Moments with Swami Vidyananda ji of Guruvan

From the time i have been visiting Kanhangad, about four years back, i must have been there close to about 25 times. Everytime i visit i try to make it to Guruvan, which is hardly 7-8 kms from Nityananda Ashram, Kanhangad.

Guruvan is the place where Bhagwan Nityananda spent His time in the sacred cave that is believed to be the astral opening to the astral dimensions where Siddhas are in deep contemplation in their subtle bodies. This is the place where Baba once struck a stone and water started gushing out which flows even today and is known as the Paapanashini Ganga, the water that cleanses one of negative karma. The water flows from near the holy cave which is on the top of the Guruvan hill. This hill is surrounded by thick green trees and plantation, untouched by humans except for the top of the hill, where is now built the temple for Baba and also a house consisting of many rooms, one of the rooms in which lives Swami Vidyananda, who has been the caretaker of this place from His childhood and was assigned this task by Swami Janananda, the direct disciple of Bade Baba, in whose hands Bade Baba gave the responsibility of the the Kanhangad ashram before leaving to Ganeshpuri. Guruvan is infested with snakes and is a vortex of high energies, involving many subtle activities unknown and unseen to the human kind. Swami Vidyananda, lived here almost all his life seeing and knowing many mystical things, which he never ever spoke of until now.

Swami Vidyananda, whom i began admiring from my first visit itself for his dedication and surrender to Bhagwan, is a short, dark, handsome man that he is, in single long cloth robe that covers his body, he has been living in this jungle since about half a century, yes, about 49 years. He came to Kanhangad when he was only 9 years old. 

Everytime i met him, he never spoke much and was to the point in every conversation, not a bit extra, not less. He lives a very simple life, far far away from the hustle-bustle of materialistic life, and deep in trust and faith in Bhagwan. People have not realized his greatness due to his very lowly lifestyle. There is no doubt that he is a fond child of Bhagwan, otherwise, why would he reach here 49 years back, and then spend all his life serving the only temple of Bhagwan at the Holy caves of Guruvan, from a time when there was no electricity, in this place full of snakes. It has never been easy for people to halt for nights here, but he is the only one to have lived for decades totally alone.

Swami Vidyanand used to talk to us very lovingly but never ever mentioned anything about himself, even though people asked him. But suddenly, one day, in January 2014, when i visited him in Guruvan, he suddenly began talking about his multiple mystical experiences, which i wanted to note down but did not have a pen or paper. That day he answered every question of mine and spoke in brief. He told me that he could elaborate and i told him that i would come just for that very soon. Soon, after few weeks we could again meet and this time i typed everything into my laptop directly from his words, as he put it. The very reason he never spoke about it till now was because he always credited Bhagwan for those actions. Never till date he allows me to even touch his feet, and picks me up before i bend and points me towards Bhagwan's temple in Guruvan. That modestly and humility kept him from wanting to say anything, but this time he wished to, after years.

When he told me how he arrived there at the age of barely 9, i could make out the play of the work of Bhagwan to put him at that divine place. Swamiji arrived from Siddharooda ashram in Hubli, under strange circumstances, which is revealed below in the first point amongst the 22 other experiences that he shared.

As Swamiji shared:

