← In the Vision of GodHis autobiography, book two

CHAPTER XLVIII

Ramnagar – Anandashram

After a few days’ stay, Ramdas and Krishna Bai, at the invitation of T. Bhavanishankerrao, came to Manjapati, now known as Ramnagar, for the opening ceremony of his newly built house at this place. T. Bhavanishankerrao and others pressed Ramdas to have an ashram built near the Manjapati hill, which place was discovered to be not only solitary but also possessing all the scenic grandeur of the country-side.

The selection of the spot for the construction of Anandashram has indeed a deep significance. Without knowing the antecedents of the place, Ramdas was prompted to choose it intuitively. He later discovered that the place, which is known as Manjapati, was at one time covered with a thick forest and that sadhus and sannyasis were doing tapasya in it. It was also said that the hill is sacred because in olden days there was on it a temple and a tank, faint traces of which are still to be seen. Tradition has it too, that Hanuman, when he was returning to Lanka, carrying the hill of Dronachala, dropped a portion of it, at this spot, and that portion forms the present hill. In this connection Ramdas can say definitely that God must have had strong reasons for directing his servant Ramdas to this place. Both Hanuman and he were the votaries of the same Name, Ram, and both were born on the same day in the Hindu calendar year. This cannot be a matter of mere coincidence: it must be part of a plan, divinely ordained. That probably accounts also for the visions that some devotees occasionally get of Sri Hanuman visiting the Bhajan Mandir of the Ashram. One such was vouchsafed in the early years of the Ashram to Srimati Devibai alias Appibai. She related to us one day a wonderful vision she had when she slept in the Ashram Bhajan Mandir. She saw a huge figure of a monkey entering the Bhajan Hall, walking up to the asan, prostrating before it, and then leaving by the back door. The vision had made such a deep impression on her mind, that when she was relating it, she felt highly elated, for she thought, it was Hanuman himself who had given her his darshan.

Agreeing to the suggestion of the friends he decided to have an ashram erected on a small hillock by the side of a towering hill – the highest in the range. At once God, who gave the idea, set him to work for accomplishing it. He wrote appeals for funds to the innumerable friends all over India, with whom he had come in contact during his itinerant life, for making up the cost of the new ashram. The encouragement and help he received on all sides was simply marvellous. Within a month of his arrival at Ramnagar the work of erecting the ashram building was started. The friends who offered the suggestion heartily joined in it. The ashram was begun only three months before the breaking of the monsoon; so the work had to be hurried on. In three months the main ashram building and an outhouse behind it were completed.

The Scenery

While to the right side of the ashram there is a chain of undulating hills, in front there lie extensive grounds formed by groves of trees and corn-fields. To the left the vision can sweep over about four miles a vast plateau covered with thick vegetation, plains and scattered houses, having at the far end the Arabian sea with its blue expanse of water. Behind the ashram are rows of hills covered over with verdant growth, having on both sides beautiful coconut topes, whose crests wave majestically in the strong breeze that blows over them from the sea. To stand out on the ashram hill and cast a look around means to present to the sight a most fascinating picture of nature dressed in her variegated colours. When the sun is midway in the heavens and its rays are reflected on the waters of the sea, it looks as though a vast sheet of silver is shining at a distance. After a few monsoon rains, when the green grass like a mantle spreads over the hills and plains, the surroundings offer a bewitching sight to the onlooker. The atmosphere prevailing at the ashram and over the surrounding land is surcharged with perfect calmness and peace.

The Opening Celebration

The opening ceremony of the new ashram which is also named ‘Anandashram,’ was held on the 15th May 1931. In response to the invitations, hundreds of people from different parts of India assembled for the occasion. Bhajan, kirtan, feast and distribution of food, etc. to the poor went on for ten days. The hills of Ramnagar resounded with the thrilling music of the Lord’s glorious Names. From Maharashtra about half-a-dozen devotees attended the function. Janardan Pant, Raghunath Maharaj, Govind Ramkrishna Joshi, Krishnaji Pandharinath and Madhavrao Kulkarni were amongst them. These devotees took whole-hearted part in the bhajans and kirtans.

At the opening ceremony, as requested by the assembled devotees and friends, Ramdas delivered a short speech. Briefly put, it ran as follows:

“Ramdas has the supreme delight to speak to you today a few words at the inauguration of this holy ashram. The ideal which the ashram holds before it, is universal love and service, based upon a vision of divinity in all beings and creatures of the world. Here every man, woman or child, to whatever denomination, creed, or caste the person may belong, shall have free access. This is a place where every effort will be made to cultivate the spirit of mutual love and service, so that what is realised within its walls may prove as an example for the right conduct of human life in the outside world. The Lord is our help and guide in all matters. May He with all His bounty shower His blessings on the great service which this home of love and bliss has undertaken to discharge!”

