed into a Retreat Centre and/or Ashram or used for cultivation purposes, is available for sale or lease on the Northwest side of Arunachala. The land is owned by a professional who works at Chennai and is thus looking to raise finances through his Tiruvannamalai land.

The land is in prime condition, has an bountiful source of spring water (around 60 feet deep), has been maintained very well and is in excellent condition.

Behind the land there are Hills (Government forest land) that can never be built upon or developed and are thus ideal for walking and treking. In front of the land there is a 250 acre water catchment reservoir which fills in the rainy season - so therefore can never be developed. The land will therefore maintain its integrity and not be spoilt by development either in front or back of it.

Arunachala from the land

The proposal for the 7 acre land site is:

1) LAND SALE
Sale of 4 acres of the land (seller retaining the remaining 3 acres) at a price to be disclosed. The seller is not interested in delayed, prolonged or instalment payment for the land. The purchaser has to be prepared to pay the full amount immediately upon purchase.

-or-

2) LAND LEASE
Lease of 5 acres of the land (owner retaining the remaining 2 acres) by legal DEED for a term of UP TO 20 years (a further term can be negotiated) at a price to be disclosed. Every 5 years there will be a yearly rent increase of 20%.

We can supply photographs, exact pricing and additional details to people with a serious interest. OFFERS FROM PROPERTY DEVELOPERS AND/OR SPECULATORS WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED.

Land Prices

2007-10-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Up to 5 years ago it was possible to buy prime agricultural land (with a good water source) within a couple of kilometres of the Hill for under 2 Lakhs an acre. The main reason for this undervaluing of land was due to the fact that 'Tiruvannamalai' is classified as a 'backward area'. In this respect even now official Land Registry prices of both urban and agricultural land is priced very low.

Over the last years due to a variety of factors, land prices are experiencing a continuous and steep vertical rise. Land which cost Rs.100,000 an acre just five years ago is now selling for between Rs.12-15 Lakhs nowadays. (A Lakh is Rs.100,000)

Reasons for price rise:

1) Professional out-of-town brokers and speculators artificially inflating land prices.

2) Certain groups of financiers, such as Jains and Chettiars, buying land for investment purposes.

3) The District Collectorate moving to this area and thereby making Tiruvannamalai the District Headquarters.

4) Development and promotion of the area for tourist purposes by the Tiruvannamalai Municipality.

5) Increasing fame of Arunachala and the huge increase of new high income residents.

6) The attraction of New Age Gurus developing Ashrams at Tiruvannamalai.

For the above reasons, good land (with water supply) located within 3 kilometres of the base of Arunachala is priced at between 15 to 30 Lakhs an acre. Urban land for the purpose of individual house units costs anywhere from Rs.200-Rs.600 a square foot.

If the above prices are already too steep for some wishing to relocate to Tiruvannamalai, then one has to travel up to 12 kilometres from the base of Arunachala to start finding available land at pre-boom prices and where it is still possible to find tracts of agricultural land at under 3 Lakhs an acre. Land prices will NOT be going down in price and one doubts that land prices will plateau and stabilise for at least another 2-3 years. Prices will continue to go and stay up.

Indian readers of this Blog know only too well; that the exorbitant land and property prices in metropolitan/tourist areas like Chennai, Bangalore and Bombay, make parcels of land within City boundaries affordable ONLY to large Companies, Developers and Financiers. To the non-Indian readers of this Blog, who remembers with nostalgia the cheapness of prime land at Arunachala, be assured bargain basement days are over and you now have to pay SERIOUS money for what you want.

Buying a House

2007-10-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

Many Building Companies and Entrepeneurs are coming into Tiruvannamalai and developing Housing Projects and Apartment Co-operatives. Read the below article for an exhaustive examination of Builders' and Developers' tricks. It may save you alot of heartache and alot of money!

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"Everybody wants a piece of real estate. The sector has been growing at 25-30 per cent a year since 2003, fired primarily by low interest on housing loans and the rising affluence of homebuyers. Those who had bought stocks of real estate companies, whose valuations have gone through the roof, are a happy lot. However, the same cannot necessarily be said of scores of financially and emotionally bleeding homebuyers. The developers play lord and master to middle-income individuals, who often live like monks to fulfil their dream of owning a house. Most sale agreements are heavily loaded in favour of builders in the currently unregulated market.