1. In 1978, I was around 9 or 10 years while I left Siddharooda Swami Mutt, in Hubli, which is my native. I had gotten familiar with a wandering swami there, and he had left somewhere. When I went to Dharmasthala once, we saw each other there and he walked to me and talked. He aksed me why I was standing there and I told him there the ashram rules are that room would be given only for two people and I was alone. He said he would join me and we got a room together. Next morning 3 a.m. we took darshan and after having our lunch, he told me that he was off to Rameshwaram and asked where I was off to. I said that I din’t know. He asked me to join him to Rameshwaram and I agreed. We left by bus to Mangalore. Those days, after 10 p.m. there were no trains towards Chennai. At 4:30 a.m. there was a train - Parshuram Express that went down South. We got into that train. The train halted at Kasargod when the TTE asked the Swami with me for tickets and the Swami cooly said we had no tickets. We were asked to get down but by the time we could the train moved. The TTE asked us to get down at the next station and ensured that we got down. Soon, we discovered the place was named Kanhangad and the swami said that there was a Nityananda ashram there beside the railway track. We walked together for a kilometer on the tracks and it was around 6 am when we reached the ashram. I saw Swami Janananda sitting. We took his darshan and Janananda Swamiji asked that a room be given to us. Next day, the swami who was with me said that we would meet Jananand Swami and continue towards Rameshwaram. After breakfast and tea, we went to take Janananda Swamiji's leave. Swamiji asked the Swami to proceed, but surprisingly asked me to stay. He wanted to know where I was from and when I told him I was coming from Siddharooda Swami Mutt, Swamiji was aware of the ashram. He asked me where next and I told him that I was going with the swami to Rameshwaram. Janananda Swami said let him go and asked why do I need to go to any ashram. He asked, "Is this not an ashram?" He asked me to stay back stating that it is the same stone and mud there and here also. I agreed. Then, I wanted to meet the swami who was with me and just few minutes back had left while I was talking to Janananda Swami. I looked for him but he was nowhere. I searched him everywhere but no trace. I asked the watchman who was clear that nobody went out from there. I went back to the room but his belongings were not there. After that I remained in Kanhangad and Guruvan till date.
2. In 2006, one night at midnight during deep sleep, I heard the sound of group clatter of military or police shoes marching. It kept on increasing. I got up and wondered what the police group could be here for. Opening the window I could not see anything but the sound passed from downhill to uphill towards the caves and faded away.
3. Few days later, there were sounds of two sticks striking each other coming from downhill and the sound neared the my room and it passed and moved towards the caves and faded away.
4. In 2007, there came a swami named Hanuman Swami who said he had the powers of Lord Hanuman.  He stayed in Guruvan for two months.  He said Bhagwan had given him darshan in Gokarna and that he was asked to go to Guruvan.  I thought he was a powerful man with Siddhis.  Few days after food after 8 pm he would sit with me.  Suddenly one day, he picked up his torch and said that few people are scaring him. But I could not see anything. This went on for some days. He used to say that snakes love him and while in Bhagwan's cave, he said that snakes would sit next to him. One night there was no electricity. After food we got went down the room to wash our plates. Near the room, he saw something black lying. He asked me to get torch. We discovered that it was a venomous snake that could kill instantly. He boasted at the snake, "Oh, so you are lying here" and made some noise with his feet. It moved ahead and went half into the burrow.  He continued, "I have seen a lot like you" and saying so stamped its tail. The snake rushed out and was about to strike back with his hood when I pulled him away. Upset over the snakes retaliation, he angrily went behind it and again it hissed and attacked and that moment I pulled him away again. Next day, he packed up his bags and said that snakes were troubling him and so were people, both of which I could not see, even when he ran behind the invisible people to hit them. He left the place soon; he often visits now but never stays back for the night.
5. After he went in 2007, Vijayan Swami arrived. He was a teacher. He had left everything and had come to the ashram wishing to stay in Guruvan. He lived with me for three months. People call me for bhajans in the nearby village and I used to go there with my harmonium, sometimes carrying a small torch with me. Once after such a bhajan evening, people dropped me back and it was almost midnight then. The auto dropped me at the gate of Guruvan, which is still about 300 meters to my room. I searched for my torch and did not get it and realized that I had forgotten to carry it that day. The auto guy had left by now and I was left in pitch dark. Absolutely nothing could be seen. I took a small stick and making noise walked uphill. I had almost alighted half the steps to my room when a snake bit my second toe. In pain, I sped went into my room and brought my torch and saw a snake sliding away. I immediately pressed the blood out and tied many rubber bands around that toe to stop its venomous flow to the heart. It was about 1:30 a.m. The pain was increasing. Swami Vijayan was sleeping in the next room but even if I call him there was no vehicle to move out from there. Moreover, the rules in Kerala hospitals is that the person accompanying the patient must also stay back. I thought I have to do abhishekan at 4:30 and if I go to hospital even he would have to come. So I sat there in pain. I saw the venom increasing and could sense it rising up my left leg. I tried calling the ashram in Kahnagad, but there was no response. Then I thought that probably this was the end of the days with Bhagwan and rest is Baba's wish. By then I was feeling sleepy and then a thought came to my mind that if I die this person would never even know, so I lied down with room door open. By then the the pain had reached the waist level. I touched my feet and it was totally numb. I could not sleep due to the pain. I got up and thought "Let me have a last dip in the Papanashini waters". I got up and limping and reached the waters. When the water touched my leg i found the pain electrifying. Still, I struggled and had bath. Suddenly, I got a thought, "Let me die taking pradakshina around Bhagwan's temple" (those days it was a small temple). By now the pain had reached the arms. I started limping and taking rounds of the temple chanting His name. Then something miraculous happened. By the time I ad completed 50 pradiskhsinas, the pain had dropped back to the knees. It kept going down. By the time I completed 108 pradakshina, the entire pain had vanished. I fell down on the ground and offered my saasthang pranam to Bhagwan and came to my room, opened the temple and did regular abhishekham at the right time. After puja, the Swami had worken up and noticed the greenish color near my bitten toe. I told him the entire incident. He reprimanded me that I should have told and what if I had died, he would also have been put at stake. He left the place the next day.
6. In 2007 I left for two months on pilgrimage. There was another sanyasi with me, Swami Purnananda, who was to stay back. I told him all the activities and left. I visited Kanyakumai, Rameshwaram, Madurai, etc. By then I got a call from the swami that he was seriously sick, but he insisted that I finish my yatra. He had extreme fear and could not eat anything. He called Kanhangad ashram and told that somebody be sent there to replace him as he cold not continue due to fear. Then the sanyasi left and got admitted in a hospital. He never came back. Baba Giri then came there. He also got the fear and had great fever and could not eat. He also left for treatment. A third swami came. At that time, I casually called up the ashram while I was in Badrinath and I was told that everyday they had to call and adjust someone or the other and that no one willing to stay. I was asked to come immediately. I left for Kerala immediately. While I arrived, the swami was doing mangalarati and the moment he saw me, he stopped the arati and fell at my feet begging to relieve him. He wanted to leave but I asked him to wait, but he refused stating that he was getting very strange visions there and left hurriedly.
7. Then in 2008, around 8 Bengali workers came for some bathroom fitting work. They were given two rooms, four stayed in each and they slept every night at around 11 pm on the floor. On fourth night at around 11 pm there was knocking on both doors. Both rooms inmates thought the other people from the other room were knocking and sometimes ignored and sometimes blamed each other. In the morning both of the room people discussed this confusing episode. Next night they waited and when the knock happened they both immediately opened doors but nothing in sight. They searched all around but saw no one. Then the windows banged and they once again rushed out to see but no one in sight. Then they saw the lights switching on and off. They were all scarred and they all locked themselves up holding each other and they were so scared that they passed urine inside the room itself unable to go out. At around 4 am I woke and went about with my regular activities. Till 7 am when the room doors did not open, I went and knocked at their door. They were shouting from inside as to who was it outside? When I told them it was me, they were relieved and opened the doors and narrated all that happened and also apologized for having passed urine inside the rooms. They refused to continue work at night and said that they would only work in the day and rest at night in Kanhangad ashram.
8. Similarly, this episode repeated when around the same time, some workers of Mr. Khoday came from Bangalore. Five of them were sent to Guruvan. I didn’t tell them anything worried that they would run away. But at night, the same incident happened again with doors and windows banging and the lights going on and off. They were scared and in the morning revealed all that happened and they also wished to wok only during day there and stayed in Kanhangad ashram at night.
