9. The Great Consecration at Kalady

Sri Ramachandra Iyer who had been deputed by the Mahaswamiji for supervising the clearance of the forest land at Kalady and the construction of the temple there accomplished the work in two years with the support of an Engineer Sri E. R. Subbaraya Iyer. At first, it was the Mahaswamiji’s intention to erect only one temple and install the image of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada in it. Then, as though inspired by Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada himself who showed even after his renunciation of the world, his love and reverence for his mother, the Mahaswamiji decided that another temple should be built and the idol of Divine Mother Goddess Sri Sharadamba should be installed in it. Ramachandra Iyer was informed of this.

Two shrines, compact, strong and beautiful, were constructed in accordance to the designs furnished by Sri E.R. Subbaraya Iyer under the direction of the Mahaswamiji. Both these temples stand on the north bank of the Purna River and face south. As the Purna River flows between the high river banks, a beautiful and broad flight of thirty two steps made of granite slabs was built at considerable expense. To the east of the temples and outside of their enclosure, a house was built for the residence of the Mahaswamiji and the accommodation of visitors. Sri Ramachandra Iyer was able to complete the two temples and the Math house before the Mahaswamiji arrived at Kalady while the agent arrived in advance to make preparations for the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony.

Kalady was then a small and thinly populated village. It was in a corner of Travancore and there were no large villages surrounding it either. In these circumstances, one can easily imagine the difficulties one would experience in making suitable arrangements for the reception of such a large concourse of people as would come there to attend the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony. However, by the blessings of the Mahaswamiji, some three hundred labourers from Kallidaikurichi in Tirunvelveli district came over to help the cause and so they stayed in Kalady for this purpose. To supervise the work of these men, there were others who also came from the same place. The money required for the work had already been collected and was held in readiness at Tirunelveli.

For the accommodation of the thousands of visitors to the shrine who were expected at the time of consecration, six hundred temporary lodgings were put up in rows, with paths between. Lodgings of a comparatively more permanent kind were arranged for respectable officials and other gentlemen who were expected to come. The Sanitary Commissioner of the Travancore State, the District Medical Officer, Police officials, the officials of the Postal Department were all there in time to see that the sanitary and other arrangements made for the comfort of the crowd of expected visitors were satisfactory. The Peshkar of Kottayam division was also there with his subordinates; all the lodgings were provided with cooking and vessels needed for the use of the occupants; provisions and other materials were stocked on a liberal scale. Persons were deputed to receive visitors at the Railway station and to provide conveyances for them to proceed to Kalady as well as to provide them with accommodation and food supplies after their arrival at Kalady.

The twelfth day of the bright half of Magha, in the year Soumya (February, 1910 C.E), was fixed for the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony and invitations were issued to all the disciples of the Math as well as to the heads of various other Maths and the Maharajas. About one hundred of the Mahaswamiji’s disciples who were students, lawyers and others had arrived in Kalady and held themselves in readiness to serve as volunteers of various ranks and grades.

The Mahaswamiji, travelling by the appointed route, came and encamped at a village called Perumbavur on the Southern bank of the Purna River at a distance of five miles from Kalady. That night, while the Mahaswamiji was sleeping, he dreamt that he saw a widow clad in white. When inquiries were made regarding her identity and place of abode, she smiled and replied that she lived underneath a tree and had come to invite the Mahaswamiji to Kalady and then she disappeared. The Mahaswamiji woke up and however hard he tried to interpret this dream, he failed to find an explanation. On the afternoon of the next day, Mr. Ramachandra Iyer and the agent went from Kalady to Perumbavur and reported to the Mahaswamiji that all the arrangements were complete. The Mahaswamiji, without concerning himself with any other matter, began to ask questions regarding the topography of Kalady and the site on which the temples of Sri Sharada and Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada were built.

As directed by the Mahaswamiji, the agent gave a detailed description of the shrines, the Math and other sites. In the course of the description, the agent stated that near the shrine of Sharadamba, there was an Asoka tree, under which, it was stated, the mother of the great teacher Shankara Bhagavatpada had been cremated; that people from the surrounding parts used to circumambulate the tree and make prostrations and light lamps . When the agent was relating this, the Mahaswamiji fell into an ecstasy; his eyes were brimming with tears; his body was in a tremor. With a voice choked with emotion, he began to recite verses in praise of Shankara Bhagavatpada’s mother. Not knowing the cause of this sudden emotion, the people about him stood spellbound.