This disillusionment is reflected in the rise in the number of complaints that has accompanied the growth of the sector. In this scenario, what chance do you have of safeguarding your interests as a buyer? In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of M.K. Gupta in his case against the Lucknow Development Authority for not delivering his flat on time. This landmark judgment brought housing construction under the purview of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

This, however, hasn't done much to change the unscrupulous ways of builders. Owing to the bonhomie between developers, the authorities and the contractors, projects get sanctioned easily but the quality of construction goes unquestioned. Supreme Court advocate C.M. Srikumar says: "Even in cooperative societies, the contractor, the architect and the office-bearers of the society dupe the public."

What are the most common games that developers play? Here are eight common tricks and ways in which you can guard against them.

I. When do I get my house?
Most agreements do not clearly specify the date of delivery. For instance, one says: "Completion of the building is expected to be delivered by the date mentioned in the covering letter of this allotment. The delivery of the possession is subject to force majeure." What this means is that you cannot hold the developer responsible if he does not stick to the promised delivery date.

There have been cases when the delivery has been delayed by 12 months or more. Typically, the buyer would have paid 95 per cent of the price by the time he reaches the expected delivery date. If he is living in a rented house, delays will drive his calculations awry as he would not have factored in this additional rent. A Mumbai stockbroker fought a legal battle against Property Developers for five years for the reason of delayed possession.

What to do. Don't just take the builder's word on the progress of construction. Check it out from time to time. If you feel a delay is likely, start building up pressure on the developer. The best way to do this is to form a society. Usually, builders have many projects running at the same time and they push the ones where the pressure is higher. "The more the number of buyers, the greater is the pressure."

II. Where are my papers?
A lot of builders are evasive about giving the completion certificate at the time of handing over the flat. A completion certificate is issued by municipal authorities and establishes that the building complies with the approved plan. A developer would not get the certificate if he deviates from the plan.

You cannot prove ownership over your house if you don't have the certificate as you would not be able to get the house registered. Also, you may not be able to get utility connections. You will have problems selling, mortgaging or reverse mortgaging the house as it will not be in your name. In the worst case, the unapproved parts of your house would be demolished by the municipal authorities. Not a happy state of affairs.

What to do. Sale agreements often don't mention the completion certificate. If yours doesn't and you notice it before signing the papers, insist on the inclusion of a clause that you will be given the completion certificate when the flat is handed over to you. Ask the builder for it as soon as he announces that the house is ready for possession. If, you move into the house without it, the court will probably be your last resort.

III. What's the guarantee of quality?
Within a month of moving into his apartment the new owner got trapped inside the house as the door lock failed. In six months, the plaster started peeling off and the fans stopped working. In another few months, water started seeping in as the pipes had corroded. "I felt cheated. This wasn't worth my money," says the owner.

As of now, there is no way for a buyer to check the building materials used or the quality of construction. Says advocate Anupam Srivastava, who is with law firm Chambers of Law: "Quality is a subjective matter. Buyers should enter into an agreement on the kind of material that the builder will use."

What to do. Don't fall for the builder's glib talk. Insist on including the sanctioned plan of the building and the specifications of the raw materials to be used for construction in the purchase agreement. If you are already facing quality problems, you can go to the consumer court. A consumer activist and lawyer says: "If you want to approach the consumer court, move it within two years from the day you take possession." Alternatively, flat owners can form a Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) and get the builder to fix the problems.

IV. What is the price really?
An engineer in BHEL, Bhopal, had booked a bungalow with a Housing and Construction Company in 2004. On a visit to the site five months later, he found that his bungalow was not being built. He asked the Company to give him a different bungalow, as construction was in full swing on that. The Company formally changed the allotment but sent the purchaser a letter eight months later asking for Rs 3.15 lakh more.

There are legal loopholes as well. The Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act, 1963, protects buyers against malpractices in the sale and transfer of flats. It gives homebuyers the right to inspect the builder's documents such as the specifications that he has obtained from the authorities. The Delhi Apartment Ownership Act, 1986, however, is a different story. Although it was published in the Gazette of India over a decade ago, brought on the statute book by Parliament and given the President's assent, it is yet to be notified.

What to do. The last stop is the consumer court. Says an expert, "Many malpractices are offences under the Indian Penal Code, for which the responsible party can be prosecuted." Keep checking with the builder if any changes are being made to the specifications mentioned in the agreement and the allotment letter. Also, try to get it mentioned in the contract that if a sum higher than the original price has to be paid by you, the builder would give you additional time for that. You must also ask for a copy of the sanctions that the builder has taken from the authorities to carry out the alterations.