Krishna Bai, although greatly weakened by the injury she had sustained at the Kasaragod ashram, brought all her rare skill and indefatigable energy to bear upon the management of the function. Every programme was gone through with exactness and regularity. It must be admitted that Krishna Bai is a born organizer, and exhibits in all things her wonderful capacity for handling difficult situations, for soon after the opening of the buildings, torrential rains accompanied by thunder, lightning and storm swept over the ashram building. But the radiant and ever calm figure of Krishna Bai was moving about in the assemblage like an angel ministering to the minutest wants of all. None of the visitors went without her special care and service. In short she had her maternal eye upon all alike.

At the time of the opening of the ashram, we had the most illuminating sayings of the great religious teachers of the world, neatly written out in block letters, on thick sheets of paper, in English, Sanskrit and Marathi; and these were framed and hung up on the walls of the Bhajan Hall. Also the Ram mantra was painted on the walls in different languages. The sayings were: –

1. To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever harmonious, I bring full security. (IX, 22 – The Gita)

2. God is love: he who dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. (Jesus Christ)

3. God resides in that heart in which there is compassion, forgiveness and peace. (Sant Tukaram)

4. He who wears out his body in God’s service, who has Ram Nam always on his tongue, who walks always on the path of righteousness, such a servant of the Lord is blessed on this earth. (Samarth Ramdas)

5. Dedication of wife, son, house and life to God is the perfect path of devotion. This is truly called worship. (Ekhath Maharaj)

6. Abandoning all duties, come to Me alone for shelter: sorrow not, I will liberate thee from all sins. (XVIII, 66 – The Gita)

After the lapse of a few years, many of these were replaced by the pictures of these Teachers, which are still adorning the walls of the ashram. They are those of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Saradamani Devi, Sai Baba, Jesus Christ, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Buddha, Zoroaster, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Nanak Dev and Gurudev.

Ramdas had realised the unity of all religions, and his love and admiration go out to all the spiritual teachers equally. He is at once the servant of the Almighty, and a child of saints. How blissful it is to feel and be conscious of this truth!

Mother Rukmabai

A few days after Ramdas left Kasaragod, mother Rukmabai who was still staying at her daughter’s house, came to Ramnagar and after a short stay proceeded to Madras to spend a few days with her nephew. She had a great mind to live permanently with Ramdas in the new ashram. But God willed otherwise. Soon after her arrival in Madras her asthmatic complaint took a serious turn. Her condition became critical. At this time her nephew questioned her as to whom she wanted to see and she at once replied: “I want to see Krishna Bai.” She also added: “If I should at all recover, it is possible only under her tender and careful nursing. For, during my last illness at Kasaragod, when I was at the very doors of death, she alone could save me from its jaws.” But it was not possible for Krishna Bai to go to her. A few days later came the news that she passed away. May her soul ever rest in peace!

A word about her in this connection will not be out of place. She was a true, noble and faithful partner in his old life. It was but natural that when God took Ramdas away from her company and made him dedicate his life entirely to His service, she felt no small amount of pain, but latterly when she came to stay with him in Kasaragod ashram she thoroughly understood the intention of God in bringing about the transformation in his life. Naturally of a religious temperament, thereafter her devotion became so intense that she burnt with the aspiration to attain the vision of God. The Lord’s great Name continuously dwelt on her lips and even to the last moment she maintained the remembrance of God and dropped off the body in that exalted consciousness.

Gurudev

More than five months after the opening celebration of the ashram, Ramdas received the tidings that Gurudev, who was living with his son in Kasaragod, renounced his body, on the 8th November 1931, at 5-30 p.m. On the 13th day, i.e. on the 20th November, his first punya thithi was observed in the ashram, during which we held bhajan throughout the day and night, and the next morning we fed four hundred poor people in his blessed memory. Many devotees from Mangalore and Kasaragod attended this function. In the last period of his life, for some months, he had reached a stage in which he remained perfectly unattached to the world, retaining all the time not only his consciousness of the external life, but also his jovial and cheerful nature. It was the wave of grace, compassion and love that rose from his magnanimous heart that turned Ramdas’ life towards its fountainhead – God – ultimately granting him the highest vision of immortality, bliss and peace through perfect union and oneness with the immanent and transcendent Godhead.