After a while, the Mahaswamiji came to himself and said that on the first night of his arrival at Perumbavur, an elderly widow, dressed in white, appeared before him in a dream and when questioned, she stated that she was living under a tree at Kalady and with a winning smile added that she now appeared to welcome him to the place. The Mahaswamiji felt great joy at having been invited by the mother of the great Shankara Bhagavatpada to enter Kalady. He was satisfied with the arrangements that had been made for the ceremonies and informed the agent and Sri Ramachandra Iyer that he would be in Kalady the next morning and gave them leave to return to Kalady.

At eight O’ clock in the morning of the Shuklapaksha Dvitiya Magha, ten days before the date appointed for the consecration, the Mahaswamiji arrived at Kalady. As soon as he crossed the Purna River and came to the north bank, he went in a Pradakshina (circumambulation) round the spot where the Shankara Bhagavatpada’s mother was cremated and performed his prostration and stood there for some time contemplating in his mind the glorious life of the great Shankara Bhagavatpada. He then proceeded to his place of residence. After his bath and the daily religious observances were over, he came out at about four O’ clock in the evening and inspected the arrangements. He saw the temples ready for the installation, the rows of cottages intended to serve as places of residence for his disciples who would come to witness the ceremonies, the collections of food grains and other articles intended for the feasting of people and the lighting arrangements and being satisfied, returned to his lodgings. He complimented his followers saying that by the blessings of Sri Shankarabhagavatpada, all the arrangements were more satisfactory than he had expected and that he firmly believed that the forthcoming function was going to be a great success.

An extensive Yagna-Mantapa (the enclosure for the Vedic rituals) had been erected between the two temples for the performance of the sacrifices in connection with the installations. Pundits and Ritwiks (priests) had arrived from Sringeri and Mysore. For the supervision of these ceremonies were deputed Kunigal Rama Shastri, the Math Pundit, Dharmasila Krishnaswamy Iyer of Tirunelveli District and others. Images of Sri Sharadamba and Sri Shankarabhagavatpada made of panchaloha (an alloy of five metals) in Karaikudi in exact resemblance of the images in the Sringeri Math had already arrived. The stone images of the seven Goddesses (Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Vaarahi, Indrani and Chamunda) intended to decorate the outside walls of the shrine of Goddesss Sharadamba were also ready. The gilt turrets procured from Tirunelveli through Mr. Krishnaswami Iyer were also in readiness.

On the morning of Monday, the fifth of the bright half of Magha, the Mahaswamiji came into the sacrificial enclosure and beheld the commencement of the sacrifices. The Mahaswamiji instructed the Pundits and the Ritwiks to perform all the rites as prescribed in the scriptures to earn the blessings of the almighty and the Adi-guru (the first preceptor) Shankara Bhagavatpada. After blessing the disciples, he returned to his abode.

From that day onwards, the various ceremonies such as Jaladhivasa, Dhanyadhivasa and Shayyadhivasa (certain preparatory rituals for the idols before they are consecrated) and the various sacrifices were conducted for seven nights and the ceremony of the installation of the images was performed in the Abhijin-Muhurta on Monday, the Magha-Shukla-Dwadashi (twelfth of the bright half of Magha), of the year Soumya, (21^st February 1910 C.E). After the installation was over, the Mahaswamiji came to the temples and after worshipping the idols, distributed Prasada to the assembled disciples and blessed them.

To witness the ceremony, the disciples of the Mahaswamiji, some fifty thousand in number from all over the country, had assembled at Kalady. The feeding of the devotees took place from 8 o’clock in the morning till 2 o’clock in the afternoon. At four o’clock in the evening, the Mahaswamiji took his seat in the extensive courtyard in front of the Math and expounded the nature of Dharma, the modes of observing Dharma and the benefits that accrued from it, the greatness of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada, the blessings conferred on the world by him and related matters to the huge gathering. He also pointed out that as it was for the welfare of the world that he had undertaken the installation of the images, it behoved his disciples to visit the place from time to time and purify their minds by beholding the worship of the images and earn their salvation.

The Swami thanked A. Ramachandra Iyer and his expert assistant E. R. Subbaraya Iyer for their untiring and dispassionate work in making the whole thing go off so splendidly and showered his blessings on them. The former, he honoured with the title of Guru-Bhakta-Kesari. Sri T.K. Balasubrahmanyam of the Sri Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam, who had spent a fortune on the deluxe Edition of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada's works had ten volumes ready on this occasion and placed them in the presence of the Mahaswamiji, who blessed him with the title of Guru-Bhakta-Shikhamani and hoped that the remaining ten volumes would soon be published for the benefit of the mankind.

