Mekedatu - Datta Kashi

Installation of Dattatreya, Maha Ganapathy, Panchamukha Hanuman, Vana Durga and Sadguru Stava idols
16, 17 & 18 December 2005

Mekedatu - The place of Jaya Lakshmi Mata. The land where her sacred feet walked. The sacred place where she met Kara Paatra Yati and Fakeer Baba. The divine place of Kaveri, Arkavati and Gupta Gamini rivers joining as one mighty river as a Sangama Kshetra. The spiritual land chosen for the birth of our Sadguru Deva.

The Mekedatu Ashrama (christened as Datta Kashi by Sri Swamiji) was for the three days of 16, 17 & 18th December 2005 decked up to conduct the 15th year Re Kumbhabhishekam of Dattatreya and Shiva lingas. New installation of Maha Ganapathy, Pancha Mukha Hanuman, Vana Durga, Sadguru Padukas and Naga idols.

Sri Swamiji arrived in Ashrama on 17th December 2005.

On 18th December 2005, thousands of people gathered to witness the historic Kumbhabhishekam of the newly constructed temples. At the auspicious Kumbha Lagnam at 12.09 PM, Sri Swamiji performed Purnahuti of the Pratishtha Homas and climbed up the temple towers. As devotees ecstatically chanted Jai Guru Datta - Sri Guru Datta , Sri Swamiji poured the sacred waters on the glistening Kalashas fixed atop the towers of Ganapathy, Hanuman and finally on Dattatreya temple.

Sri Bala Swamiji who was in Mekedatu Ashrama from 16th evening itself - also performed the Abhishekams.

Later Sri Swamiji came to each temple and performed Pujas and Abhishekams to each deity.

More than two thousand persons were given Annadanam

Sri Swamiji left for Mysore on 18th evening.

The temple ready for for Kumbhabhishekam
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Sri Swamiji unveils the inauguration plaque
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Purnahuti fire in a fierce dance masking Sri Swamiji
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Sri Swamiji climbs carrying Kalasha
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The entire area was full of devotees who had made the arduous journey to this remote Mekedatu region
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Sri Swamiji holds aloft the Kalasha showing it to the devotees
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12.27 PM - Kumbha Lagna - the auspicious moment for Kumbhabhishekam
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Aralu - gently fall on the Kalasha - as part of the Kumbhabhishekam ritual
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Sri Swamiji speaks - praying Datta to Bless us all
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Sri Swamiji shows the Arati to the crowds. The gentle camphor fire and the emanating smoke seems ethereal - part of the divine dance
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Sri Swamiji blesses Sri Narra Nageswara Rao and Venatramayya and Janaki for their Seva in the temple renovation and reconstruction
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Sri Swamiji in the Maha Ganapathy shrine
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Sri Swamiji performs Arati to Dattatreya, the presiding deity of Datta Kashi Kshetra, Mekedatu and the Shiva Lingam in front
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Newly installed Pancha Mukha Karya Siddhi Hanuman idol. This is the first of the Karya Siddhi Hanuman idols with five faces.
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Vana Durga idol. This is the first Vana Durga idol installed by Sri Swamiji
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Sri Bala Swamiji performs Arati to Sadguru Paduka as part of the installation
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The real Sadguru pada - smeared in sandal paste
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prasad, vasu, chaitanya - 22.12.2005