Commemoration of Gandhiji’s Fast

Mahatma Gandhi’s fast of twenty-one days ended on the 7th May 1933. In commemoration of this event, a bodhi tree was planted in front of the ashram.

The Vision

In October, 1933, the first issue of the English monthly magazine, “The Vision,” was released from the ashram. The object was to present to the spiritually inclined people in India and abroad, the lives and teaching of saints of all religions, to publish their pictures whenever possible and to lay before them, Ramdas’ own spiritual experiences. Ramdas was its first editor. The Marathi and Malayalam editions ceased publication after running for a few years.

The Fakir Becomes an Amir

After some years at the suggestion of friends, due to rheumatism and the weakened state of his body brought on by long and repeated tours, Ramdas had to use a chair for sitting, and a cot for sleeping. Krishna Bai also got for him a raised, artistically-made, wooden dais, on which he sat during Bhajan time. He was made to wear stockings, a woollen coat, and a muffler round his neck, and looked like a bada sahib. When he sat leaning on the cushioned chair, the fakir looked like an amir. How wonderful is the lila of the Lord! Ramdas dances to His tune and is happy.

A Scottish friend, who contributed articles to “The Vision,” and was carrying on correspondence with Ramdas, once wrote to him, taking objection to the title of “His Holiness,” which some writers in “The Vision” had used before his name. He strongly urged that Ramdas should not accept this title. Ramdas wrote in reply that it was immaterial to him whether people gave him honour or its opposite. If he took notice of one, he had to take notice of the other also. But his actual position, by the grace of the Supreme, is that he is beyond both. So Ramdas is prepared cheerfully to accept praise or blame, whichever it pleases people to give him.

Patrons and Donors

It must be understood that God alone, who is the one benevolent ruler of the worlds, made possible the establishment of this ashram. The activities of the ashram are day by day extending owing to the generous donations it is receiving from innumerable, selfless, pure and noble souls from different parts of India and abroad. All credit for any work or service rendered by it is due to them. Many of these are friends, whose self-effacement is so complete that they have enjoined on him not to reveal their names in connection with the lavish help in money and other ways offered by them for the furtherance of the ashram mission. So without mentioning their names Ramdas acknowledges their loving cooperation with infinite gratitude.

Relief to the Poor

Periodically, and also particularly during celebrations, distribution of foodstuffs to the poor is one of the important items of ashram service. On such occasions relief is rendered to thousands of people. The ashram is open to all people irrespective of caste, creed, colour or nationality. Willing and cheerful service on equal basis is offered to all of them.

Ashram Buildings

The main ashram consists of a bhajan mandir in front enclosed by arched walls, the upper part of which is ornamented with cornice work which gives the hall not only an artistic view but also a distinctly imposing and charming appearance. At the back of the bhajan mandir is a small room for Ramdas’ occupation. The out-house which is situated directly at the back of the main building is made up of four rooms, two on each side, having a pathway between, one side of which was used as a kitchen and the other for the residence of casual guests.

Later, another small building was erected in the ashram compound for purposes of conducting the editorial and official business of the two magazines and correspondence. The cost of this building was met by the generosity of the Thakur Saheb of Limbdi, Sri Daulat Singh, to whom Ramdas expresses his feelings of gratitude.

It was with great sorrow that Ramdas heard of the passing away of Sri Daulatsinghji, whom Ramdas mentioned at several places in this book. Whenever Ramdas went to Limbdi, the Thakur Saheb would take him to his palace and treat him with all love and hospitality. He was a devotee of Sri Krishna and had also a great regard for saints. He was also charitable by his nature and had donated large sums to various philanthropic institutions. He had a noble and devout partner in life, who departed this life earlier than he.

During Ramdas’ absence on tour in 1938, Krishna Bai built two houses for poor Harijan families, and three for ashram workers. She herself supervised their construction. She also made new roads and other improvements in the ashram compound, besides getting the Bhajan Hall and other buildings painted.

As the old cow-shed was inadequate for the increasing number of cows, a bigger one has been constructed. For want of funds we could build only a thatched house. But the building is very spacious. This was also planned by Krishna Bai and the work was carried on under her direct supervision.

From the very beginning of the ashram, sadhus started coming daily to the ashram. In course of time their number increased to such an extent that it became a problem to find accommodation for them. So we constructed a separate building for their use, which goes by the name Sadhu dharmashala. During the first year of his itinerant life, after renouncing the world, Ramdas was travelling in the company of the sadhus and sannyasis, as related in his earlier books. It was really they who looked after him with great care and affection. It was in their company that Ramdas had gone through rigorous austerities, in which they also had participated, whether they liked it or not – being strongly attached to him. Accordingly, when these wandering mendicants come to the ashram, they are given food and lodging. As soon as Ramdas sees them, he is reminded of those memorable days, of wild freedom and joy spent in their company.