The audience in the front hall of the Math was grand and was suitable to the memorable occasion. Among those assembled there on that day were head of the Shivaganga Math Sri Subrahmanyabhinava Sacchidananda Bharati Swami, Sri V.P. Madhava Rao, retired Dewan of Travancore, Sri P. Rajagopalachari, the Dewan of Travancore, Sri H.V.Nanjundayya, Member of the State council, Mysore, Mahamahopadyaya Hari Shastri and many other prominent persons. After the task on which the Mahaswamiji had embarked was completed, all the learned men who had come there were rewarded with gifts suited to their learning and position in life and all the poor people who had assembled were liberally fed and given gifts of money and clothes. And after receiving Tirtha and Prasada, the devotees dispersed.

In order that the installed images may be fully endowed with divine power and an example of devotion may be set to his disciples, the Mahaswamiji remained in Kalady for three months enjoying great happiness, spending his mornings in offering special worship at the new shrines and giving discourses on Dharma in the evenings.

The Maharaja of Cochin visited Kalady during this period, beheld the image of the Sri Shankarabhagavatpada, worshipped the Mahaswamiji and obtained his blessings. He was a very great Sanskrit scholar; in Logic and Vedanta he could exchange swords - the sword of the tongue - with the greatest pundits of the day; in the presence of the Mahaswamiji, he held learned disputations with the pundits of the Math; the Mahaswamiji, Himself an eminent scholar in Vedas and Shastras, presided with joy and electrified the audience with his learned discussions and illuminating discourses.

Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore, a devoted disciple of the Mahaswamiji came with a small and select retinue to have darshan of the newly consecrated temple of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada as well as to see the Mahaswamiji. His Highness presented the deities with valuable cloths and jewels. He remained for three days as the guest of the Math. The Mahaswamiji blessed the Maharaja with the title ‘Dharma-mula’. Receiving the blessings of the Mahaswamiji, he left for his dominions.

Many other disciples of the Mahaswamiji came to him when he was residing in the solitude of Kalady and became the recipients of his blessings. The place was improved from day to day by the indefatigable exertions of Ramachandra Iyer; a school for advanced studies in Sanskrit was started. The Mahaswamiji set out on his return journey to Sringeri.

After leaving Kalady, the Mahaswamiji entered Cochin and at the request of Sri P.R. Sundara Iyer, High court Judge of Madras, proceeded to the latter’s native place named Pudukode and remained there for five days. Having celebrated the Shankara-Jayanti in Pudukode, he went to the city of Coimbatore and from there, to Namakkal. He reached Ayyampalayam on the banks of the Cauvery for his Chaturmasya-Sankalpa of the year Sadharana.

The Mahaswamiji had arrived at Ayyampalayam on the Krishnapaksha Dwadashi of Magha of the year Plavanga, in the earlier part of his present tour and had remained here for one month. Thandavaraya Pillai, a Mirasdar, was a great devotee of the Mahaswamiji, as has already been stated. An image of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada was installed within the campus of the temple of Sri Subrahmanya Swami at the request of Tandavaraya Pillai and on Krishnapaksha Ekadasi of Phalguna, on which day the Mahaswamiji completed his fiftieth year, at the request of Thandavaraya Pillai and with the permission of the Mahaswamiji, the agent Sri Srikantha Shastri installed an image of the Mahaswamiji Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati to the right of the image of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada. The Mahaswamiji completed his Chaturmasya-Sankalpa in that place and having conferred the title of ‘Bhaktaratnam’ on Thandavaraya Pillai, he travelled by way of Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri and entered the Kolar District of Mysore state.

Many years had elapsed since the Mahaswamiji last visited the district of Kolar. Sri C. Srikantheswara Iyer was now the Deputy Commissioner having been a trusted lieutenant of the famous Dewan K. Seshadri Iyer. Srikantheswara Iyer induced the Mahaswamiji to remain for forty six days in his district and served him with great zeal and earned his blessings. The Mahaswamiji appeared to be anxious to visit the Nandi hills which he had once seen in company with his Guru. The Mahaswamiji was one who always liked to wander freely whenever he came to a hill or a forest. When he was on the Nandi hills, he wished to bathe in the lake known as Amritasarovar. He plunged in to the waters of the Amritasarovar, cool and inviting after the heat of the plains; he sat for a long-while, exposed to the cold wind, absorbed in meditation helped by the solitude, and the charming scenery and he returned to his camp only in the evening. The exposure brought severe cold with a pain in the chest which troubled him all the night; but by Ishwara’s grace, the illness passed away soon.

