Sri Swamiji in Madras

Sri Swamiji visited Madras for one day on 16th November 2000 and participated in the prize-giving program of the 3rd annual Bhajan singing competition held in Madras Ashrama. 18 selected schools participated and the abundant latent music talent in children was in evidence. Dr.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, the first recipient of Nada Nidhi award from Sri Swamiji (in 1992) was the chief guest. Dr. N. Ramani (another Nada Nidhi recipient) gave away the awards. Mridangam maestro Karaikudi Mani, Guruvayoor Dorai (another Mridangam player) and E.M.Subramaniam (Ghatam) were present. Sri Swamiji blessed the children and their music teachers.

Madras Ashrama was one of the earliest branches of Mysore Ashrama and Sri Swamiji has been visiting Madras since early seventies. The black and white photos on the wall of the prayer hall in Ashrama rekindles the spirit of those days.

Sri Swamiji’s visit to T.Narasipura
On 15th November 2000, Sri Swamiji visited the historical Thirumakoodalu Narasipura, a sacred and pilgrimage place near Mysore. Located about 90 minutes away from Mysore on the banks of river Cauvery, it is also the place of confluence of River Kapila and Sphatika Sarovara, a under ground water lake with river Cauvery. The small town has a Shiva temple called "AGASTYESHWARA" and a Narasimha Swamy shrine called "Gunja Narasimha". After worshipping in the shrine there Sri Swamiji was aghast to find the appalling conditions of the historical temple. The Flag post was rotten and the rood was leaky and the floor was giving in. Sri Swamiji promised to help in improving the conditions of the temple, which was beyond the scope of the villagers of the village.

The Shiva Lingam has a hold in the center of the Lingam where water keeps coming and the same is collected in a small cup and is given as Teertham. There are numerous small shrines of other gods and goddesses in the temple precincts. The legend of the temple is hidden in the traditions of hoary past and is not very clear.

Then Sri Swamiji crossed the river and visited the Gunjam Narasimha Swamiji shrine where the deity of Narasimha Swamy is very famous in the area around. The Lord Narasimha Swamy has a seed in his hand. The legend goes that a washer man had a dream in which Lord Narasimha Swamy came in the dream and ordered him to build a temple for the idol of Narasimha, which was to be found in a snake pit. The bewildered washer man queries the God in the same dream as to where the poor man can find so much money needed for the temple building activity. The Lord replies that he would find a pot of gold under the very stone on which the washer man was washing the clothes for the last thirty years. Thus the washer man fulfills his instructions and the temple comes up. The Lord holds a Gula Ganji" in his right hand which denotes that the Thirumakoodalu Shiva Temple (Agastyeshwara temple) is a grain extra sacred than the Shiva temple in the famous town Banares.

Sri Swamiji returned to Mysore the same evening.

Sri Guru Datta