In the pious memory of Heble Annappayya, a great devotee, who spent his last days in the ashram, his sons, principally Ganesh Heblekar, who is deeply attached to the ashram, have raised a samadhi on the asthi of Annappayya. It can be seen in the ashram compound, facing the dharmashala for sadhus. There is a marble tablet on it, with the inscription of his name, and the dates of his birth and death.

Gatherings

Principal N.B. Butani proposed that a gathering be held in the ashram during the Christmas holidays of 1938. He sent invitations to ashram friends living in different parts of India. Preparations were made on a large scale for this gathering. Special pandals were erected and these were beautifully decorated. As the days of celebration approached, devotees and friends started pouring in, and on the principal days of the celebration, there was a large number of people. The ashram was humming with activity. The ashram had had no such gathering till then. One ought to have seen Krishna Bai in those days – how her radiant personality was moving about, like a flash of light, inspiring all workers to carry on the duties entrusted to them with energy and enthusiasm. There was no scarcity of anything. The important item of the programme was feeding. Thousands after thousands were fed from morning till late in the night. It was all a most blissful experience, never to be forgotten. Ramdas was witnessing the whole lila with no small joy, and he found people belonging to various castes, creeds and places mingling with one another as friends and brothers, on the basis of spiritual kinship. Truly, real happiness can be attained by humanity only when it is aware of the indwelling spirit that unites all members of the human race into one world union or family. Here, in the total absence of the ego-self, manifests a cosmic consciousness, in which all distinctions are lost, and every one experiences the bliss eternal. Although Ramdas’ health at this time was weak, he could take part in all the functions, without feeling the least strain, as he was, all throughout, conscious only of joy and nothing else. It was surely a memorable event in the life of the ashram.

The December gathering of 1940 was also noteworthy in many respects. Principally it was so, because of the large number of devotees who had gathered together, without any expectation that it was going to be a gathering at all; each came, without knowing that any others were coming.

Electric Lighting

There is a saying of a saint, often quoted in Maharashtra, “God is the fulfiller of a satya sankalpa (pure wish) of His devotee. The devotee makes a plan and God works it out.” In the nights, specially the dark ones, it was found difficult for the ashramites and the visitors to move about in the ashram grounds. Moreover, snakes of all kinds crawled about within the compound. Ramdas felt that it would be well if we had an electric installation, so that the buildings and the various roads and paths could be well-lit. This wish he expressed in the presence of some friends. God did not take long to see that an electric installation was set up in the ashram. During nights the ashram now looks from a distance like a fairy-land with its powerful dome-light visible for miles around. Ramdas remembers in this connection the Biblical words: God said: Let there be light! And there was light! So it was here.

A gerrua flag is also attached to the tall post on which the dome-light is put up. It is the emblem of the ashram signifying renunciation, love and service.

Sri Krishna Vidyalaya

God fulfilled Ramdas’ wish, to start an elementary school in Ramnagar, for imparting education to children living in it and in the surrounding villages. The foundation for the building was laid by Krishna Bai in the year 1940 on her birthday, with the singing of Ramnam, a large number of devotees attending the function. At the time when this function took place, we clearly felt that God blessed this enterprise, as there was a thrill in the air, of blissful anticipation, as all joined with implicit faith and perfect confidence.

B. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, retired Principal of the Engineering College, Bangalore, and V. V. Patankar, retired Executive Engineer, Mysore Government, Bangalore, prepared the necessary plans for the building.

A cement image of Goddess Saraswati, in a standing posture, with a veena in her hands, beautifully painted, is installed in a niche in the front wall of the Vidyalaya building. Goddess Saraswati is the symbol of Vidya (i.e. learning). She presides over our educational institution, and surely Her grace is abundantly pouring on it. The school is named Sri Krishna Vidyalaya. The opening ceremony took place in the year 1942 on Ramdas’ birthday. It was the inauguration of the beginning of a new life for the poor, destitute and neglected children, often seen roaming aimlessly about the ashram. Ramdas’ long cherished desire was now fulfilled. God’s grace is really bounteous.

Besides teaching the three R’s to the pupils, we introduced handicrafts such as hand-spinning, basket-weaving, clay modelling and coir work. The children are trained also in gardening and vegetable growing. They have the usual outdoor games and the indoor play of kollattam and lezim. We admit into the Vidyalaya children of all classes and castes, including Harijans and Muslims.