The Mahaswamiji returned to Chikballapur and after resting there for some time, he left that place for Bangalore.

The construction of the Math building in Bangalore which was commenced in the year Kilaka (1907 C.E), was now complete. The Mahaswamiji entered the city of Bangalore, escorted by the officers of Government and the citizens with great pomp and came to the entrance of the Math which was a grand and imposing structure. Having sent the sacred images of Chandramoulishwara and Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada in advance into the Math, he visited the temple of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada situated outside the Math and then entered the Math building. After Dhuli-Padapuja and other services had been performed, the Mahaswamiji gave phala and Mantrakshata to all who had assembled. He then went over the building with Sri V.P. Madhava Rao, under whose auspices it had been planned and built, and he expressed his great satisfaction with the Dewan for his foresight and promptitude.

The Maharaja of Mysore was waiting at Bangalore to pay his respects again to the Mahaswamiji and at the invitation of the Mahaswamiji, the Maharaja and the members of his family were entertained in the newly built Math. They performed Pada-Puja, received tirtha and Prasada from the Mahaswamiji and they left for the palace with the Mahaswamiji’s blessings. On the Shuklapaksha Chaturthi of Magha, of the year Sadharana, S.S.1833 (3rd February, 1911), the Mahaswamiji sent for the Maharaja and a few high officials and told them that his idea in building the Math was to make it the centre of advanced Sanskrit studies and establish a Sanskrit College under the title of ‘Bharatiya Girvana Praudha Vidya Abhivardhani Pathashala’ where, in course of time, provision could be made for boarding and educating, free, fifty advanced students in the Purva and the Uttara Mimamsas and that a start would soon be made with eight advanced students and two teacher pundits. Sri V.P. Madhava Rao, the Dewan, who had built a row of seven houses near the Math and fitted them up with the necessary things, now placed the block at the disposal of the Swami for the residence of the students.

The Mahaswamiji was greatly pleased with the offer and accepted it, conveying his blessings for the Dewan. The Mahaswamiji pointed out that though the duty of carrying out these aims really rested on the Maharaja as well as on wealthy and charitable people, the Math had resolved to devote a portion of its annual income towards the object and when good results had been shown, charitable persons might then come forward to place the institution on a permanent basis. The Maharaja and the other disciples of the Mahaswamiji who had assembled there expressed their gratitude to the Mahaswamiji for the encouragement he was giving to Sanskrit learning and took leave of the Mahaswamiji.

The Mahaswamiji remained in Bangalore for thirteen days and then set out for Sringeri. Travelling by rapid marches, he arrived at Malekal. While camping at Malekal, news came that the new building in the course of construction for Sharadamba at Sringeri had caught fire accidentally; the stone pillars were broken down and there was great loss, though the image of Sharadamba which was housed in an adjoining wooden Mantapa (enclosure) was intact. The agent and others were greatly perturbed at the news, but the Mahaswamiji’s only feeling was that the fire had not the power to touch the image.

The Mahaswamiji resumed his journey and travelling through Jarikere, Shimoga and Tirthahalli, reached Sringeri at about 9 o’clock on the morning of Krishnapaksha Dwitiya of Phalguna of the year Sadharana (March 1911). He went round the four streets of Sringeri in Pradakshina, entered the temple of Sharada, paid his adorations to the deity and praised her greatness in the following extempore stanza:

(Has it not been said in the Kena Upanishad that the gods, Agni, Vayu and others were unable to exercise their power in the presence of the great Light (Brahman)? It is no wonder then, that You (Sharadamba) stood unscathed with garland and dress intact, in the wooden shrine, though surrounded by flames all round to teach Your disciples this great truth.)

He then visited the Adhishthanam (temple) of his Guru and entering into to the temple of Sri Vidyashankara, he prostrated himself before him. He then accepted the Dhuli-Padapuja offered by the people and leaving all the paraphernalia of the Math, left for the Narasimhavana, his favourite woods nearby, on the other side of the Tunga with a small number of followers and resumed his quiet, meditative life there. He was now in his elements, after four years of unremitting camp life, visits of an unceasing flow of devotees, lectures and public discourses. He felt like one who had been incarcerated in the jail and unexpectedly restored to freedom. Only his constant and devoted attendants, Sri Srikantha Shastri and Dharmadhikari Kunigal Rama Shastri (alias Krishna Shastri) could gauge the depth of the Mahaswamiji's feeling now and the peace that came to the mahatma in his favourite and charming retreat. ◁◁◁▷▷▷