First Vijaya Yatra
The peetathipathis of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam had taken upon themselves as
part of their pontifical duties, traveling around, giving audience to people, giving them advice and encouraging their spiritual growth. Our Swamigal also wanted to take on such a journey after becoming the Peetathipathi.
The pilgrimage temple Thiruvanaikaval, situated near Thiruchirapalli was a very
famous place said to have to been built by Kochengad Chozhan in the sangam times. Adi
Sankara had performed Thatanga prathishtai to the Sri Akhilandeswari Ambal in that
temple. The S.Ram family from Kanadukathan had spent lakhs of rupees in renovating
the temple and had arranged for its kumbabhishekam to be conducted in February of
1908. It was a well known event of that period. Sri Saradha mutt Peetadhipathi,
Jagadguru Sri Narasimha Bharathi Swamigal also graced this event with his presence.
Specially appointed administrative officer Sri Rajam Iyer took care of all arrangements for the kumbabhishekam.
An invitation was sent to the young Swamigal to participate in the kumbabhishekam. For Swamigal who was already eager to go on a yatra, this turned out to be an opportune reason. He left Kumbakonam on an auspicious day, reached a week
before the event and was witness to the successful completion of the kumbabhishekam.
After the event, Swamigal stayed for a couple of days at Panda mangalam agraharam,
which is situated close to the Uraiyur, the historic capital of Chola kings.
Darshan of Paramaguru’s Adhishtanam
Swamigal wanted to have darshan of the Adhishtanam of 65th Acharya of Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi Swamigal. This adhisthanam is
situated in the village of Ilayathangudi, located in Ramanathapuram district. Enroute, he passed Kadiyapatti, Konapattu, Keezha Sevalpatti and other villages belonging to Chettinadu where he was received with honors by the villagers as well as prominent members of the Chettinadu community. While he stayed few days in these places, he was persuaded to stay for 15 days at Pudukottai. Both the royalty and the people of Pudukottai have historically been closely associated with the Kanchi mutt. They gathered together in great numbers to have darshan of their young guru and celebrated his stay in a grand manner. The king’s younger brother Sri Vijaya Ragunatha Durairaja, Diwan Venkataramadas Naidu and other government officials gave a royal welcome to Swamigal.
The temple in Ilayathangudi was the oldest of all temples in Chettinadu. It was
once the common temple for the all of the Nagarathar community before they spit into 8 divisions (Mathur, Vairavan koil, Iraniyur, Pillaiyarpatti, Nemam, Iluppaikudi,
Soorakudi, and Velangudi) and founded famous temples there. The residing deity in
Ilayathangudi is Sri Nithya Kalyani sametha Kailasanatar.
The 65th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi
Swamigal stayed at Ilayathangudi for a few months during his yatra of Chettinadu. The
nagarathar of the local temple showed their affection and respect to the Acharya and
made all necessary arrangements for his comfortable stay. One day, the Acharya was
walking around the village and stopped at a place full of thorny bushes and stayed there for a while. The next day, he requested the local Devasthana trust, if they could donate that piece of land to the mutt. The trust members, not understanding the Acharya, offered to donate another piece of land near there. But the Swamigal insisted on the same piece of land.
Within a week of this event, Swamigal’s health dwindled and he attained siddhi
on Thursday, a new moon day, 8th day of Panguni in the year of Virodhi, (20-3-1890).
The local people amazed at the events that happened a week ago, established the
adhishtanam in the place pointed by the Swamigal and also installed a Shivalingam and
Adi Sankara’s statues there. That temple is maintained by Ilayathangudi Devasthanam
even today.
Our Swamigal, having exemplary devotion to Guru, left for Thiruvanaikaval with
the intention of going to Ilayathangudi. From Pudukottai, he went to Ilayathangudi to
have darshan of the Adhishtanam and on the way back, stayed in Thiruvanaikaval where
he spent his first Chaturmasya vratha.He returned to Kumbakonam via Tanjore. The royal family of Tanjore including the queens Sri Jeejambhabai, Sri Ram ambhabai, Senior prince Shivajiraja Saheb, and junior prince Prathabaasimharaja Saheb welcomed Swamigal to the palace where they performed bhikshavandanam and paada puja. The public were also invited to participate in the pujas and obtain the blessings of Swamigal. The procession arranged by the public in Tanjore was very grand and lasted from seven in the evening to two in the morning, when they returned to the mutt.
Return to Kumbakonam for Mahamagham
Every twelve years, the day when constellation Magha rises in the lunar month of
Masi is celebrated in grandeur at Kumbakonam as Mahamagham. Completing his above
mentioned travels, Swamigal returned to Kumbakonam in March, 1909. The government
and local businesses had made special arrangements for the Mahamagham that year.
Special arrangements for staying and food were made at the mutt also for devotees and
pilgrims. One of the key sights of that year's Mahamagham was the sight of the Tanjore royalty in procession, followed by our Swamigal on the elephant, on their way to the tank for holy dip.
