Chronicle of Sri Paramacharyal’s last padha yatra – vol 2

2nd part of the Padha yatra. In fact Bhuvana completed typing all 4 parts and I am running slow in mapping those places. Hopefully will try to complete this sooner!! As I keep mapping the places He visited, it is frightening to see the map (see at the end of this post).

Highlights in this phase::

• Entering Karnataka
• Stayed at Hagari at 68 days – pretty much the longest stay since He started
• Navarathiri @Sandhanur
• Sivarathiri @Hampi
• Periyava gets the made-shift rickshaw – i thought the rickshaw was in use for a much earlier time!

• 5.7.78. Wed.: Kondapuram (4 km). After snanam in the canal and biksha, stay at a road-side mantapam. Went to Ravi Venkatapalle, making a detour of 2 km and Yerrangundapalle.
• 6.7.78. Thur.: Reached Venkatesaperumal temple at Tadpatri (7 km). A place of architectural beauty. Bucca Ranialingeswara Siva Temple, on the banks of Pennar river, is in a dilapidated condition. All the idols are mutilated. Both the temples belong to the 13^th century. Guava trees in plenty. Monkeys here are friendly and playful.
•  9.7.78. Sun.: Went to Chuvulurchanna Kesava Perumal and Anjaneya temples (6 km) and then to Iduguru (4.5 to 0.5) for night stay.
•  10.7.78. Mon.: Midday at a roadside mandapam (chatram as it is called by local police at Seemaldavankpalle (5.5 km) and night stay at Anjaneya temple at Vemalpade (5 km).
•  11.7.78. Tue.: Rayalacheruvu (6 km). Night stay at Kishtappadu.
•  12.7.78. Wed.: Kondapad Ranganathaswamy temple (10 km). Kannikaparameshwari temple (10 km) at Gooty for night stay (8 km).
•  13.7.78. Thur.: Stay in a tent at Rajapuram (8 km) proceeded to Anjaneya temple at Thimmam Cherla, in spite of the pleading of all not to proceed further. There was a heavy downpour. Though the sky was clear at the time of starting, it was very difficult to lead the rickshaw or the cycle. If we had remained in the originally intended camping site, it would have been completely inundated. People say that they never had such a heavy rain in the past so many years. Every one including H.H. and all the things were completely drenched.
•  14.7.78. Fri.: Kannikaparameswari temple at Guntakkal (6.5 km). Night stay at P.W.D. quarters at Panchvadi (11.5 km). (Hanchanahalu in Kannada) (5 km).
•  15.7.78. Sat.: Gadekkal Eswaran temple (5 km). Night stay at Joladarsi (14.5 km) after snanam in the stream on the way. Entered Karnataka state.
•  16.7.78. Sun.: Reached Hagari (5 km). Ekadasi snanam in the Hagari river. Stay at Hagari for 68 days.
•  20.7.78. Thu.: Vyasapuja Mantrakshada given to all by H.H.
•  15.9.78. Fri.: F.R.P. Rickshaw delivered. Lot of incomplete works – rectified.
• 16.9.78. Sat.: Viswarupayatra went on Kurnol road (1.5 km). Exposition of Bhagavatgeetha Viswarupa Adhyayam at water works.
•  23.9.78. Sat.: Stay at Hagari for 68 days. During the stay at Hagari, all persons of Panyam Cements, right from Sri Ramana, Mg. Director and Sri Chenna Veerappa, General Manager, down to the workers were hospitable and cooperative. People from Bellary and Hospet came for darshan in good numbers, during weekends. Left Hagari for Bellary Kannika Parameshwari temple (18 km).
•  Very large crowd. Morning 8 am to night 10 pm. H.H. gave darshan without rest.
•  24.9.78. Sun.: Sankara Mutt and then to Alhipuram. (8 km).
•  25.9.78. Mon.: Veni Veerapenam and then to Kudithani Nityanandaswami Mutt. Stay among Harijans (11 km).
•  26.9.78. Tue.: Thoranagal T.B. bungalow (11 km). Morarji Desai who came for darshan at 10.30 a.m. meditated for 45 minutes. Night stay Tharanagaram (12 km). P.W.D. quarters. Very bad road. Heavy rain during night.
•  27.9.78. Wed.: Started in the evening and reached Sandhur Siva temple (12 km).
•  1.10.78. Sun.: Mahalaya Amavasya – Madyanika Snanam at Harisankar – Continuous flow of spring water – small Siva temple. Proceeded to Kumaraswamy (12 km). Main deity Subramanya. Women not allowed. Beautiful idol. Very famous temple for districts all around. Siva Parvathi Sannidhis also in the same compound.
•  2.10.78. Mon.: Came back to Sandhur for Navarathri.
•  11.10.78. Wed.: Vijayadasami day. Went to Sankara Mutt (1.5 km). On way back visited palace temples, Dattatreya etc.
•  14.10.78. Sat.: To Donimalai (11 km).
•  16.10.78. Mon.: Back to Sandhur (11 km).
•  21.10.78. Sat.: Left Sandhur (23 days stay). Very good dairy farm with cows yielding as much as 35 litres milk. Mid-day at Siddhapur Anjaneya temple. Night stay at Chintamani mutt at Amaravathi in Hospet. (34 km).
•  22.10.78. Sun.: To Venugopalaswamy temple and back to Chintamani Mutt.
•  23.10.78. Mon.: Night stay at Kaddirampur Subramanyaswamy temple built by Palaniappa Pillai (9 km).