In the Boarding Home, the children are given bath and a washed set of clothes every morning, before breakfast, which they take after a prayer. Then, again, when the classes begin, all the pupils assemble in the central hall of the school and hold prayers. Visitors have observed that the children look clean, smart and intelligent, and that the children of the higher castes cannot be distinguished from those of the Harijans, in regard either to cleanliness or the expression on the face. The light of God dwells, alike in all beings, to whatever category they belong. Only conditions have to be provided for this light to shine out. The man-made division, on the score of birth, race and other considerations, are wholly unnatural and meaningless.

The central room of the Vidyalaya is used as a prayer hall by the school children and teachers, at the beginning and at the end of the school work. In this room, we have, on the walls, pictures of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramana Maharshi, presented by the devotees of the ashram. In one of the bigger halls of the school, the children hold bhajans every Thursday, before the school closes for the day. Friends have presented to the institution benches, maps, pictures, slates, library books, equipment for games, and other articles of school use. The school observes, annually, its Opening Day and also other days of religious and national importance.

Sri Krishna Udyogashala

In addition to the educational work undertaken by the ashram, it was proposed to start an industrial school so that the children, after finishing the elementary course, may be trained in some handicrafts. To start with, for this purpose, we used the house on the property presented to the ashram by Dr. S. R. U. Savoor. We also built a thatched shed in front of it for locating handlooms. In the verandah of the house, we held training classes in leather and horn work. We were feeling that the space in this temporary arrangement was not sufficient. Naturally the idea of constructing a new, pukka building came into being and an appeal was made for funds. Shankar Mallapur, who had taken a leading part in the collection of the Shashtiabda Poorthi Fund, requested his boss Sri Bhogilal Patel to bear the entire cost of the building which came to about Rs.28,453/- which he graciously did in the name of his wife Srimati Ichhabai Bhogilal H. Patel as her contribution to the above Fund. He has stipulated that the building should never be used except for industrial purposes. The plan of the building was prepared by Sri D. G. Karanjgaokar, a well-known architect of Bombay, who then, happily, had come on a visit to the ashram. It is a beautiful, spacious and well-ventilated structure in the school compound. It is named Sri Krishna Udyogashala. Its opening ceremony was performed on the 44th birthday of Krishna Bai on 25th September, 1946. Friends contributed towards its equipment and maintenance. The four old looms destroyed by fire in the temporary thatched shed were substituted by ten new ones bought from the donation of Ramprasad M. Dave of Ahmedabad. There is a show-room in the building in which the manufactured articles are kept for sale. In course of time, we had to abolish the leather and horn section. Instead we have started hand-spinning, tailoring and handweaving.

The Shashtiabda Poorthi Fund

Here a few words must be said about the Shashtiabda Poorthi Fund, a reference to which has been made above. The idea of collecting a fund for a purse to be presented to Ramdas on the completion of his 60th year first originated with U. Sanjiv Rao of Bombay and afterwards took the shape of a resolution moved by R. N. Haldipur and adopted at a special meeting of the Bombay branch of the Anandashram held on 26th December, 1943 with S.R. Hattiangadi in the chair. When the proposal was conveyed to Ramdas for acceptance he only thought that God was arranging for the clearance of debts incurred by the ashram in His service, the outstandings at the time having accumulated to the tune of about Rs.48,000/-. He accordingly agreed readily to what he felt to be a divinely inspired move started by the Lord Himself in furtherance of His own cause. The Fund was closed early in 1947 when it reached a total of about Rs.1,04,775/-, exceeding the target of one lakh fixed. A statement regarding the disbursements made out of the collections was published in October 1946 in “The Vision.” The nature of the financial crisis that was thus tided over will be realised from the fact that about Rs.55,500/- had to be paid to clear off the debts and deficits incurred by the ashram during its 16 years’ life of ever-expanding service. It is also noteworthy that whatever money was received from time to time were spent away then and there, under the heads stated, so that no balance was left out of the Fund when it was closed.

The Dispensary

In the early days of the ashram we had been giving only Homoeopathic treatment to the ailing persons who resorted to us for medical relief. We had opened also a section for dressing of wounds and for the rendering of first aid to the injured. Both these activities were conducted in a part of “The Vision” office building. As the number of patients increased, we felt the need of having a separate building for the dispensary outside the ashram compound. It was proposed also to open an Allopathic section in the dispensary. An appeal was made for funds through “The Vision”. As the amount collected for constructing a dispensary building was inadequate, it was decided to use the “Pushpa House”, which was built by Principal N. B. Butani in memory of his youngest daughter Pushpa, for the purpose of the dispensary. The necessary permission for such use was most heartily given by Butani and his wife when they were approached for the same. We shifted to this place all the dispensary equipment from the room in “The Vision” office; and from that time onwards we have been carrying on here the medical relief on a wider scale.

