G.G. Welling
1948
Sri Ramana Maharshi

Black and white negative, scanned
Ramanasramam Photo Archive
This photograph was taken in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India. (Arunachala is the name of Shiva in both the temple and the Hill itself, which is an embodiment of Shiva in the Tamil sastras.)
 
The camera was set up in the Old hall (where Ramana Maharshi lived from 1927-1950) with light from the only eastern window flowing in. Sri Ramana, aware of the dim light and the challenge it posed to the slow emulsion and large camera asked G.G. Welling [the photographer from Bangalore]
 
"Is there enough light?"
 
G G Welling, moved beyond words, replied
 
"Bhagvan, you are the Light".
 
(Pers. email, John Maynard, Ramanasramam Photo Archive to Alan Griffiths, 15 May 2012)
 
LL/48191