•  24.10.78. Tue.: Reached Hampi and stayed at Vidyaranya Mutt (3 km). Went to Lakshmi Narasimha and Badru Lingam surrounded by water.
•  27.10.78. Fri.: Went to Kamalapurani via Hazara Ramaswamy temple where there were carvings of Ramayana on the walls – stay at Anjaneya temple (5 km).
• 28.10.78. Sat.: Dwadasi – went to Anegundi (5 km) after crossing the Tungabadra at Talarikadu. In the evening went to Pampasarover – Sabari Ashram; Risyamukha, Hemakutam, Malyavantam, Anganadi are all within a radius of about 6.4 km on both the sides of the river. Night stay at Pampasarover after darshan at Lakshmi temple. Sabari Guha – a calm place.
•  29.10.78. Sun.: Back to Anegundi (3 km) after seeing Gani Ranganatha Swami and Durga temples, on the way, lot of caves.
•  30.10.78. Mon.: Deepavali Annapurani and Rudrakshamandapam.
•  1.11.78. Wed.: Gangavathi Ram temple (12 km) built by Manohara Chetty.
•  3.11.78. Fri.: Rama temple belonging to Sugar Mills. Night stay at Malyavantham (11 km).
•  4.11.78. Sat.: Moolam – Ramathirtham and Lakshmanathirtham.
•  5.11.78. Sun.: Back to Hampi via Vittalaraya and Kondandarama temples  (6 km).
•  6.11.78. Mon.: Skanda Sashti at Kaddirampur.
•  7.11.78. Tue.: Heavy rain.
•  9.11.78. Thur.: To Hampi and back (6 km)
•  10.11.78. Fri.: Ekadasi – to Hampi and back.
•  11.11.78. Sat.: Brindavana Dwadasi. To Kodanda Ramaswami temple and back, (7 km)
•  12.11.78. Sun.: Pradosha darsanam at Hampi and back (6 km).
•  13.11.78. Mon.: Went upto Chandrasekara temple at Kamalapuram. On return, stayed at Vidyaranyar Samadhi (13 km).
•  14.11.78. Tue.: Pournami snanam at Tungabadra and as usual after japam at Sarada Sannidhi returned to Kaddirampur – Upavasam – Annabisheka (3 km).
•  15.11.78. Wed.: Kadamuzhukku at Tungabadra and as usual after japam at Sarada Sannidhi returned to Kaddirampur (6 km).
•  16.11.78. Thur.: To Hampi (6 km).
•  23.11.78. Thur.: Breaks mounam.
•  10.12.78. Sun.: To Malyavantham via Kamalapuram to attend the concluding discourse of Ramayana by 30-year old Purani Das in Gujarati, organized by Gujarati Mandal. About 1,500 persons attended. (6 km).
•  12.12.78. Tue.: Dwadasi and Pradosha Madyanhika biksha at Madhuvanam. Went to Kaddirampur for Karthigai darsanam (8 km).
• 13.12.78. Wed.: Pournima puja at Hampi (3 km).
•  14.1.79. Sun.: To Kaddirampur.
•  17.1.79. Wed.: Hospet Nageswara temple (8 km).
•  18.1.79. Thur.: Reached Kali temple at Tungabhadra dam site (6 km).
•  20.1.79. Sat.: Anjaneya temple.
•  21.1.79. Sun.: Reached Munirabad (5 km). Kamakshi Vimanam Vigraham was brought.
•  22.1.79. Mon.: To Rangan Gowd’s H.R.G. oil factory at Hosa Halli near Munirabad (3 km).
•  23.1.79. Tue.: Sivapuram (9 km). Then to Gangammagudi near I.B. at Sonapuram (15 km).
•  24.1.79. Wed.: Reached Hampi via Virupakanda after halt at Reddy’s house and crossing Tungabhadra.
•  25.2.79. Sun.: Sivaratri.
•  27.2.79. Tue.: Guru Aradhana.
•  24.3.79. Sat.: Night stay at Anantharayanagudi.
•  25.3.79. Mon.: Venugopalaswami temple (3 km).
•  26.3.79. Tue.: Renukamba temple at Hosur (6 km). Nice place, famous temple. Body of the Devi fell here and head on the other side of the river at Huligi.
•  7.4.79. Sat.: Left Hosur after remaining for Vasantha Navarathri. Sandhur Yuvaraja came daily and presented silk garments to Ranganatha Sastrigal and other pundits and vastrams to others – reached Sonapuram ( 30 km) via Huligi. Noon stay at Huligi –  Nice bathing ghat among rocks.
•  8.4.79. Sun.: Crossed the river to go to Hampi.
•  11.4.79. Wed.: Vidyaranya Mutt Swami arrived and had discussion with H.H.
•  12.4.79. Thur.: Car festival of Virupaksheswara. Newly fabricated car after the old car broke six years back. In the evening Thoda to the sthapathi and shawls to all the sthapathi’s assistants and pandits were presented in the presence of H.H. Sandhur Maharaja presented an Emerald Necklace with Diamond embedded Gold Pendant to Eswara and mangalsutra in pearl to Bhuvaneswari worth about (Rs.25,000 & Rs.7,000) and Jari Vastrams to Eswara and sarees to Devis. Arakonam Parasurama Iyer also presented shawls and sarees to Eswara and Devi.
•  13.4.79. Fri.: Last day of the year Kalayukthi.

( We have presented in two parts, till now, the last Pada Yatra of Sri Sri Maha Swamigal, to be continued.)
We intercept here, to solicit your attention to note that – ‘wants’ can be multiplied a million-fold. But to set an example of austerity, coupled with a naturalness in following it every moment, is a lesson to us to follow to have a meaningful life, rich in righteousness.
It was this single thought that prompted us to carry the above diary notings of Sri Mettur Swamigal, in HRD TIMES.