9. In November 2009, Guruvan new temple was to be built and the old temple was pulled down. Large stone slabs were to be used for the new temple. Sculptors came and were chipping the pillars and the work was almost half way through. Our kitchen grinder that was given for repair could not be repaired and I was asked to buy a new one. Same day I went for kerosene card renewal and came by 4 pm for the evening puja. Suddenly, I felt fatigued and sweated profusely and soon there was high fever. But I had my regular bath and opened the temple. Work in temple was going on day and night.  I could barely walk. After 6 p.m. I lit the lamps for mangalarati and suddenly fell down. I tried to wave my hand for help and shout but no voice came out. I could see the people but they were busy and work and did not look at me. I fell unconscious probably for 30 minutes. I woke up but was like a dead body. Then I saw that the fire from the lamps had lit up my clothes and I realized that I had woken by the heat of the fire. I tried to get up twice but fell down. I tried for the third time and could get up and put off the fire. I did the mangalarati. After that I could move around and people asked me why I was staggering but I tried to tell them about the episode but could not answer anything. After coming back into the temple, again I fell and lost consciousness. Not even my breath I could feel. I touched my entire body but could not feel anything. I had fallen because I could not grasp anything for support. After some time, slowly everything back to normal.  Suddenly I felt a gush of breath and then I was fully soaked in sweat. Then, I regained consciousness and I wondered why was I lying there. I came out and sat and out of balance, and then slowly regained memory of everything. I somehow knew from within that this was my second life. After this many incidents began happening and I witnessed Baba’s powers and protection all the time.
10. Just a month later, Mr. Srinivas came and stayed for making the mold for the new vigrah (idol). One morning as I was sitting with him, a worker came at around 9 am. As the way to temple was blocked by the JCB machine, I took another path. Then I felt a small tingling on my leg and which was followed by pain. It then felt like I was pricked by thorns and soon turned unbearable. Mr. Srinivas said that he would call the doctor but I refused thinking it would go on its own. By noon, the pain had expanded into my whole body and I began crying in pain. Whenever Mr. Srinivas touched any part of my body to help me, my entire body pained and I thus requested him not to touch. I asked him to keep the Naivedyam for the puja in the temple. He said he would keep it but refused to enter the temple garbagraha. He kept everything ready but I was not able to even get up. He then helped me up and bit by bit I staggered in pain to the temple and it took 45 minutes to walk the less-than-50 meters from my room to the temple. All were surprised to see me this way because just a few hours back I was so fine. After the puja, all sat down for food and so did I but refused to have food. My plate was already served but the pain was so high that I could not do anything and soon fever and chills set in. in that hot season I remember using three blankets to cover myself but the fever never came down. All native villagers came and one of them tried to apply oil but it pained even worse. I was asked to be taken to hospital. The thought of hospital shook me further because I remembered how patients were treated on hospital beds. I simply refused. As an emergency, Mr. Srinivas called up the ashram to arrange someone for the puja. Noone was available. Even Mr. Ganapathy had gone to Mangalore for some work. Never had I experienced such a terrible condition in life. It was 3 p.m. and I had still not had anything for food. I went to lie down on the bed but could not lie due to pain. Even to move my leg there was intense pain as though my life was going. I was crying. Ambulance was to be called and I told them how I could not even move an inch with pain and any effort to move me was going to give me only more pain. By 4 p.m. Mr. Srinivas said noone could be arranged for the puja and I thought to myself that Nityananda may be not wanting puja and that is why no one could be arranged. I then asked the workers to heat some water.  I told Nityananda that if He wanted puja he has to heal me or no puja for him. Sitting on the chair, I then started pushing it backwards so that I could move to the bathroom and soon was moving inch by inch. With great pain I raised myself and put my body into the bathroom and the moment I put the first tumbler of water on my head the pain relieved. By the time I finished my bath, the pain was gone! I had gone into the bathroom pushing and dragging myself on the chair and I walked out of the room to an astonished Mr. Srinivas. An auto had come to pick me and all stood speechless there. All the drama that began at 10 a.m. suddenly dropped in seconds at around 5 p.m. and I was perfectly normal as though nothing had happened.
11. In 2008 Laxman Sir called me for bhajan at the Kanhangad ashram on the new year eve. When I came to ashram Swami Sudarshan from Kurukshetra had come. I had met him before and knew that he wished to see Guruvan. I brought him to Guruvan and asked him if he could stay here at night because I had to be in Kanhagad ashram for the bhajan. He said, "Oh yes, I have stayed in jungles before." I showed him all that had to be done. So, the new year eve, I was in ashram and came back on 2^nd January. Everything was fine with him. He said he had done the morning puja and asked me to continue with the evening puja as he wished to rest. Evening puja I did. At night we had food and retired to our rooms at around 9 pm. At around 1 a.m. at night, he came out of his room to attend to nature's call. Just as he was near the steps, something hit him hard on his head and he shouted loudly. I was hearing everything in sleep but was unable to open my eyes due to the deep sleep induced by waking up the previous nights. Then, suddenly, he mysteriously thrown down by some force from top and he fell to the ground. All bruised, he tried to get up and climbed up the stairs to reach his room, but again he was thrown loudly with a bang in front of my door. This time, I got up and rushed to him with my torch and saw that his whole body was bruised and even his foot slippers were broken. It was around 2 a.m. He held me in fear and I helped him come up the stairs back to his room. He said he wanted to leave immediately in the night itself. He blamed Nityananda for everything and insisted angrily that he be helped to the railway station atleast. I asked him not to blame Bhagwan for it and told him that by the time I could take him to the station by walk it would be 5 or 6 a.m. and I had to be here for the puja. I then nursed him with oil. He did not want me to leave him alone even for a while insisting that he would die if I leave him alone. As he lay down in his room, I sat there at his door. By 4 a.m. he was deeply asleep. I went away for my bath and puja and came to him by 6 a.m. by when he had woken up and insisted to that he must leave. I gave him my new footwear and took him down the hill. Getting into an auto, he promised never to come there again and soon disappeared.
12. Two weeks later, there was very low voltage current, so low that only the filament of the bulb barely illuminated. I woke at 4 a.m. and had my bath and did abhishekam. I came to my room to change my clothes. When I opened my room and I had stepped on something rubbery and there was a loud hiss. I thought it was a frog and it must have died. I put on the light and saw it was a snake. It crawled towards the bed but I pulled it with a stick and left it out into the woods. It was a Mandali snake – very poisonous ones, but thankfully it did not bite me even though I stepped on it.
13. There are lot of rats always running around on the roof of my room chased by snakes. Losing grip, sometimes snakes fall down in the room. Few days after the previous episode, one morning after abhishekam as I came into the room that was in low visibility due to low voltage, I again stepped on a venomous stripped snake known as Valiappan. Thankfully, it did not bite me and I left it out.
14. A snake known as Churtan is known to wrap around it's prey and bite. Few days later after the previous episode, after attending to nature's call at night, I stepped in my room and closed the door. Suddenly, I felt something slap at my feet and there was pain. I put on the light thinking something had fallen on my feet and saw this snake hastily sliding away. It had wrapped around my feet and had tried to strike but missed and slapped my feet instead. There was a kind of stripe that remained on my feet but went on its own.
15. In 2011, Karyekur Suresh from Hasan Mataji's ashram came to Guruvan upon to stay a few days upon the instructions by Swami Vijayananda of Anandashram, Bevinkoppa.  He arrived and told me that he was on fast.  Next night, he mentioned that he would have only a little food. I made  a little for him too. There were workers around also who were also cooking with us. That night, a cat came and we kept some food for it too. It ate the food and went. Again, the next day same time the cat arrived again and we kept some food for it in a plate. Next morning after puja, after tea, I went to take away the cat’s plate and found that it had not eaten the food and moreover, the food had turned blue. I did not tell the person anything feeling that the rice must have been spoilt. Next night, the same way food was left for cat and it had the food. Fourth day, same thing, but this time the cat did not have the food and the food was again blue. I found this was happening on alternate days. One day, the cat ate and the other day it did not.  It was observed that the person with me was getting boils over his body. I observed that the cat did not eat food whenever it was blue and soon understood that the blue was poisoned food. Next night we both checked and the food was fine and the cat ate and next day it was blue where the cat did not eat. By this time his boils increased. I asked him to see doctor. In one week he left the place. Later things got clear that the day the workers assisted in cooking, this was happening. Now I realized that these workers who were angered towards me due to my strictness in getting work done, were trying to do this to get rid of me. But out of His grace, the cat mysteriously came to show us this because otherwise we would have quietly eaten our food in the dark but the cat's food made us see the colour change and understand things out. But strangely, it affected the person who was with me who developed boils.
