Jai Sriman Narayana!!
Our trip to Kanchi with all our family members was another exciting experience . As usual we started early in the morning from Chennai to Kanchipuram. We had arranged a Call Taxi in the previous night. We all got ready for the show, except the Cab Driver. Poor Guy, he wandered all the way and finally located our apartment. By the time it was 6' o clock in the morning. Actually we were planning to leave by 5' o clock in the morning so as to escape from the hustle and bustle of the Chennai City. We had specific plans about where to go and when to come back. The rest of the things was left in the hands of our Driver Saab. Unfortunately, we got a fellow who is not familiar to Kanchi and its surroundings. So we took the role of a Guide, as we are familiar to Kanchi and nearby places. Definitely, we did not know how to reach Gnanananda Giri Peedam.
Our Driver Saab was great in speeding the car. The vehicle was spacious enough to relax for our Senior Members. I had given them their morning 'Kappi' before leaving home. They were all in good spirit. 'Appa.....Kadavule....ippadiye maintain pannu'. My father-in-law is very old (79) and very close to my son. They talk like friends each other and joke. I was surprised to see my son putting his hands around the neck of his Thatha and making wits all the way. I was just trying to listen what they were talking about. My son 'Thatha nee Nalla Mark vanguviya school padikecchey..' Thatha said 'Appoellam nanna padippom theriyuma...' . My son ' Nalla mark vangatta punish pannivalo.. enga schoola ellam...lizard mathiri nikka vaippa' Thatha replied ' pedeppa engala.....erumayai (buffalo) vacchu vangara mathiri vanguva..' . My son got confused of what Thatha was saying. He moved to me slowly ' Mom...what's that thatha talking about....pedappa......yerumai vacchu vangara mathiri vanguva...what does that mean?' Ada pavamey....summa iruntha enakku translator joba....Then I explained to him ' While studying at school thatha must have got beatings....like the way he mentioned...he was telling you how the way their teacher beat the children in his school days.(non stop laughing from everywhere). Our seating arrangements goes like this Our Captain (my husband) was sitting next to Driver Saab. We three (Myself , my son and my Dad-in-Law)were seated in one place together, The three ladies (my mom, Mom-in-Law and sister-in-Law) were sitting on the back seat. The Ladies started snoring from background as soon as the vehicle started to flee on the road. Slowly, my son also joined with the Team. My father-in-law is a very disciplined, knowledgeable, and a great devotee of Lord Murga. He sings Thirupukkazh, Thevaram, sambradaya Bajans etc... in good tune at this age too. He shares lot of his experiences with me, as I am the younger one in the family. I am a good listener too. I curiously listen to his explanations and he is a great man I adore. My Mom-in-law is also nice to be with.
We reached Kanchi within two and half an hour or so. The first thing, we visited our Guru - Kanchi Mahaperiyava, Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Kovil and Ekambareswarar Kovil. These visits took nearly 6 hours and we missed to reach Kumarakottam. We all got disappointed as I wanted to take my Dad-in-law to Kumarakottam so long. Somehow it did not work. So we all marched towards to Saravana Bavan for Lunch. We really enjoyed the food and chatted for a while. After an hour or so we were all set to leave to Thennagur.
The trip to Thennagur was full of emotional surprises. We reached this place - My Guruji's place at 2.30 in the afternoon. Our driver saab parked the car near the shops in front of the Sri Pandurangan Rukumayee Temple. The heat was unbearable. The place was very quite in the afternoon other than a few shops were kept opened. We walked through the street - My husband, myself with the Driver . Myself and my husband were walking bear legged. We walked up to the Mutt and went inside to enquire about the details of temple timings. They offered us a room to relax and freshen up. Oh yeah..I forgot to tell about our Senior Members. We made them sit comfortably inside the car, because it was too hot to walk around. While I was in the Mutt I met Sri Namaji's nephew and we had a nice talk about Sri Guruji and Sri Namaji. Meanwhile, I met a Mami.... Saraswathy Mami from Kerala and she narrated the life of My Guruji and introduced us to the temples and the administrators etc... Mami has done a wonderful job of explaining each and everything about the life of Sri. Guruji. She took us to the place where Guruji lived for a few years. .... the place He used to sit for satsang. We took a round tour of the house, the big well.....and she started explaining about Guruji and his final journey. It brought tears in both of our eyes. In a moment, I felt I have missed so much in my life.