Visitors

The ashram has the happy privilege of being blessed occasionally by the visits of noted saints and devotees of God. By their presence in it they infuse into the inmates enthusiasm in the discharge of their humble duties. The following is a brief account of a few of such saintly visitors:

Swami Nityanand, a great yogi, was residing in Hosdurg. He made several improvements in the old, neglected Hosdurg fort. He was attracting people from all parts of the South Kanara District, and even from far off places. His darshan was rightly considered by devotees to be of immense spiritual benefit. Ramdas had the opportunity of meeting him once, when he was dwelling in the Panch-Pandav caves. He had no cloth on his body except a kaupin. He was dark in complexion, but possessed a tall, fully-developed, well-proportioned body. One of his characteristic features was that his face was always suffused with most bewitching smiles. As he was seen always sunk in divine bliss, his devotees gave him the name Nityanand – meaning everlasting bliss. One day towards the end of the second year of the ashram, one of the ashramites, Krishnappa, brought him to us. We gave him due honour and made him drink the cool water of a tender coconut. He did not speak a word. After remaining with us for about ten minutes, he went away.

Mahant Sri Rampratapdasji Guru Hanumandasji, a saint of Ahmedabad came to the Ashram with a party of devotees. At one time he was a very orthodox sadhu, observing strictly the rules of caste distinctions. After coming to the ashram, he gradually shook them off, and mingled freely with the ashramites. Every year, for several years, he was undertaking the yatra, as he called it, to South India, when he would pay visits to Sri Ramanashram and Anandashram. He used to find great joy in feeding and clothing the poor, for which he would spend lavishly.

Yogi Ramaiah one of the prominent disciples of Sri Ramana Maharshi, came with two other friends. Ramdas felt very happy to see him. His eyes have a light which is perfectly other-worldly, and you feel that he is imbued with the spirit of dispassion. When he sat silent at any place Ramdas could clearly see that he was conscious of only one existence. This is the attitude of those whose mind is ever in tune with the Eternal. Their look shows that their heart is elsewhere. Ramdas remembers the instance of the hen that sits on its eggs for hatching. If you observe a hen thus occupied, you find a peculiar vacant look in its eyes, as its internal gaze is fixed on its eggs. The eyes then appear blank, devoid of every kind of expression. Such are the eyes that see and see not. For, they look into the Infinite and not at the relative world. Yogi Ramaiah knew only Telugu; Ramdas could, therefore, communicate with him only by signs. Ramaiah attempted to express himself, but his language was a jumble of Telugu and Tamil with a sprinkling of English words. We used to have a good laugh at this, in which he also used to join. Ramdas cannot forget the delicious mangoes he brought for him. They were as sweet as he himself.

Swami Siddheshwaranand turned up suddenly one day. He was President of the Ramakrishna Ashram, Bangalore. Ramdas was really delighted to see him. He was full of light, love and devotion. He spent with us only a few hours.

Swami Gurudevanand, whose original name was Sridhar Kamat, belonging to Goa, paid a visit to the ashram. After a few days’ stay he took sannyas and assumed the new name. For some days he was engaged in meditation, in the cave on the Manjapati hill, where a serpent seems to have been freely moving about. He was an earnest sadhaka imbued with a spirit of renunciation.

Sadhu Sadananda, a German, who had joined the Gowdiya Math, came with his sannyasi, gurubhai, Krishnakant. He had sannyasi clothes, a tuft on his head, and a mala round his neck signifying that he was a Vaishnava Bhakta. The gurubhai was an Assamese. Sadhu Sadananda had been, it appears, a Professor in a German University and was a man of great learning and attainments. But he was found to be very simple in his nature and ways. In fact, we loved him at first sight. His gurubhai was active and took part in the service of the ashram. Sadhu Sadanand was so charmed with the ashram and its surroundings that he wished to return again and settle down in a small cottage, which, he said, he would build for himself, near the ashram. At the time he came there was a proposal to stop the publication of “The Vision”. Hearing this, Sadhu Sadanand persuaded us to keep the magazine going.