16. In 2011, during the new idol pranpratishta in Guruvan, the new idol had already arrived. There was a huge slab of stone that weighed close to half a tonne that had to be picked from outside and installed into the garbha graha inside the temple. Around 25-30 labourers got together to get this job done. They pushed the stone up the stairs that would move a stair upward and then slide down due to the heavy weight. After lot of trials the labourers gave up one by one and only 8-10 of them were left. Mr. Srivinas wondered at this rate how were we to get this stone up and installed as the next day was pranapratishta. Finally, giving up on all efforts, he asked me to do the mangalarti and request Bhagwan only to get this work done. We both went in and prayed to Baba and did mangalarti to the temple and also arati to the stone. Then, something amazing happened as with just with these 8-10 people the stone began moving very easily upwards and was soon moved into the garbha graha and the next day, at the said muhurat time, the new idol that was brought from Ganeshpuri in all pomp and glory was installed on this stone during the event.
17. After the pranaprathista of the new idol, it was soon decided by the ashram that only a brahmagyani swami or a Brahmin priest was to he deputed in the temple as per the advice of astrologers and scholars. They mentioned that it was only then that Baba would accept the naivaidyam (divine offering).  A devotee met Swami Karunakar (one of the direct descendant of Bhagwan Nityananda) who still lives in the slums of Matunga in Mumbai. Swamiji was asked for his advice on this. Swamiji raged in anger asking who had said so.  He said apart from Vidyananda no one can do puja there and that if anyone was to be replaced then it would only be temporary and eventually Vidyananda only would have to be called.  He continued stating that Swami Nityananda had put him there because he wants him there and apart from him no other can replace. Thus, this idea of having a Brahmin priest here was discarded.
18. In 2011, there was this annual festival in Nityananda Ashram at Udupi. Mr. Srinivas asked me to go and attend festival there. At that time Kadri Swami was in the ashram and I requested him to be in Guruvan for few days while I would be in Udupi. The swami had earlier also once stayed there.  So, with him at Guruvan, on December 23 I went to Udupi for the festival. On the festival night on December 24, after doing the puja at Guruvan, the swami was asleep. At around midnight, he heard the sound of a snake. He woke up to hear lot of snakes hissing. The sound only increased after his waking up. Then the doors banged. He opened the door and found no one. Keeping the door open, he laid down but then the windows began beating. Then the lights switched on and off outside. He narrated this incident when I returned only to add into my memory another such mysterious repeated episode that had happened twice earlier in the similar manner. I still have no clue about it.
19. In 2012 a regular Keralite who visits Guruvan, wished to teach me to ride his bike. Though I refused, he insistingly took me once to the school ground. While learning to take turns, the bike skip and ended up falling on me with the bike's leg-rest piercing my right feet and bruising it badly. I heard a crack sound. He immediately dropped me back. I said it could be a fracture but he consoled that nothing has happened. I noticed a swelling in the leg and applied heat to it. Three days later the swelling had increased too much. I went to the ashram homeopathy hospital and the doctor inspecting the leg asked for an x-ray.  I did not want to go for all those procedures. He gave me some pills but insisted to get an x-ray done if the swelling and pain persisted. I came back. Next day, the person with the bike came and was surprised to see the swelling and insisted that the we should go to hospital fearing he would be blamed for it. Insistingly, he took me to the doctor and we got an x-ray done that confirmed broken toe bones. He said that a cast and complete bed rest for three months would be required in the hospital. I told him that leave aside three weeks I could not be staying away from there even for three hours as there was no one to do the puja. Plaster was applied. Another person could not be arranged for the puja and that day Mr. Srinivas stayed with me. Mr. Ganapathy, again, was not available this time also. During these days, a teenager was staying with me for about a week. I requested the boy to help with the puja but he refused saying he was ready to anything but puja. With the plaster on my foot, now I had to wake up at 1 a.m. daily instead of 3 a.m. because it took me 2-3 hours to get ready for puja and reach the temple. To avoid the plaster getting wet, as per doctor's instruction, I wrapped it with plastic sheets. But somehow walking on the stones, the plastic tore and while during abhishekam water entered the plastered leg. I felt warmth in the feet as the plaster was sticking to feet now. Doc had instructed that feet had to be kept elevated at all times for next three months and movement be restricted to only the bathroom. He warned that any movement could dislocate the bones further and prolong healing to more months. Three days later, while the doctor inspected at the next checkup, he was furious at the pathetic state of the plaster and held his head. On telling him what had happened, scolded saying that this would create more problems. He removed the plaster to find that the skin had become smothered and wet.  He said angrily that at this state the leg would not heal completely and I would have to bear the pain and disability all my life. When I told him about my puja, the doctor who was a muslim, retorted saying puja would be only possible if I had good health otherwise how would I be able to do it. He insisted this time for complete rest and put a bandage and asked me to see him three days later. After three days, the entire plaster and leg was in the same state because I had tied plastic around the feet and again it all got wet while carrying 5-6 pots of water for abhishekam. This time the doctor was very upset looking at my soaked plaster, stating that the situation had worsened. I told him about my problem and told him that at any cost I could not stop my work of puja. But then, when he removed the bandage, there was no swelling at all! The doctor was shocked as he said it takes 2-3 weeks only for swelling to subside and he asked how was this possible. I told him it was Nityananda Swami. The doctor was perplexed saying that he had worked on thousands of such cases but this was the very first case that he saw just in 6 days, the swelling and pain had subsided that too without proper care. He gave some medication and asked to meet him after five days for an x-ray. On taking it, the x-ray confirmed that the bones had healed completely. The doctor remained taken aback asking how the healing had taken place so mysteriously with so much of movement and lack of attention to it. This is the time he believed Swami Nityananda's powers.  He still though wrapped bandage and requested to keep it for three weeks, but on reaching Kanhangad ashram, when Laxman Sir asked about my leg, I unwrapped it and threw the bandage away and was able to perfectly walk.
20. After this, I continued my work and then one day while while carrying pots of water to the temple for abhishekam the same leg struck on the step and head a crack again and there was intense pain. I shouted the name of Nityananda Swami and sat down in intense pain. After that, while I was moving around the Ashta Siddhi Lingas pouring water on them, the lights went off and in the dark struck my same leg again and again there was a crack sound and intense pain. This time I thought the leg was gone and I cried in pain for this was the third time now. I wondered if Swami Nityananda wanted me to bear this for life. But I continued with my work with the pain. In a week everything was resolved and I was back to normal. After that I never went to the doctor but never again did that happen and the leg was completely healed.
21. in 2013, during one rainy season I was standing in my room after the puja at night. An auto driver was trying to call me and I noticed this from the calls on my cellphone. He had brought a new auto and wanted to do puja for it. That night lights had gone out. I picked the land phone and called his number. No sooner I uttered "hello" there was loud bang and immediately I felt a current passing through my right ear and right face. Suddenly the whole room was lit up in fire. I realized that a lightning had struck. I thought this was my end. My hand was still holding the phone and I was looking at everything and at the same time fading in consciousness. I fell unconscious. After about 15 minutes I woke up to feel heat on my feet. When I woke, I did not remember anything and was wondering what the heat was and looking around saw that phone, fallen a few feet away from me on the ground, was on fire and touching my feet. I saw that the solar unit outside also was on fire. That moment I recollected that lightning had struck me. I tried to remove the phone unit but it was on fire. I realized that there was no current. The right side of my face and ear was numb and my right ear was painful and I could not hear anything except through my left ear. Next day I did my puja in the morning and the auto person came. I told him about all that happened. He told me my right side of head and face had become reddish and asked to go to doctor but I refused.  In four days everything faded away on my face and I was back to normal. I took the phone to the telephone exchange for replacement and they were surprised looking at the phone split and burnt in two pieces, said that such incidents have happened and never has anyone survived and the lightning intensity burns up everything killing instantly. It was only Bhagwan's grace that saved me.
22. In 2013, one rainy day, there was a slight drizzle. There was no thunder or lightning. It was around 2 a.m. I heard something like gun shots and woke up. There was no festivals or occasions for fireworks in rainy seasons. I wondered what it was and opened the window and then again heard heard huge bomb like explosive sounds and the entire Guruvan was shaking and rumbling. This went on for about 5 minutes. I went around with the torch, but there was no light or anything, just the huge explosive sounds. I found that even I shaking with the sound and it was like an earthquake. It stopped after about 10 minutes. I found that this sound was coming from the center of Guruvan. Next day after abhishekam I searched around at the spot from where the sound was coming but found nothing.