V. What else do I pay for?
To make your house liveable, you will need electricity, water and sewage connections. You will also need electrical wiring, appliances like fans, lights and a water pump, which are unlikely to be part of the package and generally won't be mentioned in the agreement. These will be additional costs that you will have to bear. You might also have to keep some speed money aside for registration so that it gets done in a decent timeframe. In some cases, the builder may make a verbal promise to get it done for you.

What to do. Builders generally have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude with conscientious buyers while striking a deal. Even so, it pays to be scrupulous and to read the agreement and its fine print. "Get a lawyer, an architect or an evaluator to determine the correctness of the purchase." Finally, do some quick math and keep aside some funds to get your house up and running.

VI. How big is house?
A typical home purchase agreement states: "The plans, designs, and specifications are tentative and the developer reserves the right to make variations and modifications..." Simply put, in most cases, you won't know the final area of he house till you get it. The agreement will further state, "In case of change in area, the difference in cost of area shall be adjusted at the time of making final payment."

A buyer had booked a fully-furnished, air-conditioned service apartment measuring 650 sq. ft (super area). He got an allotment letter mentioning this area. However, when the builder offered possession, the super area of the flat had increased to 671 sq. ft. "Once the authorities approve of the floor space index, how can the builder change it?" he asks. After holding out for over 18 months, the choice before him now is to either accept all the terms of the builder or seek cancellation of his allotment. Further, he was informed that the maintenance charge, which was to be Rs 1.50 per sq. ft per month, has been increased to Rs 7 per sq. ft per month. The agreement shields the builder. It says "the monthly maintenance charges will be subject to revision from time to time".

What to do. Builders usually follow the same practices through all their projects. So, before buying, check out the builder's earlier projects to see if he plays fair. Start a blog or join one to share your experiences with others, though this doesn't guarantee redress. You can read about the mistakes and experiences of other people on websites like mouthshut.com

VII. What's the carpet area?
Most residential units in India are sold on the basis of the super built-up area, which includes open spaces like space for lifts, staircases and parking, among other things. But, what you really get is the carpet area, which literally means the area that you can carpet. This can be 15-35 per cent less than the super built-up area. Some developers, especially in Bangalore, sell on the basis of carpet area. In Pune, too, the builders' association has decided to increase the carpet area by 25 per cent to arrive at the saleable built-up area charged to the buyer. In both these cases, buyers are aware of the area they will get. Though there is still a long way to go, experts believe that soon properties all over India would be sold on the basis of carpet area.

What to do. Buy property on the basis of carpet area, although the builder will not like the idea. Argue with him that if the super built-up area is mentioned on the basis of the approvals and sanctions, the carpet area can be quantified. "There should be a provision for termination of the contract and resumption of the property so that builders don't have an upper hand. However, in the absence of rules, buyers should be vigilant."

VIII. Will I get a well-managed property?
The developer may promise to maintain the building or complex in the initial years. The service, however, may not be satisfactory. "The homebuyers cannot even use the Right to Information Act, 2005, to their advantage because it doesn't apply to private builders or even group cooperative housing societies."

What to do. You are unlikely to get relief through correspondence and phone calls. You can go the e-way to attract the builder's attention. For months, a Delhi-based developer ignored the complaints of the residents of one of their premier offerings. Then, a resident shot a nine-minute video that captured the visible flaws of the project, and posted it on YouTube.com, a broadcast site. Their grievances were soon attended to. You can use websites like www.consumerhelpline.in and www.cgsiindia.org to seek further guidance.

Though the dice is clearly in favour of the builder, the buyers can still fight back and many of them are doing so. Now, the government urgently needs to put a regulator in place to ensure proper disclosures and protect the buyers.

What we need
Mostly, a home is the biggest investment of one's life. And yet, most people buy it in a hurry. In this hurry, they sign all the papers without even reading it, let alone questioning its clauses. It may all seem illogical later, but it doesn't when it actually should.

The Indian real estate market does not have a regulator. The need of the hour is to take lessons from streamlined markets abroad and introduce comprehensive disclosure norms.

Generally, reputed builders deliver on time and as per promised specifications. Small developers, however, default by stretching their projects beyond the promised delivery date. Often, this is caused by funding issues. They may also skimp on construction costs, banking on the buyer's ignorance about quality parameters. Sometimes, they submit incomplete drawings to the municipal authorities. There are also fly-by-night operators, who pocket their clients' initial payment and then disappear altogether. In bigger cities, most developers are established and experienced players with a reputation to protect. Here, the incidence of gross defaulting is less than 10 per cent. This can, however, be as high as 15-20 per cent in emerging suburban areas, where there are a lot of small developers. Many developers who respond to sudden property booms in suburban areas have no experience or technical knowledge and often do not have banks backing them. Most emerging suburbs are also defined by unclear land titles.

