Thanks to Shri Deepak Kumar, Australia in sending these to me. I am cutting and pasting his email.
I have been fortunate to have possession of some of rare photos of Kanchi mahan taken during his 100th year (1993).
- In 1993, coinciding with the centenary celebration of Maha Periyava, My grand father Shri J. Varadaraja iyer (JVR) from Chromepet, Chennai – organised a series of yagnyas for His Holiness’ long life and to pray for HIS continued blessings. He conducted this event in the presence of Shankaracharya from Sakatapuram mutt (which is a branch mutt of Utaramnaya peetam at Badhri), HH Shri Krishnanda Theertha Swamigal.
- Before this event, my grandfather went to see Maha periyava at Kanchi puram to seek his blessings. Sakatapuram swamigal accompanied my grand father
- Maha periyava consented for the group to take a photo of HIM from very close quarters – resulting is some really rare pictures, i have enclosed this collection in the form of a ppt with my notes (from recollection). My thatha also later went and met Shri Sivan Sir (pooravashrama brother of Maha periyava) whom our family was fortunate enough to know and also showed him these pictures to seek his blessings.
- The yagnya itself went very well in the benign presence of Sakatapuram swamigal – after the yagnyam, the team again visited kanchi puram to offer Prasad and Kumbha theertham from the yagnyam to Maha periyava – who gracefully accepted the offering and used it in his anushtanams (which also i presume is very rare).
- Post the trip, My Grand father Shri JVR also visited HH Shri Sivan Sir (the poorvashrama brother of Maha periyava) to seek his blessings for the event. During that time, the photo taken during kanchi trip was also shown to Sivan Sir
My thatha passed away in 1996 – and for all these years these photos were hanging in my house – but i didnt even give it enough attention – It suddenly struck me that this is a treasure that should be shared with everyone of his devotees and hence i am sharing this with you for publishing in your blog and who else but maha periyava would have made me me do this