Likewise many small incidents have happened and keep happening but I don’t feel it is worth mentioning also. It is all His leelas. Saying this, he ended his narrations as I put aside my laptop overwhelmed with it all and even more overwhelmed with the humility and simplicity with which he shared it all.

Swami Vidyananda has never ever shared these incidents with anyone before nor he liked his photos being clicked, but on a Bhagwan's devotee’s request to share the glory of Bhagwan to the world, he agreed and thus his photos and all his experiences are shared here. Swamiji still though continues to be ever lost in His world with Bhagwan in His service to Him in Guruvan and at times speaks of His greatness. Previously, he was very reserved and hardly even spoke but these days, he speaks eagerly, especially when he joyously sees devotees of Bhagwan, who come there seeking for nothing but Bhagwan's divine company. Even in today's world, Bhagwan's grace and mysteries shine forth through his true devotees as testimonies to His divine presence and watchfulness at all times, thus helping devotees to endure through the tough times and good times alike. And what more than to have such divine noble souls of Bhagwan amongst us in the most simplest forms.

Om Namo Bhagawathey Nityanandaya

Kanhangad Ashram Details

SWAMI NITYANANDA ASHRAM PUBLIC TRUST (Regd.)

KANHANGAD - 671315

KASARGOD DIST, KERALA

Phone: 0467-2208986

            0467-3251960

How to reach:

Kanhangad is in the border of Kerala/Karnataka and falls in Kerala State. Nearest airport/railway station/bus stand is Mangalore. From Mangalore it is about 70 kms and takes about an hour to two by bus/train.

Almost all trains going to Kerala pass through Kanhangad station.

All trains going towards Kerala via Mangalore passes through Kanhangad station.

You can directly call up on the above given ashram numbers to check availability of rooms in the ashram in advance for your convenience. Food and accommodation is taken care by the ashram but one can contribute something to the ashram at the end of the stay in the form of balbhojan. Any amount affordable to you can be contributed at the office and a receipt taken for the same.

IMPORTANT TIPS THAT MAY HELP

• Silence and moments with the self would be very beneficial.
• Even just sitting in the divine places like the caves, in Swami Jnanananda's Room, in the Nityananda Samadhi temple will bring in fulfilling experiences.
• The ashram expects one to attending all activities and adhere to meal timings in the ashram.
• Guruvan is about 5 kms from the ashram and one should visit this place, where Bade Baba did his tapas, where you could take a bath in the Papanashini Ganga (the water that sprung after Bade Baba hit the rocks with his hands) and also you can meditate near the holy natural cave there.
• The ashram conducts regular homams, abhishekham and pujas at reasonable contributions and you may want to do it.
• You also may wish to contribute to the bhandara prasad if you like and also towards Bal Bhojan (something Bade baba and Babaji are very particular about).
• A note worth mentioning here is that whoever comes to Bade Baba with satvik needs, especially for spiritual growth, one will surely be blessed by Baba owing to the bhaava in the heart and mind of the seeker.
• Bade Baba had mentioned that anyone meditating in these caves shall have good spiritual progress.
• About the plans on the visit, there is nothing to plan.. make an intention, take yourself off for the number of days you plan to visit and then set out.. HE WILL DO THE REST.

An article in Deccan Herald worth reading 

If any help you need to visit this place you can contact me

To read all Kanhangad experiences click here.

Statue at New Guruvan Temple

I just returned from my Shirdi visit tonight and was happy to recall that the next morning the statue of Baba Nityananda was coming to the place where i live!

A page of the invitation to devotees

The new temple was being constructed all this while and we could see it's progress in all our previous four visits to Guruvan, Kanhangad. Was happy to receive the invitation from Swami Vijayananda of Anandashram, Bevinkoppa, Bailhongal and from  Kanhangad ashram for "Avdhoot Bhagawan Nityananda Aaradhana Swarna Mahotsav - 2011" where the statue of Bade Baba would be installed in the new temple at Guruvan on May 5, 2011. As i wondered if i could make it or not for the statue installation, Swamiji while giving me the invite, pleasantly told me that the statue would pass from here on April 25th and there would be a small welcoming function to honor Bhagwan's statue. i checked my travel plans and was happy to know that i would be arriving back just the night before the statue would come and was happy about it.

Jyostna Pai with her husband waiting for the statue

i was very happy to know this as i could have a glimpse of Bade Baba before He reaches Guruvan itself! Just after Swamiji left i received a call from Mrs. Jyostna Pai, who runs a hotel business here and we had got strangely connected about three years ago. Jyostnaji is the granddaughter of Mr.& Mrs Devraj Pai, who were the direct disciples of Bade Baba and they both used to be in seva of Bade Baba. Bhagwan used to call Shri Devraj Pai as "headmaster" and this blessed couple would reach regular meals to Bade Baba in the days Baba meditated in the caves of Kanhangad. 

Shri/Smt Devraj Pai (center)

Jyostnaji used to tell me the stories of her grandmother and grandfather with Bade Baba. We used to use her hotel conference hall meditation/satsangs. She was the one who initiated satsangs for Bade Baba in this place which now is regular on every Thursdays at another devotee's place. It was evident that why Bhagwan's statue was coming to her place :)  i happily told her that i would surely be there and looked forward to go there after my Shirdi visit.

Today morning, at around 9 a.m. i reached the place and met Swami Vijayanand along with Tom, a devotee, who had come from England and was staying in Kanhangad for a while and then now with Swami Vijayanand. 

As the statue approached, crackers lit up and there was a band playing a devotional song :) all in their own flavor and devotion. i looked at the beautiful black panchaloha statue that was seated firmly on the silver-decorated chariot with 7 horses that covered the vehicle and looked like a moving silver chariot. As the statue reached the venue, He was garlanded and arti's performed. Everyone was in their happiness and devotion, while Bade Baba remained seated in an expression that displayed his open eyes and body to be in a state of samadhi.

We all then moved up to the hall where there were devotional songs sung by devotees and with few words spoken by the concerned people, prasadam was served. Swamiji then gave us prasad from Ganeshpuri. After a few about 2 hours, the vehicle proceeded further and he went along with the statue while the devotees from Anand ashram returned to Bailhongal.

Swamiji told me they are expecting huge crowds from all over and i know it will be as all the places are already booked. As i was riding my bike back home, i knew that whether i make it or not for the inauguration was no concern for me now, for i had a glimpse and the taste of His power and love through the statue even before Baba sat there in Guruvan Temple :)

Namo Nityananda!

To download the chant ~ "Om Namo Bhagwathe Nitayanandaya"  Click here 
To download the background song click here

Program Details:

24 April 2011 - The statue was inaugurated by Sri. K. Shankarnarayan, Governor of Maharastra in the temple complex of Ganeshpuri

25 April 2011 - Welcoming & Mahapooja in the presence of Swami Vijanananda at Belgaum (this current article) Proceeded to Hubli, Mastikatte, Ankola, Bhatkal.

