Kasaragod – Swargashram

(i) Ramdas Beholds Rama and Sita

When Ramdas arrived at Kasaragod, he came to know that Ramabai’s marriage was to be performed in a week’s time. Anandrao, who was extremely kind to Ramdas in every way, had undertaken to have the celebration at his house. Ramdas stayed for the time being in the small room of his office. The preparations of the marriage went on. On the appointed day the house and the pandal were quite full of visitors. Ramdas was, all through the performance, an unconcerned witness of the wedding ceremony. He utilized his time in playing with the children. Once, when the bride and bridegroom were seated in the decorated mandapam, Ramdas was questioned as to who they were, and he made the ready reply:

“Ramdas beholds Rama and Sita in the pair.”

The outstanding feature of the ceremony was the feeding of the poor at the close of it. Nearly three to four hundred people were provided with a sumptuous feast. Anandrao and his wife conducted the celebration. A few days later, Ramdas left Kasaragod for Mangalore where he spent a few days. Here again he met Mark Sanjivarao with whom he read some religious books at his rooms in Balmatta. Sanjivarao also introduced Ramdas to a Christian missionary couple. He took great interest in presenting Ramdas to the Christian world.

Krishnarao, father of M. Bhavanishankerrao, who was then in Mangalore, came to Ramdas and proposed to escort him to Bangalore. They travelled by motor-bus via Mercara. One evening they found themselves in that hilly tract. There was a drizzle. Ramdas was made to sit in the motor-agent’s tiny office. Where to spend the night? The question was sorely troubling Krishnarao, as he wished to find for Ramdas proper accommodation for the night. But God had provided against every contingency. When dusk was approaching, a man whom Ramdas had never seen before coming to him fell at his feet and said:

“Swamiji, it will give me no small delight if you will be pleased to grace my house. I had been so keenly longing to have your darshan and God has granted me this blessed opportunity. Pray do come with me.”

Ramdas agreeing, the friend took him to his storied house. His family members were away and he was alone with a servant. He made Ramdas sit on a deerskin asan and introduced himself as thus:

“Swamiji, my name is Madhav Kamath. I have read your book, ‘In Quest of God’ and have seen your picture in it. From the likeness you bear to the photograph I saw in the book, I could recognise you at once. Ever since I perused this book I was intensely desiring to see you. God heard my prayer and has sent you here for my sake.”

As he spoke his throat grew husky with emotion and from his large eyes poured a stream of tears. He embraced Ramdas repeatedly in a state of ecstasy. He asked Ramdas to place his hand on his head which Ramdas did, and Madhav Kamath rolled on the floor in a trance-like condition. They went on talking till late in the night. He showered torrents of love and kindness on Ramdas. God in His own inscrutable ways looks after Ramdas with all tenderness and care.

Next day Ramdas started with Krishnarao. At Bangalore Ramdas was welcomed by Bhavanishankerrao, Sitabai and others of his household with great joy. Ramdas spent a few days here. Bhavanishankerrao, who was also eager to attend the Kumbhamela, accompanied him. In due time they reached Bombay and were received at the station by Sanjivarao who escorted them to his house. Sanjivarao and his wife were as overflowing with love as ever. Ramdas stayed with them for about three days and then, with Bhavanishankerrao, he journeyed towards Jhansi.

In Jhansi they resided in the same Ram mandir which he had occupied on previous occasions. All the old friends crowded into the mandir to see Ramdas. Ramkinkar found great happiness in serving the guests. Ramdas also met Ramcharandas who was awaiting his arrival in Jhansi.

The one prominent feature of his stay in Jhansi on this occasion was that he ate food from the same plate with friends drawn from different castes. Even brahmins joined them in the promiscuous dinner. Ramkinkar, a brahmin by caste, at first mildly resented the onslaught on the age-long custom, but in the end he yielded on account of his high esteem and love for Ramdas.

After a short stay in Jhansi, Ramdas with Bhavanishankerrao and Ramcharandas departed for Hardwar. Hardwar is at the foot of the Himalayas, a noted place of pilgrimage for Hindus. Here, once in twelve years, a mammoth gathering is held to commemorate the occasion of the devas drinking the nectar procured from the churning of the ocean. The festival is called “Kumbhamela.”