Just after the completion of the fifty-seventh birthday festivities of Ramdas, Swami Hariharanand of Sri Ananthaswami Math came to the ashram, with a party of his devotees. By reason of his coming, the Birthday celebrations were extended by four days, during which period he performed three Hari-kathas in the pandal erected on the plinth of the proposed dining hall and kitchen. Swami Hariharanand is a saint full of devotion. He is also a gifted singer. He attracts a large number of people to his kirtan and keeps them absorbed in listening to the inspiring words that flow out of his mouth, dealing with bhakti, jnana and vairagya. The three Hari-kathas related to (1) Sakhubai, (2) Damaji Panth and (3) Shabari. Throughout the description of the lives of these three saints, he brought out clearly how the Lord’s Name was their light and refuge, and how by its power alone they were able to attain God-vision. He laid stress upon sincerity, purity of heart and faith as the essential qualities required for the realisation of God. The Swami is well-read in religious literature and has studied the lives of the saints of all parts of India. He was, therefore, able to quote freely from the teachings and songs of Kabir, Eknath, Tukaram, Jnanadev, Samarth Ramdas, Tulsidas, Purandaradas and others. We had a most blissful time throughout his stay with us.

Swami Advaitanand and Ratilal Lakhia visited the ashram. Ramdas had met Swami Advaitanand at Vishnubhai Thakur’s place at Patna. Ramdas felt very happy to have him. After a stay of three days with us they left.

K. Krishna Bhagat is a well-known banker of Tellicherry. He came to the ashram with his wife, Rama Devi. He is a devout soul. Ramdas here is concerned with his wife, who, at the time, had reached an advanced stage on the spiritual path. She was developing a childlike nature and her heart was constantly in tune with God. This was apparent in all her ways and doings, which were free and spontaneous. She has, thereafter, visited our ashram several times. Latterly we found that she was rapidly blossoming into a radiant being. The last time she came, she had evolved to such a state that she could spiritually awaken people who came into contact with her. She had many devotees and admirers. She used to sing bhajans and go into trances, and Ramdas also heard that she danced in ecstasy, when her heart was filled with divine emotions. She teaches that love is the one thing that an aspirant should develop, in order to realise God. She emphasises the value of congregational bhajan as the way to keep our minds absorbed in the thought of God.

Sri Prem Bhikshu of Gujarat, whom Ramdas had met at Ahmedabad, came one day to the ashram unexpectedly. He is full of love and devotion. Ramdas remembers his fair face, with a full black beard on it. Whenever Ramdas sees him, he is reminded of our Sikh friends of Punjab. His love for Ramdas is indeed great. His talks with Ramdas are sweet.

Swami Srivasanand, a sannyasi belonging to the Ramakrishna Mission of Bangalore, came to the ashram with some devotees of Mangalore. Ramdas had a delightful time with him. He was about seventy years old at the time. His face was bright with spiritual lustre. He was a learned Swami, well-versed in Sanskrit and had started a Vedanta College at Bangalore. He worked hard for the spiritual uplift of the younger generation. He passed away a few years ago.

Sri Dilip Kumar Roy, one of the prominent disciples of Sri Aurobindo, came to the ashram on a fine morning. We were very happy to have him with us for a few days. His child-like nature endeared him to us all. There is always light and cheer on his face. He is a gifted singer. His musical concerts are very popular all over India as they thrill the hearts of the listeners. He sang with great devotional fervour in the ashram hall during the evening bhajan. He is also a reputed poet and essayist. He occasionally contributes his inspiring poems to “The Vision.”

Srimad Anandashram Swamiji of Sri Chitrapur Math, Shirali is, as Ramdas has described him in the earlier parts of this book, a spiritually illuminated personality. It was indeed a gala day for all ashramites when they welcomed him. Krishna Bai had made special arrangements in Sri Narasimha Iyer’s house to accommodate him there. The days that he spent with us were memorable, in that we were all merged in a sea of rare bliss. In the evenings, His Holiness graced the ashram bhajan mandir at the time of the bhajan. On the last day, at the close of the bhajan, he delivered an inspiring discourse on dharma, which besides being eloquent and impressive, was marked by sparkling wit and humour. His radiant figure comes before our mental vision.

Sri Punit Maharaj, a saint of Ahmedabad, paid us a visit accompanied by eighty followers. He gave us the joy of listening to his bhajans and discourses in Gujarati. He has the power of holding the audience under his spell by his remarkable devotion. It is evident that by his contact, hundreds of aspirants have immensely benefited. He has a large following in Bombay and Ahmedabad. He is most unassuming and simple in his nature. He is a votary of Ramnam. He makes his disciples sing the Name in chorus and it is a blissful treat to those who sit by his side on such occasions.