26 April 2011 - Arrival at Kodavoor, Thotadamane Temple complex of Shirdi Saibaba, Udupi. At Nityananda Mandir Mutt, Udupi - Pallapooja, mangalarathi, balabhojan and annasantharpane, spiritual discourse, Bhajan, Gurupooja & Prasad.

27 April 2011 - Uchila, Padubidri,Mulki, Surathkal, Mangalore, Manjeshwar, Kondevoor, Uppala, Kumble, Kasargod, Kanhangad. Mahapooja & Prasad.

28 April 2011 - Procession to Guruvan by 10:30 a.m.

3 May, 2011 - Religious rituals at Guruvan, Kanhangad


4 May, 2011 - Gapapathi Homa and other rituals.


5 May, 2011 - Inauguration, honoring of sevaks who have served Bhagwan Nityananda, Moorthi pratistapana, Brahmakalasha, Mahapooja and Maha Anna Santharpana, Keertan by ISCON, Udupi, honoring of devotees who made the new temple possible. Religious sabha.

Kanhangad/Coimbatore/Tiruvanamalai

Some things just sparked about the Tiruvanamali Hills and Dhyanalinga and thus fell some plans quickly into place. This time we longed to be in the vicinity of divine places in the most minimum days and yet to spend some quality time with worthwhile sadhana. Such a plan was difficult but it somehow fell into place all within a travel plan of 5 days.  This time 9 sadhaks made it for this trip - Vishwanath uncle and Arjun from Mangalore, Ravi, Geetu, Akaash, Puneeth, and Sujatha aunty from Bangalore and Vatsal from Surat. Everyone had set in for two places - Coimbatore and Tiruvanamalai. This trip was special for me as i wished to add Kanhangad to my trip as i wanted to spend my birthday in the lap of my Baba and then proceed further. Uncle, Arjun, Puneet & Vatsal also were happy to join me to Kanhangad for a day before we headed further south. i had never been excited about birthdays and had never celebrated it for close to 10 years now, but this time was super-excited about the birthday, because i was going to 'celebrate' the birthday with the one who had given me a second birth - Baba!

i reached Mangalore on Feb 23rd and soon Vatsal arrived from Surat and we met at Uncle's home. Arjun too came up there and after breakfast we left to the station. The train that we were supposed to take to Kanhangad at 9 a.m. was also bringing in Puneet from Bangalore and thus we all met in the train. After one hour of happy moments we reached Kanhangad. Others had planned to directly meet us the next day in Coimbatore. 

In Kanhangad, by the grace of Bade Baba, we were able to go to every place and meditate in one single day; had to go to all places as this was the first time here for Puneeth and Vatsal and they had craved to be here. For the first time we tried getting into a cave right opposite to the ashram. There is no mention anywhere about this cave and we tried going in a little further but the dampness and lack of air did not allow us go ahead. While in Guruvan, Puneet and Aakash explored a new cave. This time  we could spend some good time meditating in Guruvan. Back in the ashram we meditated in the caves and in the Nityananda Baba's Samadhi Mandir. 

In the late evening, we checked out of the ashram at 7:30 p.m. along with our luggage and Ganapathyji took us home to Padiyar Swami's house.  We sat there meditating and listening to him about his experiences and Padiyar Swami's experiences.  At 9:30 p.m. from here we took an auto to the railway station as our train to Coimbatore was at 10:40 p.m. This was the best birthday i ever had - far from the formalities of cutting cakes or decorations, having to helplessly smile and acknowledge birthday wishes, party, noise, receiving gifts, and all such things that always to me was senseless and meaningless. Here, for the first time i was away from it all and with no one to disturb, was in peace with a company of people that did not give the usual birthday boy privileges of extra pamper and stuff like that :) click here to read about our previous three visits to Kanhangad.

Our train was on time and me, Uncle and Arjun were in one compartment and Puneeth and Vatsal in another far away compartment. Early morning after waking up they both came to our seats and the rest of the journey till Coimbatore we spent together in joy and excitement. Ravi, Aunty, Geetu and Akaash had also left the prior night from Bangalore and they reached Coimbatore an hour prior  to us reaching the station. We all checked in the hotel that was booked prior. After the morning rituals, all set out and had a great breakfast and went to the bus stand. We took a bus to Gandhipuram (10 mins) and from there took a bus to Isha Foundation, Velliangiri Hills. 

It is a 1-1/2 hours bus ride from here. As the bus moved deeper into the outskirts of Coimbatore, everything turned more greener and the roads narrowed. The last bit of the journey only saw fields and mountains around moving on a narrow road. We reached there by 11:30 a.m. and soon were in the foundation. This seemed to be a separate world in itself with people who seemed settled and calmer and joyful than the chaotic beings of the cities. The volunteers there guided and gave information about every temple and place there. The first sacred space we visited was the Linga Bhairavi temple, which has it's own beautifully customized way of worship and offerings. The energy here can be described as strong.

click on image for larger images

After spending some time here we went to the Teerthakunda to have the holy dip before entering the Dhyanalinga. This kunda has a Paras Linga immersed under water with only a little of it's top out of water. One is supposed to take dip here with just one piece of orange cotton cloth on the body that is provided there, to ensure every part of the body is drenched. Taking a dip here is for increasing the receptivity in the Dhyanalinga. As men and women had separate batches of 15 mins each, we quickly had our dip in here. We moved around the Linga and everyone touched and embraced it while some immersed themselves completely while holding on to the Linga. If one does not want to take a bath here, one can sprinkle the water. From here we put on our clothes and went into the Dhyanalinga. Dhyanalinga is consecrated with all it's active 7 chakras that link to 7 dimensions. A very powerful place indeed!

click on image for larger images

Then, moving around we spent our time in this beautiful place at the foothills of Velliangiri Hills, very sacred Hills and the seventh hill on this also is the samadhi place of Sadhguru's guru. Legend has it that Adi Yogi (Shiva) meditated on this hill in fury after he was tricked not to be able to marry the young woman Kanyakumari, who also in fury froze at the Southern most tip of India known as Kanyakumari. We could not trek up this hill as they said it would take just 5 hours only to to trek up, which meant it needed an entire day for this. We had limited time and lots to do. In the evening, there was a program in the Spanda Hall and we enjoyed this bit of classical music and Sadhguru was also present with just few hundred people. After this was the evening arti ceremony in front of the entrance near Nandi, where a procession comes in with Maa Bhairavi and arti is performed. There are no electric lights used and the ceremony is done with only fire, drums, horns, and a dance by ashramites that is orchestrated to create a very divine atmosphere. It was a splendid sight to see as though beings from heaven had descended. Sadguru was seated just a few feet in front of us and i had some very mystical experiences during and after this arti ceremony. After this event we all took a taxi cab back to Coimbatore.

