Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Next morning, in the hall, while talking about the
ornamentation in the temple of Arunachaleswara and in
this shrine, Bhagavan said, “Yesterday’s ornamentation was
intended to show that Amba was doing tapas. Unable to
bear the separation, she goes out to do tapas (penance) here.

Parvati is depicted as sitting in a stylish pose under a tree
to do tapas, wearing a silk saree, gold jewels and flower
garlands. What our people do is always like this. Tapas means
meditation connected with the practice of self-denial or
bodily mortification, does it not? Amba is reported to have
closed the eyes of Siva with both her hands for fun, and to
expiate that sin, Parameswara asked her to perform
penance, and so she left her husband, went to a lonely place,
and in self-mortification, forgot about her body, became
weak and with great austerity, performed tapas. See the way
Amba is decorated to depict that story. She is dressed like a
Maharani with diamonds and emeralds and gold ornaments
and wearing a silk saree and flower garlands!”