The Bay Area Hindu community, especially the devotees and followers of Kanchi Mutt in the Silicon Valley, owes a lot to Sri Chandramouli Sastrigal. He was one of the earliest pioneers in the Bay Area to spread Sri Mahaperiyava Bhakti movement. When he founded Sri Kamakshi Community Center in Santa Clara, more than a decade ago, it was a dream coming true for scores of devotees. Since its inception, SKCC has become a spiritual center in the Bay Area. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Sri Chandramouli mama’s organizing Sri Mahaperiyava events, such as His Aaradhana, Jayanthi, Sahasra Suvasini Pooja, Maharudrams and such events met with grand success, and growing in stature in terms of scale and devotee participation. He was personally at the Service of Sri Mahaperiyava in Kanchipuram. He was a simple and amicable person, easily approachable, inclusive, soft spoken and a thorough Vedic scholar. Anyone who participated in the Puja at SKCC will notice his sincerity towards Sri Kamakshi and Sri Mahaperiyava. He provided space to young children, youth, and musicians through BalaVidyalaya, and musical events. Anusham Pooja and Paduka Puja (at devotees’ houses), will fill the atmosphere with devotion. Every year he did Kruthika Mandala Veda Parayanam, full Veda Parayanam during Kruttika month, that is running now. Very recently, he, with the support of several devotees, was able to secure a land to house a permanent shrine for Sri Kamakshi and Sri Mahaperiyava in Morgan Hill, CA. He had a grand vision for SKCC, however, Sri Mahaperiyava has taken him too soon. Where did he go?
असतो मा सद्गमय
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय,
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय
ओं शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