We were walking through the village with Saraswathy Mami - she is really great, having all the informations at her finger tip. She is a real asset to Thennagur. As usual it was evening 'Coffee Time' for us. I have to accept the fact that all were really thirsty. We did not have a drop of water from 2. pm to 5. pm. I felt really sorry for the Seniors. Our Senior ladies started ' Enakku brown color a irukkumey athu porum.....soodu thangamudiyala....' . Oh yeah I understood it is either Pepsi or Coke. The other one ' Enakk Orange colorla irukkey athu porum...Jilla irukanam'. Yes, it is Fanta. So the demand for the cool soft drinks increased. 'Kshemam...no coffee demand as yet'. Because we did not find any.
On the way through the street my son got attracted to the sites and wanted to shoot some pictures. Saraswathy Mami took us to Sri Pandurangan Rukumayee Temple Praharam.....walking through the beautiful garden full of flowers....we met office bearers and bought some books about Swami Gnananda Giri, Swami Haridas Giri and Sri Namaji. They took us to Nama Sankeerthanam Hall and spent little time over there. She took us to another block where Swami Gnananada Giri's Paduka pooja along with Swami Haridas Giri and Sri Namaji's were held on a daily basis. We could see Guruji's picture all over the hall.....Guruji ........Pictures of Guruji Everywhere Guruji. The sastrigal who is in charge of the Paduka Pooja came out and gave us the Holy water. He introduced us the Sathguru Gnanananda's Paduka, Guruji's Paduka and Sri.Namaji's Paduka kept in line for the daily rituals.
There was another big surprise waiting for us at the Sri Pandurangan and Rukumayee Temple. Saraswathy Mami led us to the Temple Sreekovil crossing the long halls filled with beautiful pictures of Lord Krishna........My Lord.....it was an amazing sight....she explained about the large expensive wall paintings of Panduranga............Wow.....one should never miss it. If you didn't make it, please make no more delays. I was thinking of visiting Pandaripuram so long..........to have a sight of Panduranga. Now my wishes have come true...My Pandurangan is very nearby.......I need not go so long to have HIM. We had prasadam from Annadhana Mandapam and continued our journey..............
Thennagur - Dakshina Halasyam
Presiding Diety - Sri Pandurangan Rukumayee
Sri Lakshmi Narayana Swamy Temple
Presiding Diety - Sri Lakshmi Narayanan
Sannidhis - Pandurangan, Meenakshy Somasundareswarar (Birth Place of Goddess Meenakshi), Navagraha with their consorts, Maa Bavani (known as Tuljabavani in North)
Thennagur is located in Kanchipuram - Vandavasi Highways (Thiruvannamalai District), 110 kilometres away from Chennai. Thennagur has got its new face by Swami Haridas Giri a disciple of Swami Gnanananda Giri, who established the Mutt in the rememberance of His Guru. Swami Haridas Giri well known for spreading Divya Namasankeerthan throughout the world. Guruji gave us the fruit of Namasankeerthan, Pandurangan Rukumayee Temple in Thennagur. During his mission of spreading the Namasankeerthan he established many Bajan Mandalis, Seva Samajams and philanthropic institutions through out the world. Guruji formed The G.A.Trust (Gnanananda Giri Peetam), Thennagur. This organization has undertaken the construction of Holy Shrines like Sri Pandurgan Rukumayee Temple, Nama Sankeerthanam Hall, Annadhana Mandapam, Mahashodashi and Sathgurnathar Sannidhi (Opposite to Sri Pandurangan Rukumayee Temple), Renovation of Sri Lakshmi Narayana Temple with the Sannidhis of 'Kutty Pandurangan' (Small Pandurangan) 'Maa Bavani', Navagraha with their consorts (A rare view) Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple etc... On the way to Sri Lakshmi Narayanar Temple you could see the G.A. Hospital, Gosala, Old Age Home, Ashram and Veda Padasala etc.. Adjacent to Sri Lakshmi Narayana Temple, there is a place ( it is unwise to call it as a Building, the place where Our Guruji has spent his last few years before leaving this material world). Everyone should visit this place and feel the golden moments of our Guruji's presence. Our Guruji left to Holy Abode on 4th September 1994 at Koteeswar near Rudra Prayag in the Himalayas by entering in to Jalasamadhi but spiritually showering His merciful blessings to all of us!! Radhey Krishna!!
Jai Sriman Narayanan!!