dinner in Coimbatore

As all slept to glory in the hotel rooms, i sat working on the laptop with my pending work at the dead of the night while taking moments to glance out of the open window the heavy rain that washed Coimbatore. It was 2:45 a.m. when i could finally get to bed. Next morning, after breakfast we left again for Dhyanalinga and this day we spent immersed in and around the places in the ashram. This day we had the holy dip twice in the theertha kunda and also quality time in the Dhyanalinga and Bhairavi Temple. In the evening we enjoyed a classical dance and then the celestial fire arti and finally after dinner here itself, we winded up our visit by 9 p.m. Taking the taxi cabs back to the hotel we spent our time in the lobby because we had a train at night 2 a.m. to Jolarpeth from where we had to go to Tiruvanamalai. After midnight we left for the station, which was just a walkable distance. We spent a good amount of time together at the station as heavy rains again lashed out. At 2 a.m. our train arrived and we all were in and out! (out into sleep)

Next morning the train reached Jolarpeth at 7 a.m. We got down and took auto to Tirupatur from where we took a bus to Tiruvanamalai. It was a 3 hour journey in the bus.  We finally reached Ramana Ashram at Tiruvanamalai by 11 a.m. and found all rooms full in the ashram and in the lodges around. We searched for places far from the Ramana Ashram and we got a small ashram right in front of Ramana Ashram. The owner was kind enough to give us two separate rooms for males and females and our room was on the terrace. When we went up to the terrace i was awed to see the Tiruvanamalai Hills. i sat on the terrace facing the hills and no sooner had i invoked the holy siddhas, there was a gush of energy. i realized that there would be no effort of any kind needed here to connect. The sadhana was deep and intense here and this was yet without going to the holy hills.

Ramana Maharishi Samadhi Shrine

Ramana Maharishi Samadhi Shrine

Out of the five sacred places of the panchabhootas, Tiruvanamalai is identified with the fire element. 

monkey, dog and peahen

After a very very delicious meal in the ashram, we came back and spent some time in the room since the sun was very intense. i could not resist but to shoot a small video of the divine hills and share it with my friends on Facebook. After our tea at 3:30 p.m., we left for Ramana Ashram. As we moved in through the ashram, a sense of serenity took over. We moved through the entire huge ashram filled with people from all over the world. Peacocks, peahens, monkeys and dogs roamed all over freely with people there.

animal samadhis

This place looked like a huge joint family holding strongly people of all caste, creed and faith by Ramanaji like the love and protection of the head of the family holds all members of different tastes, temperaments and attitudes together.

The ashram even contained the samadhi mandir containing the earthly remains of the ashram's four holy animals: Jackie the dog, Valli the deer, Lakshmi the cow, and a crow. These were not mere animals who lived with Ramanaji and they were much evolved than animals and birds and they lived such an evolved life with him. squirrels used to run in and out of the Hall window, over his couch and even his body. 

click to enlarge

He would feed them with nuts and stroke them, some of them even had names. Snakes and scorpions were never allowed to be killed. Sick animals were brought to Bhagavan and kept by him on his couch or on the floor beside him until they were well. Many animals had died in his arms. Once a monkey tried to bring her new born baby through a window near Ramana’s couch. The attendants were preventing her. Ramana chided them as follows, “Don’t all of you bring your newborn babies to me? She also wants to do so. Why should you prevent her?” A very special crow used to accompany Ramanaji on his daily walks. The crow would not eat from anybody's hand but the saint's. Ramanaji used to say that he was actually a rishi (great sage) in a crow's body.

The ashram ends on the other side where the climb to Tiruvanamalai Hills begin. We began climbing the hill and as we went ahead we saw there were two deviations.

Click on the image to enlarge

The one to the right said that it lead to Skanda Ashram and to the caves of Ramanaji. The left did not show anything and seemed to take us just to the top of the hill. Following the instincts, we moved left. i was certain we could cover up all the important places as we had another day the next day also. As we moved more higher we came across a small tent which housed photos of many gurus with lamp lit in front of them. We stopped there for a while, bowed, and moved ahead. As we were reaching the top, the path of trees and plants became lesser and now we encountered rocks. 

Ravi, Vatsal, and Uncle and me reached one point on a huge rock and decided to settle there and a litlle below us settled aunty and Geetu, but Puneeth and Akash decided to go much higher to the top and soon they were out of sight. We did our sadhana there on those rocks as the sun was right in front of us and the entire city of Tiruvanamalai could be seen from there. The rocks were still warm from the day-long scorching of the sun. Now the breeze was cool and everything just just wonderful. All this while we were carefully observing that this rocky hill had something mysterious. 

This hill does look so deceptive to any person who only sees this as just another hill. We observed that the rocks had many places which were covered with bunch of thorns and it was certain that the thorns did not just grow there. It was something more of a deliberate attempt to keep people away. They seemed to me as entrances into the caves below. i was dead sure that below the rocks we stood upon, there were many, many caves and outlets in which so many would be doing their sadhana. After all these hills were openly known as the abode of siddhas from ages where many siddhas have taken mahasamadhi. There were so many jeeva samadhis on these hills and Tiruvanamalai has seen atleast one Siddha every generation. i was aware that this is not just another hill.

By the time we finished meditating here the sun was going down and we had to reach down before it was dark. 

As we climbed down the hill, Vatsal and me lost track and took some other way and realized only when things around did not look familiar. A few shouts to Ravi confirmed we were somewhere else but then we did not want to take this as our own doing :) We saw some crevices and spaces that looked more like stone asanas, even in dried waterbeds. Something made me aware that we could be passing through people not necessarily visible or heard in our perception. We took back the same route until we reached back to others. The only thing was that we were all barefooted and the gravels, rocks were hurting. Above all the rocks were hot. We then reached back to Ramana Ashram.

From here we took autos to Arunachaleshwara Temple, about 2 kms from here. Arunachaleswara Temple is dedicated to Lord Siva and it is one of the largest temples in India. For more read on it click here. The temple area is so huge that it took us hours to visit every place in it. It was 9:30 p.m. when we left from here back to our rooms. After having dinner, back in the rooms, we spent some time relaxing. It was midnight by the time me, Akaash and Vatsal decided to sleep out in the open on the terrace watching that holy hills. It was a wonderful experience just sleeping there in the openness of the hills.  

i woke up in the morning at around 6:30 a.m. by the graceful cries of peacocks and soon discovered that they were all over the terrace. We spent some good time around these beautiful birds and they were around us without any sign of fear or threat. i was able to shoot a 10-minute video being awed at how friendly these birds were. The video exclusive on this quality of birds and animals is put up at the end of this article.

After bath and breakfast, i and Puneeth rushed to the hills as we had planned to visit the Ramana and Virupaksha Caves near Skanda Ashram on the top of the divine hill. We started our climb as we spoke and clicked the pictures of this magnificent place. 

We both decided to stop any conversation and be silent. i put the camera back and just walked with total awareness of the place and everything around. We had not taken 15-20 steps and we were greeted by a swami who was sitting on the rocks. He spoke fluent English and was very pleasant wearing a thin white robe around him and had a cloth bag. He conversed with us and later told us that he was wandering in these hills and around for the last 15 years. He then told us the importance of the caves that we were heading to. He asked us to meditate in Virupaksha caves. Sri Virupaksha is a siddha who meditated in those caves and took jeeva samadhi. He told us that Sri Virupaksha turned his body into vibhuthi (ashes), which is still there and he is said to be still meditating there in his subtle form.