What buyers should do. A buyer should check the developer's credibility, past projects, performance and delivery record. He should also ensure that the project is funded by a known bank and has all the approvals. A buyer is entitled to ask for a copy of the project's drawings, duly stamped by the municipal authorities.

Legal recourse. Buyers in Maharashtra can take recourse to Section 8 of the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act, 1963, which makes a developer liable to refund the money obtained from a customer with 9 per cent interest if he is unable to justify non-completion of his project. Most states have similar regulations.

Reputed developers do undertake remedial action if a client is not satisfied with the final product. This is unlikely in the case of unknown one-time operators. Buyers should keep in mind that a developer is supposed to make improvements, repairs and alterations until a society is formed."

[Extract from

Urmila Rao, Outlook Money]

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Note:

Property is worth the investment only if the return on rental income is 8% of purchase price or more. That is - if the cost of house is 50 lakhs - you must be getting a minimum rental of 32 K on it. However - you can lower rental threshold on purchase decision to 6% if property is likely to escalate by 10% in next years annually.

It is a sell call for a house if rental income for the property falls below 4% and price escalation lower than 6%. In case of an expected negative trend in house price - sell call is to be made.

Property Transaction Regulations

2007-10-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

There are very clear cut regulations on property transactions for NRIs, PIOs and foreigners in India. Mr. T.R.Shastri, Divisional Head of Karur Vysya Bank (Bangalore Division) explains the various implications of current laws:

The real estate prices in Bangalore are increasing and everyone in the market predicts that this time the boom is realistic and not speculative since the actual users are buying and not the investors. There is an influx of people from other States; there is also an influx of people from other countries. Yes, there are a number of foreigners who have chosen to live in Bangalore.

More importantly there are a number of Indians who are working presently abroad and hence are “Non-resident Indians” (NRIs) who would like to return to India preferably to Bangalore. Many of them wish to own a house or flat in Bangalore for either their future use or as an investment. Some of them may even be holding a foreign passport. A few of them may be interested in buying farm houses or agricultural lands nearby or commercial properties.

Having purchased one such property, some would like to sell it and then wish to know whether the sale proceeds can be taken out of India etc. There are a few NRIs who have settled abroad permanently but with inherited property in India. Naturally they would like to sell the property and take the money out of India. Parents of such NRIs who live face many such queries from their wards abroad. On their own also, many parents would like to advise their children abroad of how to invest in real estate and what the related rules are and so on.

In an economy where there are no restrictions on movement of capital (popularly known as capital account convertible economies), the investor in real estate has only to think about the capital gains or loss by such investment and also the tax implications. In our country, where the capital account convertibility has not yet been implemented fully, the investors should also know the exchange control regulations relating to such investments like the number of properties that can be purchased or sold, the repatriability of the sale proceeds, the method in which the funds are remitted, the types of properties that can be acquired etc. This article attempts to explain these aspects in simple terms.

Forex regulations
Transactions between a person resident in India and one outside India or transactions between two persons in India but in a foreign currency are subject to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules. Earlier the rules were governed by Foreign Exchange Regulations Act 1947 which were modified subsequently in 1973 and then again in 1993. All these were replaced by an act called Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 which is effective from June 1, 2000.

Subsequently a number of changes have been made by government and RBI published through notifications, regulations etc. While these are available in the web page of Reserve Bank of India, a summarised version is discussed below. While the words resident or non-resident are apparently simple to understand, the legal definition is provided under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. A person resident in India means a person residing in India for more than one hundred and eighty-two days during the course of the preceding financial year (April-March) and who has come to or stays in India either for taking up employment, carrying on business or vocation in India or for any other purpose, that would indicate his intention to stay in India for an uncertain period. In other words, to be treated as “a person resident in India”, under FEMA a person has not only to satisfy the condition of the period of stay (being more than 182 days during the course of the preceding financial year) but has also to comply with the condition of the purpose/intention of stay.

In case of doubt whether a person is to be considered as a resident or otherwise, he has to prove his residential status as per law. e.g. RBI does not give a status certificate. Generally this status is clearly applicable to most of us. But in case of businessmen or dependents of non-residents who travel regularly, students studying abroad, Indians who have acquired foreign citizen but have come to India for work on deputation etc there may be scope for interpretation. It is advisable to consult experts before entering into transactions.