The peetathipathis of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam had taken upon themselves as
part of their pontifical duties, traveling around, giving audience to people, giving them advice and encouraging their spiritual growth. Our Swamigal also wanted to take on such a journey after becoming the Peetathipathi.
The pilgrimage temple Thiruvanaikaval, situated near Thiruchirapalli was a very
famous place said to have to been built by Kochengad Chozhan in the sangam times. Adi
Sankara had performed Thatanga prathishtai to the Sri Akhilandeswari Ambal in that
temple. The S.Ram family from Kanadukathan had spent lakhs of rupees in renovating
the temple and had arranged for its kumbabhishekam to be conducted in February of
1908. It was a well known event of that period. Sri Saradha mutt Peetadhipathi,
Jagadguru Sri Narasimha Bharathi Swamigal also graced this event with his presence.
Specially appointed administrative officer Sri Rajam Iyer took care of all arrangements for the kumbabhishekam.
An invitation was sent to the young Swamigal to participate in the kumbabhishekam. For Swamigal who was already eager to go on a yatra, this turned out to be an opportune reason. He left Kumbakonam on an auspicious day, reached a week
before the event and was witness to the successful completion of the kumbabhishekam.
After the event, Swamigal stayed for a couple of days at Panda mangalam agraharam,
which is situated close to the Uraiyur, the historic capital of Chola kings.
Darshan of Paramaguru’s Adhishtanam
Swamigal wanted to have darshan of the Adhishtanam of 65th Acharya of Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi Swamigal. This adhisthanam is
situated in the village of Ilayathangudi, located in Ramanathapuram district. Enroute, he passed Kadiyapatti, Konapattu, Keezha Sevalpatti and other villages belonging to Chettinadu where he was received with honors by the villagers as well as prominent members of the Chettinadu community. While he stayed few days in these places, he was persuaded to stay for 15 days at Pudukottai. Both the royalty and the people of Pudukottai have historically been closely associated with the Kanchi mutt. They gathered together in great numbers to have darshan of their young guru and celebrated his stay in a grand manner. The king’s younger brother Sri Vijaya Ragunatha Durairaja, Diwan Venkataramadas Naidu and other government officials gave a royal welcome to Swamigal.
The temple in Ilayathangudi was the oldest of all temples in Chettinadu. It was
once the common temple for the all of the Nagarathar community before they spit into 8 divisions (Mathur, Vairavan koil, Iraniyur, Pillaiyarpatti, Nemam, Iluppaikudi,
Soorakudi, and Velangudi) and founded famous temples there. The residing deity in
Ilayathangudi is Sri Nithya Kalyani sametha Kailasanatar.
The 65th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Maha Devendra Saraswathi
Swamigal stayed at Ilayathangudi for a few months during his yatra of Chettinadu. The
nagarathar of the local temple showed their affection and respect to the Acharya and
made all necessary arrangements for his comfortable stay. One day, the Acharya was
walking around the village and stopped at a place full of thorny bushes and stayed there for a while. The next day, he requested the local Devasthana trust, if they could donate that piece of land to the mutt. The trust members, not understanding the Acharya, offered to donate another piece of land near there. But the Swamigal insisted on the same piece of land.
Within a week of this event, Swamigal’s health dwindled and he attained siddhi
on Thursday, a new moon day, 8th day of Panguni in the year of Virodhi, (20-3-1890).
The local people amazed at the events that happened a week ago, established the
adhishtanam in the place pointed by the Swamigal and also installed a Shivalingam and
Adi Sankara’s statues there. That temple is maintained by Ilayathangudi Devasthanam
even today.
Our Swamigal, having exemplary devotion to Guru, left for Thiruvanaikaval with
the intention of going to Ilayathangudi. From Pudukottai, he went to Ilayathangudi to
have darshan of the Adhishtanam and on the way back, stayed in Thiruvanaikaval where
he spent his first Chaturmasya vratha.He returned to Kumbakonam via Tanjore. The royal family of Tanjore including the queens Sri Jeejambhabai, Sri Ram ambhabai, Senior prince Shivajiraja Saheb, and junior prince Prathabaasimharaja Saheb welcomed Swamigal to the palace where they performed bhikshavandanam and paada puja. The public were also invited to participate in the pujas and obtain the blessings of Swamigal. The procession arranged by the public in Tanjore was very grand and lasted from seven in the evening to two in the morning, when they returned to the mutt.
Return to Kumbakonam for Mahamagham
Every twelve years, the day when constellation Magha rises in the lunar month of
Masi is celebrated in grandeur at Kumbakonam as Mahamagham. Completing his above
mentioned travels, Swamigal returned to Kumbakonam in March, 1909. The government
and local businesses had made special arrangements for the Mahamagham that year.
Special arrangements for staying and food were made at the mutt also for devotees and
pilgrims. One of the key sights of that year's Mahamagham was the sight of the Tanjore royalty in procession, followed by our Swamigal on the elephant, on their way to the tank for holy dip.
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