He also told us that this hill was the destroyer of ego and shared some other knowledge. Soon the others also reached us by now and we all sat and listened to this Swami for a while. He put his hand into his bag and gave everyone with a photo of Ramanaji saying it was a gift from him. It was indeed a blessing to meet this Swami.

After taking his blessings we proceeded, continuing to remain connected with awareness and kept going until we reached the top. It was a great view from here as straight down was the Arunachaleshwara Temple.

A lady sold small bananas for Rs.2/- each. She was so innocent that she was not even knowing how many she was giving and the change she was giving back. Soon i realized that not only we would eat these bananas but there were dozens of monkeys who moved there around the holy caves. So we brought more bananas just to give them. If we preferred to eat it ourselves without giving them, they were not polite by snatching it from our hands. If we had to eat, there was no other way than to put it into our pockets to eat later. i remember another exact situation the previous day in Arunachaleshwara Temple. There was a lady who moved with a cow. She carried cooked rice packed in banana leaf and sold them to people for Rs.10 each. People bought this and fed it to the cow. Now, here too, though she had so many packets with her, the cow never touched a single packet but only went to people who bought the packets. The cow was so clever and alert that it kept looking at every single person for even the slightest move. Even if one put their hand into their pockets or purse without the intention of buying, she thought they were picking out money to buy here those packets and  would immediately approach them.

click on image to enlarge

Another touchy scene to see was a very poor woman who sold small stone statues sharing her food on her tiffin lid with a baby monkey.

We then went inside the Skanda Ashram cave where Ramanaji had meditated for 7 years. There was only one lamp lit there in a very small room. The verandah was broad and various books written on Ramanaji were kept there, which we sat and went through for a while. This place is covered in the video below. Then we went to the Virupaksha caves where Siddha Virupaksha still is meditating in his subtle form. The ashes were neatly covered with cloth and these caves were with only lamps and not any artificial lights. Both the caves were divine! We then started moving down the hills as it was time for us to leave this place. It was around 1 p.m. we started moving down. We had taken just a few steps down and we encountered another divine sadhu who just stopped in front of us and talked in tamil. 

Most of what he said could not be interpreted but he was talking about the greatness of the hills and of Ramanaji. He carried a very serene look of peace and ultimate contentment on his face and his words just sounded like nectar as he spoke through his white beard in only gleeful smiles. He even said that Ramanaji had arranged a place for him up the hill with two times meals. When i asked him when was this, he told me 15 years back! i could not figure this out because Ramanaji had taken samadhi in 1950. After speaking these few words without any prompt he just moved ahead. Don't know who he was or what, but i still while typing this can sense his love and divinity even if the meeting did not last for more than 2 minutes.

Shiva & Shakti

We then on our climb down encountered two very young boys. They were curiously looking at us as they came from the opposite directions and i spoke to them in whatever distorted Tamil i knew and they asked if we had visited a temple. They insisted that we visit the temple and nothing further could be understood from them. When i asked their names one said he was "Shakti" and the other said he was "Shiva". Wow! This just connected us to them and i requested them to take us to that temple. They took us and this was little off track the normal path. It was obvious that many people did not come this way. As he took us to the temple, we saw some mysterious rocks and wide spaces that seemed to be used by someone who did sadhana. Not wanting to judge or analyze what it meant or what they were, i just moved into those spaces touching and trying to feel connected. 

This hill sure has lots of mysteries to the common man, especially to seekers. Then we moved ahead and "Shakti" shouted excitedly that the temple was open and he said we were lucky to visit. Shiva signaled pointing to my camera not to use it inside; i put it away quickly. When we entered we saw that this was a very old Shiva temple and as we entered it grew more narrow until we reached a small low place that had a Shivalinga with a lamp lit and a priest in there. He signaled to one of us using a torch to put it off. This place has some energy that i cannot explain; some mystical experiences. We then came out and Ravi took information from the priest sitting out that this was a place where another siddha had taken jeeva samadhi. This temple pic could not be taken as photography was not allowed inside but a short clip from the outside is added in the video clip. i hugged both Shiva and Shakti for their guidance and soon another little boy joined them. This boy was from this temple who said his name was Ramakrishna. We laughed saying that all Gods were present with us and they laughed too. When i gave them something into their hands they were very excited and their overjoy showed their innocence to the peaks as they showed to each other what they had got. We bid them goodbye and they followed us for a little distance shouting 'byes' a number of times to which we responded all times. A few steps more and we saw another little ashram. i wondered to myself how many ashrams can one hill hold? Anywhere and everywhere you looked around were caves or rocks used for sadhana and also so many temples and ashrams! This path that we came did not seem to be the normal path of the hills where people moved about and we were all alone in this path. We decided to go the ashram. The little gate was closed and the board next to it showed that it was not visiting hours. A little disappointed as i was about to turn the same little boy Ramakrishna came out from inside and he was carrying a pot full of water.

An old man came to open the gate for him. Ramakrishna was happy to see us again and he said something in Tamil to the old man, who pondered something for a while and then said "Come in" and opened the gates for us. i was overjoyed. He told that this was the place of another swami who lived here and Ramanaji used to come here. Swami Ramadas (from Kanhangad) also came here and he and Ramanaji often sat in that little room! i was very surprised to know that Swami Ramadas (Papaji) from Anand Ashram Kerala used to come here! i have written about our visit to his ashram in Kanhangad (click here to read) 

The old man advised us to meditate here for few minutes. We did so. The image on the right shows the small place, in which is kept the photos of Ramanaji and Ramdas Swami. Later i did a little research and found out that this was Alamarathu Guhai (cave). Ramanaji used to live here when he was very young.  We then thanked the man and left from there contented to the brim. When we reached the foothill we found that we had reached another side of the hill and not from where we started from Ramana Ashram. We took an auto back to our rooms and had food there. By 3:00 p.m. we left from there to the bus stand and took a bus to Bangalore. Uncle and Arjun had already left earlier to Jolarpeth.since they had their train to Mangalore. It was late by the time the bus reached and i had to forgo my train back home from Bangalore and take a bus instead. I reached back home at 8 a.m. the next day.

see anything common here?

Finally, a pic that was shot right in front of Ramanaji's shrine. i was trying to shoot this dog at close range and the cam caught up something very unusual. Golden globules are very rare on cam and very fortunately a  huge golden one was caught... Though none believe it, some call it dust, some call it light reflection, etc, but with my experiences with handling cameras, i have never come across this one.

i cannot elaborate the importance of visiting Tiruvanamalai Hills and being connected to all divine beings in physical, nonphysical forms and so many other forms that one can never ever think of. Deeper experiences and mystical experiences have not been shared here for it is for one to experience it their own way and experience the different expressions of the Divine. Their presence can certainly be deceiving to the human eye and limited senses, coming in contact in ways least expected. All i can tell you is - if you have the opportunity to visit here, do visit.

A bow of deep gratitude from all of us to  Bade Baba and all holy siddhas for being with us throughout the journey and guiding us to places and people necessary for our highest good. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude!

Video coverage of the tour

To download video click here

Birds and Animals in tune with human habitat

To download high quality video click here

To read Kanhangad experiences click here.