The party stopped at Haridwar for an hour or thereabouts and then directed their steps upwards towards Rishikesh which lay at a distance of about fourteen miles from Haridwar. They travelled on foot. In the evening they reached the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh. Crossing the river, where it was shallow, they came upon a vast sand bed which Ramdas selected as the most suitable place for their night halt. It was at the edge of a range of majestic heaven-kissing mountains. As night approached cold winds swept over the sand bed on which they had camped. There was a fallen tree close by. A fire was lit by setting fire to a dry branch of this tree.

The wind developed into a gale which blew furiously, carrying with it loose sand from the surface of the river bed. The situation became quite ticklish, and Ramdas laughed with unusual glee, at the ineffectual efforts of the party to cover themselves with blankets against the sand-storm. The night passed without a wink of sleep. When the day dawned the devil of the storm was laid. The morning presented a calm and bewitching sight. The twilight spread its enchanting glow on the tall hills full of vegetation. Stillness and serenity reigned everywhere and the soft bracing breeze played on the scene which had assumed a menacing and troubled aspect the previous night.

At midday they ate meals procured from the annakshetras of the place, and towards evening they crossed the river and reached Swargashram. On the left bank of the river Ramdas observed a neat building going by the name ‘Ramashram.’ The ashram was built in memory of the great and renowned Swami Rama Tirtha. Another time Ramdas had an opportunity to enter this ashram. A portion of it was then used as a Post office and the rooms inside were filled with book-cases containing a vast collection of religious literature in Sanskrit, English and other languages.

(ii) The Boy Gets His Monkey Up

Swargashram is an extensive garden at the base of the Nilkant hill, close to the banks of the Ganges which is running down at its front. In this garden, in three rows, are situated about two hundred kutis or tiny single and double room structures at twenty yards from one another. These are intended for the occupation of sadhus. There is also an annakshetra in the compound for supplying the sadhus with food twice a day.

The kutis were all full. There was no vacant kuti for their occupation. They at first settled themselves below a tree and decided upon spending the night there. But a kind Bengali sannyasi managed to procure for them a double kuti by a mutual arrangement with its then occupant. So they shifted to the kuti.

There were yet ten or twelve days for the Kumbhamela celebration at Hardwar. Sadhus and pilgrims had commenced to pour in, in large numbers, from all parts of India. Ramdas lived with the friends in the kuti for a couple of days. They obtained their food from the annakshetra. The food was shared by the three together from the same plate or leaf just as the Muhammadans do. One day Bhavanishankerrao and Ramdas finished their meal earlier than usual, and Ramcharandas was still busy munching the select bits of rotis, quite in a leisurely fashion. A poor sweeper at the door of the kuti was anxiously waiting for the remains of the food, because the food the three got was more than they could eat. Seeing the eager and hungry look on the face of the sweeper, Ramdas said to Ramcharandas:

“Ram, that poor man must be very hungry; give him some roties. There will be anyhow a surplus left.”

Ramcharandas went on eating without heeding Ramdas’ words. Ramdas again repeated his suggestion. Still the boy gave no heed. For the third time Ramdas repeated his request. Now the boy was roused to anger. He looked at Ramdas for a few seconds with a steady glare, his eyes red with anger, and he growled:

“What! you would not allow me to eat in peace? What is the sense of your bothering me like this?”

At this outburst Ramdas could not resist exploding into laughter, whereas the boy unconcernedly went on cramming down roti after roti.

One day Ram willed that Ramdas should visit Vasishtashram. Ramdas proposed to go there alone. But Ramcharandas and Bhavanishankerrao insisted upon accompanying him. So the trio started together one early morning. The route to the ashram had been described to them by many sadhus, who were consulted on the subject, as extremely perilous, and none of them could tell where exactly it was. Crossing the river Ganges by boat – the suspension bridge having broken down during the floods – they came to the other side, i.e. the left bank of the river. Here they refreshed themselves with a cup of milk at the milk-vendor’s. Ramcharandas carried with him a jholi or arm-bag containing some food-stuffs and vessels.