Purchasing
NRIs can purchase residential and/or commercial properties without any restriction. In other words, there is no ceiling on the number of such properties, he can buy, the size or value of such property etc. There is no ceiling on the value of such properties he can buy so long as it is only residential or commercial property i.e. it can be a villa, penthouse, shopping mall or all the shops on M G Road! There is no document or statement or any such details to be sent to RBI, government of India or to any bank before, during or after such purchase.

This freedom is available to all non-residents who are either citizens of India (i.e. holding Indian passports) or who are Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). The permission is for buying residential or commercial property and not purchase of agricultural land or plantation property or farm house in India.

PIOs
There is a legally valid definition for this term PIO. In simple words, however, a PIO is one who held an Indian passport any time earlier or who or whose father or grandfather was a citizen of India. Thus if a person migrates and later acquires local citizenship, he, his children and his grand children also have this permission. However, to avoid complications arising out of citizenship before partition and other related issues, the local citizenship acquired should not be of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal or Bhutan.

Restrictions
On the other hand, a foreign national of non-Indian origin resident outside India (e.g. Mr. George Bush) cannot acquire any immovable property in India by way of purchase. Moreover property cannot be purchased jointly in the name of one eligible person with one non-eligible person even as a second name. That means an NRI or PIO cannot buy a property jointly with a foreigner (i.e. who does not even have the PIO status). However, a foreign national resident in India does not require approval of RBI to purchase any immovable property in India. This is because once he is a resident in India, he gets the rights like any other resident. This freedom of course is not available to citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal and Bhutan. Thus if you propose to sell your property to a “foreigner” because the price is attractive, better verify his residential status!

Such “ineligible persons” (e.g. foreign nationals of non-Indian origin and also citizens of certain countries specified above) can acquire residential (not commercial) accommodation on lease not exceeding five years without any RBI permission.

Property gift
The above explained permissions relating to purchase apply to acquisition by means of gift also. That means NRIs & PIOs can acquire residential/commercial property as gift but not agricultural land/plantation property/farm house in India. Foreign nationals of non-Indian origin cannot acquire any of these as gift also. Normally gift of immovable property is rare. But this sub-rule has been introduced to prevent any deliberate action aimed at misuse and tax evasion.

However, non-resident person (i.e. NRI, PIO or a foreign national of non-Indian origin) can receive such property by way of inheritance from a person resident in India or person outside India (the latter subject to RBI permission). This means that if an Indian, resident in India dies and his legal heir or person named to receive the property is abroad, he can own the property so left by the deceased even if such heir is not eligible to buy such property (e.g. being a foreigner of non-Indian origin like our Mr. George Bush).

In certain communities, certain elderly persons only remain in India and their present generations may have migrated abroad e.g. to Israel. These rules become relevant when such elderly persons in India die either intestate or with specific rules for devolution of property.

Agricultural land
The NRI or PIO cannot purchase or get as gift farm house, agricultural land or plantation property. But it is possible that he may have been owning them before becoming an NRI or PIO. The law does not stipulate that such holdings are illegal or that they have to be sold immediately on becoming NRI or PIO. On the other hand, the law stipulates the rules relating to sale of such property if he so desires any time when he is a non-resident.

The NRI or PIO can let out his property and the rent received is freely repatriable. In other words, even if he has a property owned by him out of local resources or owned before becoming an NIR or PIO, he can take the rent out of the country by converting it into US dollars at his bank. Of course, he cannot ask his tenant to pay the rent in dollars!

Selling
NRIs can sell a residential/commercial property in India to a resident or to an NRI or a PIO but PIO can sell it only to a resident. NRI or a PIO can sell his agricultural land/ plantation property/farm house in India only to a resident Indian, because such property cannot be acquired by other than resident Indians. Foreign nationals of non-Indian origin require prior permission of RBI both for acquiring property in India (as already explained above) and also for its subsequent sale.

Raising loans
The banks and housing finance companies are now over enthusiastic in lending for buying or constructing houses and flats. They are ready to lend to NRIs also and mortgage of property is a must for raising such loan. Fortunately rules clearly permit such mortgage transactions. It can be either the simple “equitable mortgage” or “registered mortgage”. NRIs and PIOs are permitted to raise loans from commercial banks and housing finance companies in India by mortgaging the property.

However, if a private company wants to lend taking such property as collateral, it is not permitted. Similarly for whatever reasons e.g. better interest rate, the NRI cannot mortgage the property to a bank or a company outside India and raise finance. Of course, as always, with RBI permission, this is possible. Foreign national of non-Indian origin requires RBI permission for mortgaging property either in India or abroad.