Sri Mangesh Ramachandra Taki Maharaj, alias Sri Dada, is a famous saint of Jogeshwari, near Bombay. He came to the ashram with a few disciples. He is the very embodiment of divine love. He is purely satwic in his temperament and his talks are the outflow of his heart which is saturated with devotion. He is familiar with the songs of the saints of Maharashtra and other provinces of India. His father was also a great saint. He resides in Sadbhakti Mandir in Jogeshwari. He stayed with us for five days and gave us all great joy. Really, the most important landmarks in the life of the ashram are the visits of Saints and Mahatmas.

Cultivation of Paddy

From about four years, the ashram has taken up the cultivation of paddy crops on the lands extending to about 15 acres belonging to the ashram. In this work Krishna Bai is deeply interested and so it is carried out under her direct supervision. The ashram has engaged the services of about 50 workers, men and women, living in the vicinity. All the activities of the ashram including the paddy cultivation are performed by these workers. As the whole system is being worked on a community basis, every worker enjoys the full benefit of his work, in the shape of both wages and share in the produce. The co-operative spirit and whole-hearted enthusiasm of the workers are mainly responsible for the yield of rich harvests every year. The ashram has also fruit gardens yielding mangoes, sapotas, jack fruits and coconuts besides vegetables.

Conclusion

The first edition of this book was published in 1935. Since then many changes have taken place in the ashram. Although an attempt has been made in this chapter to bring the main story of the activities of the ashram up to date, it must be admitted that it has not been possible to record here all the changes in detail. The original routine of ashram life has altered. Many old workers have given place to new ones, as is but natural in the life of a growing institution. Additional houses and buildings have been put up on the ashram lands, some of them by friends and devotees who have willingly placed them at the disposal of the ashram for the accommodation of the perennial stream of visitors and other uses. The ashram has also secured hundreds of new friends, while many devoted souls have departed, whose loss is almost irreparable.

Since the starting of Anandashram in 1931 till 1938, Ramdas went once on an all-India tour and twice to many places in South India and Saurashtra. He did not again move out of the Ashram till 1949, from which year he has been going for a few months every year to various places all over India, mainly Bombay and Saurashtra. In 1954, he went on a world tour, a detailed description of which is given in the book ‘World is God’, written by him on his return to India.

A small temple has been constructed in the colony of Madigas (Harijans) about a mile from the Ashram. A beautiful bronze plaque of Sri Hanumanji, the great devotee of Sri Ramachandra, presented by Messrs. Wagh and Sons, sculptors of Bombay, is installed in the temple. Ramdas performed the installation ceremony. The Madigas gather in the temple once in a week and do bhajan. The temple is kept neat and holy.

Sri Gunvantrai T. Kamdar, a merchant-prince of Saurashtra, has constructed an Ashram in Bhavnagar. In the course of his tours of Saurashtra, Ramdas laid the foundation stone for this Ashram building, and again in the following year, went there for its opening celebrations. The Ashram is named Ramdas Ashram. Since its inception, Ramdas had been spending a month or two in it every year, during winter. A large number of devotees attended bhajans in the Ashram and also came to listen to Ramdas’ talks. In the other months of the year, renowned saints are invited to the Ashram and treated with great hospitality by the management. The saints give unique joy of their holy company and the benefit of their spiritual discourses to the devotees of the place.

The Silver Jubilee of Krishna Bai’s renunciation was celebrated in Anandashram on a very grand scale. A phenomenally large number of devotees came for the function from all parts of India and also a few from abroad. As arranged, the occasion was marked by the conclusion of the two-year Nam-Likhita Japa, in which devotees from all over India took part, with a total of 33 crores while the target aimed at was only 25 crores.

By the indefatigable efforts of Mahant Sri Sudamdasji of Rokhadia Hanuman Temple, Porbandar, a new, beautiful and prominent Mandir of Hanuman has been constructed in the same compound as the old temple. At the pressing invitation of the Mahant, Ramdas paid a visit to Porbandar for performing the pratishta (installation) of the images in the Mandir. The celebration took place with a great yagna performed by Sri G.T. Kamdar, who co-operated whole-heartedly in the functions and contributed towards the complete success of the great event.

Ramdas here concludes this long story of his experiences with the fervent prayer that the work of the Ashram may gain, by the grace of God, greater strength, as years go by, enabling it to be a centre from which love and service may radiate to all parts of the world and thus fulfil the great purpose of God.

HARI OM TAT SAT