Initially, the rules relating to the foreign exchange source of funds were very strict in the sense that the non-resident had to bring forex into the country to acquire any property. Now rules have been considerably diluted.

Presently, an NRI or PIO can acquire a property in India by remittance from abroad, from out of his local nonresident bank accounts, out of his local resources, out of loans raised from a local bank or housing finance company or money borrowed from his Indian employer (if such be the case).

Since our economy is not yet capital account convertible, the sale proceeds of a house by a resident India cannot be repatriated, i.e., it cannot be taken out of India.
Repatriating proceeds

In simple words, a resident Indian cannot just sell his house and ask the bank to convert the entire sale proceeds to US dollars saying that he will migrate to USA and hence needs the funds in dollars. However, an NRI or PIO can repatriate sale proceeds of maximum two residential properties acquired out of foreign exchange funds. It is subject to quantitative ceiling in that the amount repatriated should not exceed the foreign exchange brought in.

This is to prevent any attempt being made to repatriate more than what is brought in due to exchange rate fluctuation. There is no lock-in period, i.e., an NRI can buy property on day one and sell it on day two and take back the original amount in dollars and have the capital gains, if any, retained in India.

A question that naturally arises is when can the NRI take out of India, the surplus arising out of sale of the property i.e., the capital gains part of the sale.RBI has permitted taking out of India (i.e. repatriate) such funds provided such a property was held by him for a period not less than 10 years. If such a property is sold after being held for less than 10 years, remittance can be made, provided that the funds were lying in his bank account (NRO account) or in any eligible traceable investment. Applicable tax has to be paid before remittance.

The remitting bank has to ensure this. Hence the bank will agree for remittance of such funds out of NRO accounts only on production of an undertaking by the remitter and certificate by a Chartered Accountant in the formats prescribed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes as per their Circular No.10/2002 dated October 9, 2002. of course, this remittance facility is not available to a citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and Bhutan.

A person owning residential, commercial property, agricultural land, plantation property, farm house may become a NRI or PIO. There is no legal bar in he continuing to hold them for any length of time.

It may be noted that such property is held out of local resources and hence does not have the colour of foreign exchange. In spite of it, considering the liberal foreign exchange position of the country, the present rules permit repatriation of sale proceeds of such property also provided that the property was held for at least 10 years or for any short fall in that period, the funds were lying in his bank account (NRO account) or in any eligible traceable investment. Immovable property inherited by NRI or PIO can be sold and it can be repatriated at the rate of $1 million (nearly Rs. 4.4 crore) per year.

However this involves certain documentation including tax clearance certificate. Thus if a wealthy Indian citizen dies leaving behind large mansion in the heart of city and if his children are abroad, they can sell the property and take away the proceeds at the rate of around Rs. 4.3 crore per year, which frankly is a large figure.

Thus, there is considerable liberalisation of rules for the non-resident individuals. However, rules are not that liberal if the investment is proposed to be made by overseas companies, investment entities etc. Thus “FDI” investments are still subject to conditions. The basic idea is that there should be no hassles for individual transactions and it should be as though full convertibility is available to non-resident Indians for his assets (like house property) and receivables (like rent received) in India.

Perhaps on the roadmap for convertibility and making Indian economy truly global, the first salvo has already been fired and it is for our beloved nonresident Indians to test it and taste it. Come, invest and if you wish take back - that is what the mother land is telling them. If it is taken well, perhaps government will tell this to any one outside India.

Arunachala Land

2007-10-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

This website will give current, accurate information about regulations governing the buying, selling, bequeathing and leasing of land and property in India, (in this case as it pertains particularly to Arunachala and surrounding countryside).

We will also be posting pragmatic information advising about problems, pitfalls and complications one may encounter while engaged in either buying, selling or leasing property or land.

As well as information about regulations, we will also be posting news about particular land and property available for either purchase or lease. We can immediately provide the additional service of land agent to prospective purchasers, to whom we will submit a well researched report; verifying ownership and land title, checking on neighbours and their future plans, ensuring proper access to land, reporting on fluctuating seasonal changes (i.e. is it land that gets flooded in heavy rains etc), determining quality and availability of ground water, ascertaining future Municipal developments (installation of unsightly electrical pylons etc) and in everyway ensuring that the land purchased has every advantage.

We will be developing additional services in the coming months in which we will facilitate and arrange land leases, with or without a house.

We welcome all queries and suggestions.